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ERIC Number: ED581481
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jan
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Restraint and Seclusion: What Is the Issue and Why Does It Matter? Policy Snapshot
Rafa, Alyssa
Education Commission of the States
The practice of seclusion generally refers to procedures that isolate a student from others, while restraint refers to the physical holding or mechanical restriction of a student's movement. While these practices are typically utilized as tools for addressing imminent safety concerns, the use of restraint or seclusion on students who are exhibiting problematic behaviors has been prone to misapplication and abuse--possibly placing students in even more unsafe situations. Additionally, students with disabilities are restrained or secluded at much higher rates than students without disabilities. According to the Office for Civil Rights, more than 100,000 students, including almost 69,000 students with disabilities, were placed in seclusion or physically restrained at school in 2013-14. The disproportionate use of these practices on students with disabilities has garnered much attention from the federal government in recent years. A 2009 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found no federal laws restricting the use of restraint and seclusion in public and private schools, and widely divergent laws at the state level. Since then, the U.S. Department of Education has released several guidance documents outlining the potential legal issues with these practices and providing states with alternative frameworks for approaching discipline and school safety. This policy snapshot examines how the states are regulating these practices. At the state level, legislation to regulate restraint and seclusion practices generally seeks to: (1) limit the use of these procedures, except in cases of immediate danger; (2) mandate reporting when restraint and seclusion are used; (3) ensure school personnel are properly trained; and (4) establish commissions to study the use of these practices.
Education Commission of the States. ECS Distribution Center, 700 Broadway Suite 1200, Denver, CO 80203-3460. Tel: 303-299-3692; Fax: 303-296-8332; e-mail: ecs@ecs.org; Web site: http://www.ecs.org
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Education Commission of the States
Identifiers - Location: United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A