FDD-AP: Education of Pregnant and Parenting Students
Pregnant and parenting students shall be entitled to all protections contained in the district’s nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy and should report any violations of these protections using the district’s discrimination and harassment grievance procedure. These students shall be allowed to participate in all school programs and activities on the same basis as any other student enrolled in West Fargo Public Schools.
Attendance Standards for Pregnancy and Post-Pregnancy Conditions
Absences due to pregnancy and post-pregnancy related conditions shall be excused and approved so long as the student and/or her parent/guardian complies with any district documentation requirements associated with the absence as stated in the attendance policy. Documentation requirements for pregnancy and post-pregnancy related absences shall be no more stringent than documentation requirements the District has instituted for student absences due to illness.
Students shall not be disciplined or their status as a student otherwise demoted due to absences resulting from pregnancy or a post-pregnancy condition. Furthermore, students absent due pregnancy/a post-pregnancy condition shall not be barred from participating in district programs and activities except when absences result in ineligibility to participate in activities covered under North Dakota High School Activities Association bylaws. Students will be given a reasonable time to make up missed work or participate in a credit recovery program. Failure by the student to complete any make up work requirements or credit recovery program(s) may result in a demotion in grades, retention, extracurricular ineligibility, or other appropriate recourse as determined by district administration in accordance with applicable district policy.
Accommodations for Pregnant Students
The District shall provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant students and students recovering from pregnancy upon request by the student, her parent/guardian, or her medical provider.
Alternative Curricular Participation
The District shall encourage pregnant and parenting students to remain enrolled in the regular school program; however, the District will provide educational options to those students who are unable or who elect not to remain in their regular schools. Those options may include homebound tutoring, online courses and other alternative curricular programs. Pregnant and parenting students electing one of these options shall be permitted reenter the regular education program upon request. If a request to re-enroll is made near the end a semester, the District may elect to re-enroll the student in the regular education program at the beginning of the subsequent semester.
Medical Documentation Requests and Participation in Physical Activities
Pregnant students involved in programs involving physical activity will be required to provide medical documentation certifying fitness for participation only on the same basis as the District requires such documentation from other students. Any medical documentation required for a pregnant student to participate in physical activities shall be no more stringent than when medical documentation is required to be provided by any other student as a condition of participation in physical activities.
Disclosure
If a student discloses her pregnancy status to a district employee, the employee will refer the student to a school counselor. The school counselor shall encourage the student to inform her parent(s)/guardian of the pregnancy.
Adopted: 09/27/16
Reviewed:
Revised: