Marion County schools are averaging more than one student expulsion a day, with the district reporting approximately 100 expulsions through the first 75 days of the school year.
Updated student discipline figures will be presented during the Marion County School Board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, January 14.
According to the updated report, the school district has experienced approximately 146 alternative placements and 100 student expulsions over the first 75 days of the school year (August 12 – December 6, 2024.
The report also cites dozen of offenses that led to the expulsions and alternative placements, including nine cases of battery, seven cases of gross insubordination, five physical attacks, and six serious campus disruptions.
In total, approximately four of the expelled students were seniors in high school, while 20 were juniors, 25 were sophomores, and 16 were freshmen.
Over 30 middle school students have also been expelled from Marion schools this year, including 17 eighth graders, 12 seventh graders, and 4 sixth graders.
The data also shows that two fifth grade students have been expelled from school this year.
At least 62 of the expulsions were male students and 38 were female students.
The new data follows a trend established in November, October, and September showing that the district is averaging over one student expulsion a day.
According to a student discipline report from one of the board’s meetings in June 2024, during the 2023-2024 school year, approximately 262 students were expelled. This year, the Marion County school district is on pace to see a similar number of expulsions.
Ten days before the school year began, Marion County School officials announced that the district would manage its own alternative learning program for the first time in its history.
Currently, most alternative placement services are being handled through Marion Technical Institute, which is located at 1614 E Fort King Street.
Since the district started managing its alternatively placed students in-house, it has been working to fill vacant teaching positions and has contracted a service to help deliver transportation services for those students.
The Marion County School Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. For the month of January 2025, meetings will be held at the Marion County Board of County Commission chambers at 601 SE 25th Avenue in Ocala.
