What is Restraint and Isolation?

• Per HB 1109, the Washington State Legislature appropriated funds solely for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to collect and monitor restraint and isolation and to provide training, technical assistance, and other support to schools and districts to reduce the use of restraint and isolation. Per Substitute House Bill 1240 (2015-16), OSPI is publishing information relative to data reporting for Restraint or Isolation of Students.

• HB 1240 amended RCW 28A.600.485 and expanded the prohibition of restraint and isolation to all students. It allows restraint or isolation of any student only when “reasonably necessary to control spontaneous behavior that poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm, as defined in RCW 70.96B.010.” The provisions of the bill apply only to incidents of restraint or isolation that occur while a student is participating in school-sponsored instruction or activities. As a result of the legislation, the data collection around incidents of restraint or isolation is neither a special education nor a discipline collection, but rather a school safety-related data collection.