Skip To Main Content

Menu

school building

Physical Restraint of Students with Disabilities, Policy No. 565

Physical Restraint of Students with Disabilities, Policy No. 565

Printable PDF Board Policy 565

The purpose of this policy is to define the circumstances under which technology center personnel may use physical restraint for students with disabilities in compliance with those guidelines set forth in the SDE’s Special Education Handbook (“Physical Restraint Guidelines”).

For purposes of this policy, the term “physical restraint” is defined as a person’s restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head freely. The term physical restraint does not include a physical escort. Physical escort means a temporary touching or holding of the hand, wrist, shoulder, or back for the purpose of inducing a student who is acting out to walk to a safe location.

Physical restraint should never be used for the purposes of discipline or as a punishment, to force compliance, as a convenience for staff or to prevent property damage. The use of chemical and/or mechanical restraint, as defined in the Physical Restraint Guidelines, is prohibited.

Technology center personnel may use physical restraint for students with disabilities only under the emergency circumstances identified in the Physical Restraint Guidelines and only if the elements identified by the Physical Restraint Guidelines exist.

The use of physical restraint for students with disabilities shall also be subject to any written Procedures utilized by the district to further explain the responsibilities of technology center staff members.