It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that restraint and seclusion should not be used in the school setting as a routine form of discipline. Restraints and seclusion should only be used when the child's behavior poses an imminent danger of serious physical harm to self or others (United States Department of…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is committed to supporting State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and partners in ensuring that schools and preschool programs have additional tools to foster safe, inclusive learning environments that increase students' engagement and sense of well-being. The Office of…

In the last several years there have been multiple stories regarding the use of seclusion in schools in national news outlets (Blacker, 2012; Charis-Carlson, 2017; Hefling, 2012; Lichtenstein, 2012; National School Boards Association (NSBA), 2014; Nicosia, 2016; Richards, 2012; St. George, 2014; Tilotta, 2014). The Council for Children with…

Every 2 years, Education requires nearly all school districts to report incidents of restraint and seclusion. Generally, restraint is restricting a student's ability to move, and seclusion is confining them alone in a space they cannot leave. The House Committee on Appropriations' explanatory statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations…

The use of aversives as a method for behavioral intervention in U.S. public schools has been a persistent concern and often subject to litigation, particularly among students with disabilities. The use of aversives (restraint, seclusion, and corporal punishment) have been supported in some cases due to their perceived necessity to keep children…

The purpose of a physical restraint is to control the behavior of a student. It can involve physically holding a person immobile against his or her will to using chemical or mechanical devices to control a person. This study was designed to contribute to the paucity of existing research literature in regards to a school administrator's impact on…

When to conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a question answered by both best practice and the law. The special education field continues to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the functional behavioral assessment, an evidence-based technology that is the basis of a behavior intervention plan (BIP) and a cornerstone of the…

As states develop their accountability and improvement systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) they can choose high-leverage measures of school progress that, when combined with effective policies, hold promise for supporting success for the youth most marginalized by the education system. This paper suggests that to promote equity and…

The behaviors frequently displayed by students with autism can place them at risk for overly reactive behavior interventions with unwanted side effects. The current study examined the level of intrusiveness of behavioral treatments developed for 198 students with disabilities from 13 different states. Results demonstrated that students diagnosed…

The fundamental intent of special education is to provide instruction to meet each child's unique needs. "Life Journey through Autism: Navigating the Special Education System" offers information, tools, and tips that will help parents become an even more effective advocate for their children. Many teachers, administrators, and school…

In this article, we describe and evaluate the extent to which recent changes to state-level policy are related to seclusion and restraint in schools and detail what components of comprehensive restraint and seclusion policy are indicated. We examined state policy documents and coded them for the presence of specific characteristics related to…

It has been 10 years since No Child Left Behind (NCLB), with its emphasis on scientifically based instruction as a means for improving the educational outcomes of students, was signed into law. In this article, we review the basic tenets of evidence-based practice as they apply to education as well as the progress that has been made in…

This article examines a critical question for the special education community: What should be the current meaning of "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) in light of not only the Supreme Court's landmark "Rowley" decision in 1982 but also developments in the 30 years since then? After synthesizing what the…

This article serves as a continuation of the first article that was featured in the October 2014 issue of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) "Communiqué." There are three primary purposes to this two-part series. The first purpose is to increase awareness of special education law focused on the least restrictive…

The Title I, Part D (Part D) Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk under the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act," allocate funds to states and school districts to improve educational services for these youth.…