Which court case ruled that students cannot be suspended for longer than 10 days without a placement change?

• A. Honig v. Doe
• B. Goss v. Lopez
• C. Brown v. Board of Education
• D. Tinker v. Des Moines

Answer: (A)

Disciplinary removals for students with disabilities follow a specific rule about how long a suspension can last before a change of placement is required. Honig v. Doe established that if a student with a disability is removed from the current educational placement for more than 10 school days in a row (or more than 10 days cumulatively in a school year), that removal constitutes a change of placement. Once it’s treated as a change of placement, the school must follow IEP procedures, ensure services continue (so the student still receives some education during removal), and determine, with the IEP team, whether a different placement is needed. The process may also involve a manifestation determination if the behavior is at issue.

So the best answer is that case because it directly sets the rule about a 10-day threshold triggering a placement change and the related due-process requirements for students with disabilities. The other cases address different protections for students—general due process rights for suspensions, desegregation, or free-speech rights—rather than the specific 10-day placement-change rule.