(105 ILCS 5/34-18.20)
Sec. 34-18.20. Time out, isolated time out, restraint, and necessities; limitations and prohibitions. (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that the use of isolated time
out, time out, and physical restraint on children and youth carries risks to the health and safety of students and staff; therefore, the ultimate
goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of those interventions. The General Assembly also finds and declares that the State Board of Education
must take affirmative action to lead and support schools in
transforming the school culture to reduce and eliminate the use of all
such interventions over time. (b) In this Section: "Chemical restraint" means the use of medication to control a student's behavior or to restrict a student's freedom of movement. "Chemical restraint" does not include medication that is legally prescribed and administered as part of a student's regular medical regimen to manage behavioral symptoms and treat medical symptoms. "Isolated time out" means the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a time out room or other enclosure outside of the classroom without a supervising adult in the time out room or enclosure. "Isolated time out" or "time out" does not include a student-initiated or student-requested break, a student-initiated sensory break or a teacher-initiated sensory break that may include a sensory room containing sensory tools to assist a student to calm and de-escalate, an in-school suspension or detention, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure, including the student's brief removal to the hallway or similar environment. "Mechanical restraint" means the use of any device or equipment to limit a student's movement or to hold a student immobile. "Mechanical restraint" does not include any restraint used to (i) treat a student's medical needs; (ii) protect a student who is known to be at risk of injury resulting from a lack of coordination or frequent loss of consciousness; (iii) position a student with physical disabilities in a manner specified in the student's individualized education program, federal Section 504 plan, or other plan of care; (iv) provide a supplementary aid, service, or accommodation, including, but not limited to, assistive technology that provides proprioceptive input or aids in self-regulation; or (v) promote student safety in vehicles used to transport students. "Physical restraint" or "restraint" means holding a student or otherwise restricting a student's movements. "Physical restraint" or "restraint" does not include momentary periods of physical restriction by direct person to person contact, without the aid of material or mechanical devices, that are accomplished with limited force and that are designed to prevent a student from completing an act that would result in potential physical harm to himself, herself, or another or damage to property. "Prone physical restraint" means a physical restraint in which a student is held face down on the floor or other surface and physical pressure is applied to the student's body to keep the student in the prone position. "Time out" means a behavior management technique for the purpose of calming or de-escalation that involves the involuntary monitored separation of a student from classmates with a trained adult for part of the school day, only for a brief time, in a nonlocked setting. (c) Isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint, other than prone physical restraint, may be used only if (i) the student's behavior presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or to others; (ii) other less restrictive and intrusive measures have been tried and have proven to be ineffective in stopping the imminent danger of serious physical harm; (iii) there is no known medical contraindication to its use on the student; and (iv) the school staff member or members applying the use of time out, isolated time out, or physical restraint on a student have been trained in its safe application, as established by rule by the State Board of Education. Isolated time out is allowed only under limited circumstances as set forth in this Section. If all other requirements under this Section are met, isolated time out may be used only if the adult in the time out room or enclosure is in imminent danger of serious physical harm because the student is unable to cease actively engaging in extreme physical aggression. Mechanical restraint and chemical restraint are prohibited. Prone restraint is prohibited except when all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The student's Behavior Intervention Plan |
(2) medication; or
(3) the use of a restroom.
(f) (Blank).
(g) Following each incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, but no later than 2 school days after the incident, the principal or another designated administrator shall notify the student's parent or guardian that he or she may request a meeting with appropriate school personnel to discuss the incident. This meeting shall be held separate and apart from meetings held in accordance with the student's individualized education program or from meetings held in accordance with the student's plan for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If a parent or guardian requests a meeting, the meeting shall be convened within 2 school days after the request, provided that the 2-school day limitation shall be extended if requested by the parent or guardian. The parent or guardian may also request that the meeting be convened via telephone or video conference.
The meeting shall include the student, if appropriate, at least one school staff member involved in the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, the student's parent or guardian, and at least one appropriate school staff member not involved in the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, such as a social worker, psychologist, nurse, or behavioral specialist. During the meeting, the school staff member or members involved in the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, the student, and the student's parent or guardian, if applicable, shall be provided an opportunity to describe (i) the events that occurred prior to the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint and any actions that were taken by school personnel or the student leading up to the incident; (ii) the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint; and (iii) the events that occurred or the actions that were taken following the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint and whether the student returned to regular school activities and, if not, how the student spent the remainder of the school day. All parties present at the meeting shall have the opportunity to discuss what school personnel could have done differently to avoid the incident of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint and what alternative courses of action, if any, the school can take to support the student and to avoid the future use of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint. At no point may a student be excluded from school solely because a meeting has not occurred.
A summary of the meeting and any agreements or conclusions reached during the meeting shall be documented in writing and shall become part of the student's school record. A copy of the documents shall be provided to the student's parent or guardian. If a parent or guardian does not request a meeting within 10 school days after the school has provided the documents to the parent or guardian or if a parent or guardian fails to attend a requested meeting, that fact shall be documented as part of the student's school record.
(h) Whenever isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint is used, school personnel shall fully document and report to the State Board
of Education the incident, including the events
leading up to the incident, what alternative measures that are less
restrictive and intrusive were used prior to the use of isolated time out, time out, or
physical restraint, why those measures were ineffective or deemed inappropriate, the type of restraint, isolated time out, or time out that was used, the length of time the
student was in isolated time out or time out or was restrained, and the staff involved. The parents or
guardian of a student and the State Superintendent of Education shall be informed whenever isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint is used.
Schools shall provide parents and guardians with the following
information, to be developed by the State Board and which may be incorporated into the State Board's prescribed physical restraint and time out form at the discretion of the State Board, after each
incident in which isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint is used during
the school year, in printed form or, upon the written request of
the parent or guardian, by email:
(1) a copy of the standards for when isolated time
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