diff --git a/submissions/api.py b/submissions/api.py
index 9105d58d..79aea338 100644
--- a/submissions/api.py
+++ b/submissions/api.py
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ def get_latest_score_for_submission(submission_uuid, read_replica=False):
     return ScoreSerializer(score).data
 
 
-def reset_score(student_id, course_id, item_id):
+def reset_score(student_id, course_id, item_id, clear_state=False):
     """
     Reset scores for a specific student on a specific problem.
 
@@ -655,6 +655,7 @@ def reset_score(student_id, course_id, item_id):
         student_id (unicode): The ID of the student for whom to reset scores.
         course_id (unicode): The ID of the course containing the item to reset.
         item_id (unicode): The ID of the item for which to reset scores.
+        clear_state (boolean): If True, unlink the Submission and StudentItem so the Submission cannot be accessed.
 
     Returns:
         None
@@ -684,6 +685,12 @@ def reset_score(student_id, course_id, item_id):
             item_id=item_id,
         )
 
+        if clear_state:
+            # sever the link between this student item and any submissions it may current have
+            for sub in student_item.submission_set.all():
+                sub.student_item = None
+                sub.save(update_fields=['student_item'])
+
     except DatabaseError:
         msg = (
             u"Error occurred while reseting scores for"
diff --git a/submissions/migrations/0003_submission_null_FK.py b/submissions/migrations/0003_submission_null_FK.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9f11cf5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/submissions/migrations/0003_submission_null_FK.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('submissions', '0002_auto_20151119_0913'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='submission',
+            name='student_item',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(to='submissions.StudentItem', null=True, default=1),
+            preserve_default=False
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/submissions/models.py b/submissions/models.py
index c5c76838..03f13d50 100644
--- a/submissions/models.py
+++ b/submissions/models.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class Submission(models.Model):
 
     uuid = UUIDField(version=1, db_index=True)
 
-    student_item = models.ForeignKey(StudentItem)
+    student_item = models.ForeignKey(StudentItem, null=True)
 
     # Which attempt is this? Consecutive Submissions do not necessarily have
     # increasing attempt_number entries -- e.g. re-scoring a buggy problem.