Purpose:

In general, each State receiving Federal funds under any Title of this Act shall have in effect a State law requiring local educational agencies to expel from school for a period of not less than one year a student who is determined to have brought a firearm to a school, or to have possessed a firearm at a school under the jurisdiction of the local educational agencies. However, the law does allow the superintendent or chief administering officer of a local educational agency to modify such expulsion requirement for a student on a case-by-case basis if such modification is in writing. The Gun-Free Schools Act page affords districts the opportunity to comply with state and federal regulations by reporting specified data related to each incident applicable to the Gun-Free Schools Act.

Guidance:

For each student considered for disciplinary action under the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, provide the relevant information surrounding the incident by responding to all fields on the form.

In accordance with state and federal guidelines, a local educational agency that has expelled a student from the student's regular school setting may provide educational services to the student in an alternative setting. Make this notation in the "Removal Type" field on the Gun-Free Schools Expulsions Act form.

Click the link below to go to the Departments website.

Question: If a student is expelled because the student brought a gun to school and used it to assault another student, causing injury to the victim, how is this expulsion reported?

Answer:This is reported under BOTH a Gun-Free Schools Act expulsion and a violence-related expulsion .

Question: If a student is expelled for having a firearm (shotgun) in his vehicle which is parked in the school's parking lot, how is this reported?

Answer: This is not an expulsion reported under violence-related expulsions (assuming the firearm was not taken from the vehicle and was not used at school in a violent act). However, this is an expulsion to be reported on BEDS under the Gun-Free Schools Act Expulsions report.

Question: What is the Gun-Free Schools Act?
Answer: The federal Gun-Free Schools Act (at 20 U.S.C. section 7151) requires each State receiving federal education funds (this includes Iowa) to have in effect a State law requiring local schools to expel students who bring firearms to school.In response, the Iowa General Assembly enacted Iowa Code section 280.21B, which states in pertinent part as follows:

"The board of directors of a school district and the authorities in charge of a nonpublic school which receives services supported by federal funds shall expel from school for a period of not less than one year a student who is determined to have brought a weapon to a school or knowingly possessed a weapon at a school under the jurisdiction of the board or the authorities. However, the superintendent or chief administering officer of a school or school district may modify expulsion requirements on a case-by-case basis... For purposes of this section, "weapon" means a firearm"...

Question: If a firearm is found in a school locker shared by two students and one acknowledges ownership of the firearm and the other student knows nothing about it, do both students have to be expelled under Iowa Code section 280.21B?
Answer: Only the student who "knowingly possessed a weapon" at school must be expelled. If the local board determines that his lockermate knew nothing about the firearm, the law does not require that this student be punished.