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Evers pleased work advances on seclusion and restraint bill
Posted: 1/10/2012 3:18:14 PM
From the Department of Public Instruction:
State Superintendent Tony Evers issued the following statement regarding proposed legislation pertaining to the seclusion and restraint of students.
“Schools bear the responsibility for the safety and success of all students, including those whose behavior is complicated and challenging as a result of a disability or other circumstance. Because federal and state law does not specifically address the use of seclusion and restraint, more than a year and a half ago, I directed staff at the Department of Public Instruction to begin working with parent and education groups to draft a bill that addresses issues surrounding the use of seclusion and restraint in schools.
“As part of the process, we brought in advocates representing parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members to help inform this work. The work of this group is reflected in this bill. We believe that this is reasonable legislation and will do much to ensure greater clarity surrounding the appropriate and safe use of physical restraint and seclusion, improve communication between schools and parents, and provide for minimum training requirements.
“With this bill, situations in which the use of seclusion or physical restraint is appropriate are limited to those creating a clear, present, and imminent risk of harm to the student or others. It also defines the types of restraint that are not allowable and the conditions for any room utilized for seclusion to ensure student safety. It also requires notification of parents in a timely manner when seclusion or restraint was used for their child.
“I thank our partners, including Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW), the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), the School Administrators Alliance (SAA), and the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) who were instrumental in guiding our work. I also thank Representatives Kestell, Pasch, Endsley, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Ripp, Sinicki, and Spanbauer as well as Senators Olsen, Lassa, and Schultz for their sponsorship of this important legislation.”
Legislative Reference Bureau summary of the bill