(2) All school boards shall have a written policy on attendance developed and annually reviewed in collaboration with the county attorney of the county in which the principal office of the school district is located. The policy shall include a provision indicating how the school district will handle cases in which excessive absences are due to illness. The policy shall also state the circumstances and number of absences or the hourly equivalent upon which the school shall render all services to address barriers to attendance. Such services shall include, but not be limited to:

(3) The school may report to the county attorney of the county in which the person resides when the school has documented the efforts it has made as required by subsection (2) of this section that the collaborative plan to reduce barriers identified to improve regular attendance has not been successful and that the child has been absent more than twenty days per year. The school shall notify the child's family in writing prior to referring the child to the county attorney. Failure by the school to document the efforts required by subsection (2) of this section is a defense to prosecution under section 79-201 and adjudication for educational neglect under subdivision (3)(a) of section 43-247 and habitual truancy under subdivision (3)(b) of section 43-247. Illness that makes attendance impossible or impracticable shall not be the basis for referral to the county attorney.

Administrative and teaching personnel may take actions regarding student behavior, other than those specifically provided in the Student Discipline Act, which are reasonably necessary to aid the student, further school purposes, or prevent interference with the educational process. Such actions may include, but need not be limited to, counseling of students, parent conferences, referral to restorative justice practices or services, rearrangement of schedules, requirements that a student remain in school after regular hours to do additional work, restriction of extracurricular activity, or requirements that a student receive counseling, psychological evaluation, or psychiatric evaluation upon the written consent of a parent or guardian to such counseling or evaluation.

Any statement, notice, recommendation, determination, or similar action specified in the Student Discipline Act shall be effectively given at the time written evidence thereof is delivered personally to or upon receipt of certified or registered mail or upon actual knowledge by a student or his or her parent or guardian.

(4) Within twenty-four hours or such additional time as is reasonably necessary following such suspension, the principal shall send a written statement to the student and his or her parent or guardian describing the student's conduct, misconduct, or violation of the rule or standard and the reasons for the action taken. The principal shall make a reasonable effort to hold a conference with the parent or guardian before or at the time the student returns to school.

(2) If a district does not provide an alternative school, class, or educational program for expelled students, the district shall follow the procedures in this subsection prior to expelling a student unless the expulsion was required by subsection (4) of section 79-283: A conference shall be called by a school administrator and held to assist the district in the development of a plan with the participation of a parent or legal guardian, the student, a school representative, and a representative of either a community organization with a mission of assisting young people or a representative of an agency involved with juvenile justice. The plan shall be in writing and adopted by a school administrator and presented to the student and the parent or legal guardian. The plan shall (a) specify guidelines and consequences for behaviors which have been identified as preventing the student from achieving the desired benefits from the educational opportunities provided, (b) identify educational objectives that must be achieved in order to receive credits toward graduation, (c) specify the financial resources and community programs available to meet both the educational and behavioral objectives identified, and (d) require the student to attend monthly reviews in order to assess the student's progress toward meeting the specified goals and objectives.

If a principal makes a decision to discipline a student by long-term suspension, expulsion, or mandatory reassignment, the following procedures shall be followed:

If a hearing is not requested under sections 79-268 and 79-269 by the student or the student's parent or guardian within five school days following receipt of the written notice, the punishment recommended in the charge by the principal or his or her designee shall automatically go into effect upon the fifth school day following receipt of the written notice by the student or his or her parent or guardian as required in section 79-268.

R.R.S. Neb. § 79-282. Hearing; hearing examiner; report; contents; review; notice; final disposition; how determined.

(2) A review shall be made of the hearing examiner's report by the superintendent, who may change, revoke, or impose the sanction recommended by the hearing examiner but shall not impose a sanction more severe than that recommended by the hearing examiner. The superintendent shall notify the student or the student's parent or guardian of the superintendent's determination within five school days after receipt of the hearing examiner's report.

(1) Written notice of the findings and recommendations of the hearing examiner and the determination of the superintendent under section 79-282 shall be made by certified or registered mail or by personal delivery to the student or the student's parent or guardian. Upon receipt of such written notice by the student, parent, or guardian, the determination of the superintendent shall take immediate effect unless the student or the student's parent or guardian appeals the written notice of determination of the superintendent pursuant to section 79-285.

When a principal or other school official releases a minor student to a peace officer as defined in section 49-801 for the purpose of removing the minor from the school premises, the principal or other school official shall take immediate steps to notify the parent, guardian, or responsible relative of the minor regarding the release of the minor to the officer and regarding the place to which the minor is reportedly being taken, except when a minor has been taken into custody as a victim of suspected child abuse, in which case the principal or other school official shall provide the peace officer with the address and telephone number of the minor's parent or guardian. The peace officer shall take immediate steps to notify the parent, guardian, or responsible relative of the minor that the minor is in custody and the place where he or she is being held. If the peace officer has a reasonable belief that the minor would be endangered by a disclosure of the place where the minor is being held or that the disclosure would cause the custody of the minor to be disturbed, the peace officer may refuse to disclose the place where the minor is being held for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours. The peace officer shall, however, inform the parent, guardian, or responsible relative whether the child requires and is receiving medical or other treatment. The juvenile court shall review any decision not to disclose the place where the minor is being held at any subsequent detention hearing.