District staff have primary responsibility for maintaining proper order and conduct in schools to promote student safety and learning.

Staff are responsible for holding students accountable for infractions of school rules, which may include minor violations of the law occurring during school hours or at school activities, consistent with Board Policy No. 3240, Student Behavior and Disciplinary Responses, and the Basic Rules of Seattle Public Schools.

There are instances, however, when District staff call upon law enforcement, child protective authorities, and the public health department to ensure the safety and protection of students and staff. When there is a substantial threat to the health and safety of students or others, such as in the case of bomb threats, threats of violence, or threats of substantial bodily harm, law enforcement will be called upon for assistance.

The Superintendent or their designee is authorized to develop procedures to implement this policy and is charged with establishing cooperative working relationships with law enforcement agencies, child protective authorities, and public health department officials in order to maintain agreed upon procedures for handling child abuse and neglect, communicable diseases, and criminal (including bomb threats/other threat assessment) allegations and investigations. Agreed upon procedures should also address other matters where the work and duties of the District overlap with these agencies, such as arrests by law enforcement officers on school premises, law enforcement personnel for crowd control, and any contracts for safety and security staff under Board Policy No. 4311, School Safety and Security Services Program.

By contrast, immigration enforcement does not overlap with the duty of the District, which is to educate children residing in the District regardless of the immigration status of the students or their families. Therefore, District policy prohibits District participation or aid in immigration enforcement activity against students and their families, staff, and volunteers.

Superintendent Procedure:

• 4310SP.A District Relationships with Law Enforcement and Other Government Agencies
• 4310SP.B Limiting Immigration Enforcement at Schools

Policy Cross References:

• 1400 – Board Meetings
• 3124 – Removal/Release of Student During School Hours
• 3143 – Notification and Dissemination of Information About Student Offenses and Notification of Threats of Violence or Harm
• 3207 – Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying of Students
• 3208 – Sexual Harassment of Students Prohibited
• 3119 – Residency
• 3225 – School-Based Threat Assessment
• 3231 – Student Records
• 3240 – Student Behavior and Disciplinary Responses
• 3414 – Infectious Diseases
• 3421 – Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Prevention
• 3432 – Emergencies
• 4020 – Confidential Communications
• 4200 – School Visitations and Maintaining Safe and Orderly Environments
• 4210 – Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons Prohibited
• 4311 – School Safety and Security Services Program

Previous Policies:

• D78.00 – School-Police Relations

Legal References:

• RCW 10.31.100 Arrest without warrant.
• RCW 13.40.040 Taking juvenile into custody, grounds—Detention of, grounds—Detention pending disposition—Release on bond, conditions—Bail jumping.
• RCW 13.40.140 Juveniles entitled to usual judicial rights—Notice of—Open court—Privilege against self-incrimination—Waiver of rights, when.
• RCW 26.44.030 Reports—Duty and authority to make—Duty of receiving agency—Duty to notify—Case planning and consultation—Penalty for unauthorized exchange of information—Filing dependency petitions—Investigations—Interviews of children—Records—Risk assessment process.
• RCW 26.44.050 Abuse or neglect of child—Duty of law enforcement agency or department of children, youth, and families—Taking child into custody without court order, when.
• RCW 26.44.110 Information about rights—Custody without court order—Written statement required—Contents.
• RCW 26.44.115 Child taken into custody under court order—Information to parents.
• RCW 28A.225.060 Custody and disposition of child absent from school without excuse. RCW 28A.345.085 Model policy and procedure for nurturing a positive social and emotional school and classroom climate—Adoption by school districts.
• RCW 28A.635.020 Willfully disobeying school administrative personnel or refusing to leave public property, violations, when – Penalty.
• RCW 43.10.310 – Immigration enforcement model policies.
• 20 U.S.C. § 1232g Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. 

Management Resources:

• WSSDA Policy & Legal News, August 2020, July 2013.
• Keep Washington Working Act Guidance, Model Policies, and Best Practices for Public Schools; Washington State Office of the Attorney General, May 2020.
• Basic Rules of Seattle Public Schools 

Last Board Review:

• July 2, 2025

Revisions:

• July 2, 2025
• May 27, 2025 (Administrative Update per Policy No. 1310)

Adopted by the Board:

• June 18, 2014