Senate committee substitute replaces the 1st edition in its entirety with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.

Section 1

Amends GS 115C-390.2 to direct governing bodies of public school units to require principals or their designees to accept a detailed, written eyewitness account of an incident that could result in a short-term or long-term suspension by either school personnel or the student subject to discipline within 24 hours of the incident.

 Section 2

Amends the short-term suspension procedures under GS 115C-390.6 as follows. Requires the principal or their designee to provide the student with detailed, written information of the specific section of the public school unit's Code of Student Conduct (Code) that the student's conduct violated and how the conduct violated that section at the informal hearing. Provides for a right of appeal for students in grade nine or above if the short-term suspension is for five or more days and the appeal is made within 14 days of the principal's decision. Requires the principal or their designee to give the student information on their right to appeal at the informal hearing. Requires the governing body of the public school unit to adopt a policy with the procedures for the appeal. Provides for an appeal hearing and a written decision on the appeal based on substantial evidence to uphold or reverse the principal’s decision. Makes conforming changes.

Section 3

Amends GS 115C-402 to create a process for expunction of any notice of a short-term suspension imposed on a student in grade nine or above. Requires that the notice be expunged from the record, at the earliest, at the end of the school year in which the suspension was imposed if the student’s parent, legal guardian, or the student (if at least 16 years of age) requests the expungement, the student graduates from high school or has not been expelled or suspended again during the same school year, and the superintendent or their designee determines that the record is no longer needed to maintain safe and orderly schools or to adequately serve the child.

Applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.