There are few things more disheartening as a parent than receiving a phone call from the school district, especially one telling them that their child is in serious trouble. Such a call is more than just an accusation of breaking rules or poor behavior—it could be a turning point in your child's life. And not for the better.
School disciplinary records can influence college acceptance, career opportunities, and more. In the Richardson Independent School District (RISD), serious behavioral infractions can even lead to placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP). Such a step may profoundly impact a student's educational path.
If your child has been accused of actions that could result in placement into a DAEP, the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is ready to help. We understand that school districts don't always get it right when it comes to discipline. We have seen students who were unfairly blamed for actions they didn't commit or who faced excessively harsh punishments for the sorts of mistakes or poor decisions that are just a natural part of growing up.
Our team knows the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) inside and out. We have offices in Dallas, and some of our team members may even have children in the school district. If you're facing any issues with the Richardson ISD, call us right away at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to learn how we can help.
What is a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program?
A DAEP places a student into an alternative facility that separates them from other students in the district. This facility specializes in accommodating students with behavioral issues. For the Richardson Independent School District, the DAEP facility is the Thurgood Marshall Student Success Academy.
DAEP schools are intended to give students with behavioral issues a fair chance and an equal educational opportunity. Unfortunately, many school districts use these facilities as a way to remove “problem students” and simply forget about them.
What's worse, DAEP schools often have a negative reputation among students, even when not deserved. Because of this, it's possible that a child placed into a DAEP will mentally shut down or start acting even worse in order to meet their own expectations. It's not uncommon for a student to perform well academically before being placed into a DAEP, but to see their grades plummet afterwards for no other reason than that they simply give up.
Unfortunately, DAEP schools often have systemic problems as well. This includes inadequate or outdated technology and/or curriculum and inexperienced or overextended staff and support. All of this can create or perpetuate low morale and a poor student culture.
This resource should help you learn more about DAEPs in Texas, including the laws and processes surrounding them.
Richardson ISD's DAEP High School: Thurgood Marshall Student Success Academy
Richardson ISD is a high-performing school district that is one of the best in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. It's in the upper half of Texas school districts based on math and reading proficiency testing, and it boasts one of the most diverse student populations in the entire nation.
The DAEP program for Richardson ISD is the Thurgood Marshall Student Success Academy. It serves students from grades 2 through 12, with approximately 140 students enrolled for the 2024-25 school year. This is a tiny fraction of Richardson ISD's 37,000-plus total students.
The Thurgood Marshall Student Success Academy has one of the lowest teacher-to-student ratios in the state, with approximately one teacher for every six students. The teacher-to-student ratio is generally considered one of the best indicators of student success, as the fewer students a teacher is responsible for, the more individual attention can be given to each student.
However, even though the Thurgood Marshall Student Success Academy is well regarded as an effective DAEP school, these programs simply can't compete with highly rated schools like the Berkner High School and STEM Academy or the Westwood Junior High when it comes to college admissions. While it's not impossible for DAEP students to gain admission into colleges and universities, it is a far harder path than the one afforded to students who are not in an alternative placement program.
Being Placed into Richardson ISD's DAEP
In Richardson ISD, as in all Texas school districts, students are only to be placed into a DAEP for major offenses or repeated infractions. A DAEP placement is supposed to be a last resort, like expulsion. However, the state also mandates DAEP placement for certain offenses. This includes the possession of cannabis or other drugs, as well as assault and other felony conduct.
The RISD also has allowances for discretionary DAEP placement. This can be done for things like repeated violations of the Richardson ISD Student Code of Conduct, even if no single violation would have warranted placement on its own. The district can also place a student into DAEP if a breach of conduct was committed with particularly bad intent.
Before a student can be placed in the district's DAEP, the Richardson ISD has certain protocols it must follow. This includes holding a conference including the student and their parents or guardians, as well as any teachers or administrators involved in the disciplinary action.
The goal of this meeting is to provide fairness and transparency. The conference gives the student their chance to tell their side of the story, as well as to hear the full reasoning for these disciplinary measures. It also ensures parents, guardians, or other advocates of the student have a complete understanding of the situation.
During this meeting, the student and their advocates will have the opportunity to challenge any disciplinary measures they deem inappropriate. That's why it's essential to have legal representation in these instances.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team knows how to make sure your child's voice is heard in any DAEP placement hearing. We will ensure they are given the opportunity to present their side of things and that overzealous teachers or other school administrators don't act in an unjust fashion that jeopardizes your child's entire future.
