The most recent student discipline report shows that during the first two weeks of the school year in Marion County, at least 25 students were assigned alternative placements and 10 were expelled from school.
The data will be presented to the Marion County School Board during its upcoming meeting on Tuesday, September 24.
Through August 26, 2024, the school district has expelled one 9th-grade student, three 10th-grade students, four 11th-grade students, and two 12th-grade students.
Additionally, 13 high school and 12 middle school students were given alternative placements at Marion Technical Institute, which is located at 1614 E. Fort King Street in Ocala.
The report also notes different types of incidents that led to alternative placements, including four felony charges and three instances of fighting. Additional violations include possession of drugs, battery, introducing contraband, and creating a serious campus disruption.
The report additionally categorizes expulsions and disciplinary incidents by student gender and race, showing that four black male students have been expelled this year, followed by three Hispanic male students and two white male students.
Every month, the school board receives an “Alternative Placements Recommendation” list for Marion Technical Institute students. According to the county, the alternative placement recommendation allows “continuing education services to assist in dropout prevention and academic intervention.”
In August, the school district announced its plans to manage alternative placements for the first time in its history after it canceled decades-long relationships with Silver River Mentoring & Instruction and New Leaf Center. In the weeks since that announcement, New Leaf has closed its doors.
The Marion County School Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at Marion Technical Institute (1614 E Fort King Street in Ocala).
