5008

Pregnant or Parenting Students

Students who are pregnant or parenting are encouraged to continue participating in the district’s educational and extracurricular programs.

I. Accommodations Regarding Attendance and Participation

A. Generally

Students who anticipate deviations from their regular school experience or accrue absences due to pregnancy or parenting should notify their building principal as early as possible to discuss their educational programming. The building principal will work with the student to develop a plan to assist the student in participating in district curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Such a plan may include:

1. If the student cannot regularly attend classes, the provision of online courses;

2. The arrangement of meeting times with teachers;

3. If the student has not identified appropriate childcare, the identification of child care providers that meet statutory requirements for quality and care; and

4. All other curricular adjustments, modifications, and means of supplementing classroom attendance deemed appropriate by the school administrators including, but not limited to, modification of attendance policies.

B. Students with Disabilities

For students with disabilities who have an IEP or Section 504 plan, the administrators, student’s parents or guardians, and student if appropriate will collaborate with the student’s educational team to coordinate accommodations consistent with state and federal law. As permitted by law, students may be entitled to accommodations as a result of pregnancy.

II. Accommodations Regarding Lactation and Breastfeeding

A. Accommodations

1. In order to accommodate lactating and breastfeeding students, the district will provide reasonable opportunities to express breast milk or breastfeed in a place, other than a bathroom, which is shielded from view and free from intrusion from district students, employees, and the public.

2. Students who wish or need to express breast milk on a regular schedule will work with school administrators to create a schedule which accommodates the student’s needs while facilitating education to the maximum extent possible.

3. The district will provide a location for students to store expressed breast milk in or near the location designated for students to express milk to create the least amount of disruption to the student’s participation in class or activities.

B. Educational Process

In order to prevent interference with the educational process, no student shall express breast milk within school classrooms or buses. Nothing in this policy limits the authority of the administration to impose consequences consistent with the Student Discipline Act and other state and federal law.

Adopted on: 1/1/2007

Revised on: 6/18/2018

Reviewed on: ________________________