Factors That Must Be Considered in Any DAEP Placement
Texas state laws place requirements around the components that must be considered as part of a DAEP decision. These include:
- Whether the student acted in self-defense
- The student's intent or lack of intent in the incident
- The student's disciplinary history
- Whether the student has a disability that affects their ability to understand the conduct
- If the student is in a protective services conservatorship or foster care
- Whether or not the student is experiencing homelessness
These considerations are put into place to help prevent unjust placements into a DAEP. For example, a student with little or no disciplinary history and who acted in self-defense could have a strong chance of avoiding DAEP placement for a violent incident. Similarly, a student who has a weapon in their possession, but doesn't know about it, wouldn't necessarily have demonstrated the malicious intent that qualifies them for placement into a DAEP.
The Dangers of Zero-Tolerance Policies
Zero-tolerance disciplinary policies used to be prevalent in school districts across the country. Such policies attempted to eliminate discriminatory applications of punishment by enacting a simple “if/then” structure of discipline. If a student breaks a rule, regardless of context, then that student must face punishment.
This led to a long list of instances where school districts enacted unnecessarily harsh and illogical punishments on students. For example, one Texas third-grader spent a full week in both lunch and recess detention for eating a single piece of candy, thus violating the school district's anti-junk food policy.
Fortunately, zero-tolerance policies are now a violation of the Texas Education Code. Administrators are required to consider a student's intent and other circumstances in any disciplinary process. Unfortunately, there are still certain administrators who believe that following a zero-tolerance policy is just being “old school,” when really what they're doing is violating the laws of the state.
If your child has been on the receiving end of zero-tolerance disciplinary measures in the Richardson Independent School District or elsewhere in the state of Texas, the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is ready to stand up for their rights. We will gladly show Section 37 of the Texas Education Code to any teacher or administrator and make sure they know that the law gives your child complete protection against any zero-tolerance measures.
What to Do If Your Child Is Involved in a Disciplinary Issue at the Richardson Independent School District
If your child is facing DAEP placement or severe disciplinary measures in the Richardson ISD, your best bet is to remain active and engaged throughout the entire disciplinary process. Here is a quick checklist of the actions you should take as soon as you learn about any major disciplinary issue affecting your child:
- Contact the school right away. The longer you delay, the harder it will make things on you and your child.
- Get as much information as possible, and write down every detail provided. This goes for your child's explanation of things as well as that of the school.
- If the accusations are severe, contact legal representation like the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. The earlier you involve them, the more time they will have to formulate a winning strategy on your behalf.
- Have an honest and open discussion with your child. Ask if there are issues with their classes, teachers, administrators, or fellow students. Ask them to write down everything they remember about the incident in question. All of this will provide important contextual evidence about what happened.
- Take photos of any injuries your child received during the incident. If your child was acting in self-defense, these photos provide important context about the severity of the situation.
- Collect any other physical evidence that helps establish context. This could include written notes, emails, or recorded messages.
- Be sure to log any and all contact with school officials during this process, including the date and time, the length of conversations, and what topics were discussed. Save all written or emailed communication regarding the disciplinary process as well. Make copies.
- Refer to your school's code of conduct, as well as the RISD Code of Conduct, to familiarize yourself with the rules and policies your child is accused of violating.
These steps will give you and your child the best possible chance to secure a fair outcome to any disciplinary measures pursued by the Richardson Independent School District.
Don't Face the Possibility of DAEP Placement Alone
Even the best kids get in trouble now and then. It might not seem like a school's disciplinary procedures are a big deal, but DAEP placement can alter the entire direction of your child's future. What's worse, such severe disciplinary measures are a scary thing for any family to face.
Luckily, you don't have to feel like you and your child are facing DAEP placement alone. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is ready to take up your cause and stand by your side throughout any disciplinary procedures. We will make sure that the school board, administrators, and educators are held to Texas's legal standards and that your child is treated fairly and justly.
If your child has been accused of a severe violation of the Richardson Independent School District's code of conduct, get in touch with our team right away. The sooner we can get involved in your case, the more opportunity we will have to secure the best possible outcome for protecting your child's future.
Remember, the Lento Law Firm has offices in Dallas. Some of our team members may even have family currently enrolled in the Richardson Independent School District. We know the schools and we're familiar with the teachers and administrators, and we are ready to help you face any issues with the RISD head on.
Call the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online for your confidential consultation.
