Policy 503.04
Pregnant and Parenting Students
The district recognizes that pregnant and parenting students have the right and responsibility to attend school. This attendance right and responsibility applies to students regardless of their marital or parental status. Further, the district will educate pregnant and parenting students and will provide reasonable accommodations to support and encourage all pregnant and parenting students to obtain their high school diploma. No student will be excluded from, denied the benefit of, or discriminated against under any educational program or activity because of pregnancy or parenting responsibilities.
Attendance and Leave of Absences
Pregnant and parenting students will be permitted to attend to their own health care, their child’s medical care, or other pregnancy- or parenting- related appointments with the benefit of having any such absences or tardiness excused. A student will be permitted to take a leave of absence for pregnancy, childbirth, and any other pre- and post-natal related medical needs, along with recovery therefrom for the duration that is deemed medically necessary by the student’s licensed health care provider. At the conclusion of the leave of absence, a student will be immediately enrolled in the district at the same grade and status as when the leave began. Pregnant and parenting students shall be allowed to participate in all activities including extracurricular activities throughout the student’s pregnancy and thereafter unless the district deems such participation poses a substantial risk of injury to the student or to others. A pregnant and parenting student may be asked to obtain certification from the student’s licensed healthcare provider regarding the student’s safe participation in an extracurricular activity when such certification is required of students for other conditions which require the attention of a licensed healthcare provider.
Any absences accumulated due to pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, or care for an ill child, should not count towards any district policies in effect under compulsory attendance requirements. Pregnant and parenting students with excused absences or tardiness shall be treated like all other students with excused absences or tardiness for any other medical reasons.
Pregnant and parenting students will be provided with assignments, classwork and any additional support needed to ensure that the student can keep up with class requirements when absent for pregnancy or parenting-related absences.
Alternative Means to Complete Course Work
The district will provide at least one alternate method, in addition to traditional classroom instruction, to keep pregnant and parenting students in school. Alternative methods of instruction or other alternative program for pregnant and parenting students are voluntary for the student who may elect whether to engage in an alternative method of instruction or the traditional methods of instruction available to their peers. Pregnant and parenting students shall be allowed to attend their regular classrooms and complete regular coursework.
Lactation
The district will provide reasonable time and space to accommodate lactating students to express breast milk or breastfeed during the school day. Such accommodations will be in a location, other than a bathroom or closet, that is private, clean, has an electrical outlet, a chair and is reasonably accessible. Students shall also be provided a food safe refrigerator to store breast milk safely.
Child Care
A list of qualified licensed child care providers will be provided upon request to pregnant or parenting students. Such list will be updated annually and include providers that participate in the quality rating and improvement system and meet all of the quality rating criteria for at least a stepthree rating pursuant to the Step Up to Quality Child Care Act. Nothing in this policy is intended to prohibit or limit any referral for a student or a student’s child to an early head start program or any other available community resources.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Pregnant and parenting students have the right to have their health and personal information kept confidential in accordance with law. School staff will make every effort to keep personal information and health records confidential and in compliance with Nebraska and federal law.
Information about students’ pregnancies and related conditions will not appear in their cumulative records and will not be used when they are being considered for educational or job opportunities, awards or scholarships.
Other Accommodations
Pregnant and parenting students may request additional reasonable accommodations to ensure continued participation and enrollment in school. Accommodation requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Such accommodations may include but are not limited to: additional frequency allowed for bathroom breaks, additional time allowed in between class periods, a larger desk or additional work space, and adjustments to requirements for physical education as needed. Students seeking additional reasonable accommodation should make such requests to the building principal.
Bullying and Harassment
Pregnant and parenting students have the same rights as other students to be free from discrimination, bullying, and harassment. Such school policies are incorporated herein and apply to all students.
Policy Dissemination
This policy will be available at the beginning of each school year on the district’s website.
Legal Reference: Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 79-2149 to 79-2152; 79-2,114 to 79-2,124 (Nebraska Equal Opportunity in Education Act); 20 USC §1681 (Title IX); 34 C.F.R. §106.40 (Title IX)
Approved: September 14, 1992
Revised: September 12, 1996
Revised: April 10, 2006
Revised: August 20, 2018