Legal Guidelines for Dismissing Students Because of Poor Performance in the Field

Abstract

Three U.S. Supreme Court cases are used to present the concept of due process as it applies to student dismissals from professional education programs. The cases provide guidance to social work faculty struggling to manage students who are performing poorly in their field education course and are at risk of being dismissed from the program. Due process requirements and the rationale that has guided court decisions in this context are presented, as well as field education policy recommendations.