A Disciplinary Hearing Authority (DHA) shall conduct appeals for students who have been suspended for more than ten (10) school days. Upon receiving notification of the request to appeal the suspension decision, the DHA shall provide written notification to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student, the student, and any other appropriate person of the time, place, and date of the hearing. The hearing must be held no later than ten (10) days after the beginning of the suspension. Within five (5) days of the DHA rendering a decision, the student, principal, principal-teacher, or assistant principal may request a review by the Board, and the Board shall review the record. 

The Sevier County School System provides alternative instructional settings which are available as the result of a recommendation by the building level administrator through a placement hearing with the Sevier County Board of Education’s Disciplinary Hearing Officer.

Although Board Policy 613 establishes a procedure for the use of corporal punishment, other methods for student discipline are utilized within the Sevier County School System.

Board Policy 614 (Detention) states that students may be detained before or after the school day as a means of disciplinary action.

The following guidelines will be followed:

• The student and his/her parent or guardian will be given at least one day of notice before the detention;
• Students in detention will be under the supervision of certified staff members;
• Detention will not exceed one hour after the official closing of the school day but may be administered several days in succession;
• Teachers must have the approval of the principal before detaining a student; and
• Detention may not be used if the parent or guardian is not able to provide transportation home after the detention.

According to Board Policy 625, the principal may suspend a student from attendance to school for as long as ten days or from riding a school bus for ten days if the conduct of the student is such to warrant such action. The suspension will be reported to the Central Office on forms provided and the student's parent or guardian will be notified by presentation of the parent copy of the suspension form to the parent in person or by letter (registered if necessary). The suspension form will not be given to the student to deliver to the parent/guardian. If the suspension is for more than five (5) days, the principal shall develop and implement a plan of behavior which shall be made available for the Superintendent or his/her designee upon request.

An offense that warrants expulsion will be reported in writing as a recommendation for a superintendent's hearing. After the superintendent's hearing the student may be assigned an additional suspension of up to ten days, assigned alternative placement, or expelled. The parents or guardian may appeal any suspension or expulsion as outlinedin Board Policy 606.