Revised 8/08
BELLEVILLE AREA SPECIAL SERVICES COOPERATIVE
POLICY REGARDING BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS FOR
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
1.
PURPOSE
In January, 2002, P.A. 91-600 amended the Illinois School Code to specifically address the
issue of discipline used in schools, specifically the use of isolated time out and physical
restraint.
This policy establishes the process by which BASSC shall comply with the Illinois School
Code, including Sections 10-20.14, 14-8.05, and 24-24, which requires that guidelines be
established for the use of disciplinary measures and behavioral interventions for students
with disabilities. Behavioral supports and interventions should be used by teachers and
administrators to promote and strengthen desirable adaptive behaviors in all students,
including those with disabilities. Fundamentally, school personnel should conscientiously
design positive, non-aversive interventions which promote desirable student behaviors.
However, in some extreme cases, more restrictive interventions may be necessary.
BASSC shall comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, the
Illinois School Code, and the regulations promulgated thereunder when disciplining
students with disabilities.
This policy recognizes that school personnel (teachers and other staff) may use reasonable
force as needed to maintain safety for the other students and school staff, for the purpose
of self defense or the defense of property. It is the intent of this policy to offer due process
to students in these situations.
This policy will be provided to its 23 member districts within 15 days after adoption by the
BASSC Executive Board, and within 15 days after the beginning of each school year
thereafter. This policy will also be disseminated to parents and guardians of each student
at least annually in accordance with Section 10-20.14 of the Illinois School Code.
2.
OUTLINE OF PROCEDURES
BASSC will develop procedures which shall conform to the above policy. These
procedures shall include, but not be limited to the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Designation of the level of restrictiveness and range of acceptable interventions
Procedures for the use of positive behavioral supports
Procedures for conducting functional behavioral assessments and for the
subsequent development of behavior management plans in students’ IEP’s
Procedures for choosing and using more restrictive interventions, including
emergency procedures for students who exhibit more severe behavioral incidents
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BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions For Students With Disabilities
e.
f.
g.
h.
3.
Procedures for when and how to use highly restrictive interventions, including
notification and review by administrative personnel
Procedures for data collection and the systematic review and analysis for all of the
above
Provisions for parent involvement and notification of the use of highly restrictive
interventions
Provisions for staff consultation, training, and professional development.
PARENT-TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
As required by Sections 10-20.14 and 14-8.05 of the Illinois School Code, BASSC shall
maintain a parent- teacher advisory committee which will meet at least once per academic
year. Supervisory level personnel shall also be members of this committee. This group
shall review source documents and data collected on the procedures outlined above,
including the number of incidents where highly restrictive interventions were used, the
location of these incidents, the staff members involved, documentation of any injuries or
property damage that were sustained, the timeliness of parental notification for each
incident, and the administrative review which occurred for each incident. The committee
shall advise the administration accordingly.
LEVELS OF RESTRICTIVNESS OF INTERVENTIONS
Behavioral interventions shall be categorized into four levels of restrictiveness:
A.) non-restrictive, B.) restrictive, C.) highly restrictive, and D.) prohibited
A.
Nonrestrictive Interventions and Positive Behavioral Supports
Nonrestrictive interventions should be used in conjunction with the positive
behavioral support model (PBIS) and in the development of the Social Emotional
Learning Standards set forth by ISBE. Non-restrictive, positive behavioral
interventions should always be considered and used first. When conducting a
functional behavior assessment and in the development of a behavior management
plan in a student’s IEP, these interventions should be documented. Examples of
these types of interventions include but are not limited to:
Continuous Reinforcement
Intermittent Reinforcement
Planned Ignoring (Extinction)
Calling and Notifying Parent
Differential Reinforcement
Direct Instruction
Environmental or Activity Modification
Self Management
Instructional Assignment
2
Contingency Management
Verbal Redirection
Proximity Control
Physical Redirection
Redirection (Verbal or Nonverbal)
Written Contract
Teaching an Alternative Behavior
Shaping Successive Approximations
Delayed Reinforcement
BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions For Students With Disabilities
Modeling
Peer Involvement
Withdrawal of Reinforcement
Positive Practice
Positive Reinforcement (Individual or Group)
Prompting
B.
Counseling/Therapy
Teaching Self Control
Token Economy
Verbal Feedback
Verbal Reprimand
Restrictive Interventions
Restrictive interventions may be used in emergency situations or when less
restrictive interventions have been attempted and have not been succesful.
Restrictive interventions should only be used after a functional analysis of behavior
has been completed and documented, a behavioral management plan written, and
the IEP amended. Restrictive interventions shall only be used in the following
situations:
1.
2.
3.
in emergencies.
after nonrestrictive interventions have been attempted and failed.
in conjunction with positive interventions designed to strengthen alternate
behaviors.
Data collection should support the choice of restrictive interventions during their use.
Types of restrictive interventions include:
Detention (before and/or after school, weekend)
Response cost
Exclusion from extracurricular activities
Suspension (in school)
Forced physical guidance
Suspension (out of school)
Physical restraint
C.
Highly Restrictive Interventions
The following highly restrictive interventions are deemed inappropriate for use in
most circumstances:
Isolated time out area
Isolated time out room (in accordance with state regulations)
Expulsion (in accordance with state/federal regulations)
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BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions For Students With Disabilities
D.
Prohibited Interventions
Prohibited interventions are either illegal or not acceptable and cannot be used under any
circumstances. The following interventions are prohibited:
Corporal punishment
Expulsion with cessation of services
Faradic skin shock
Intentional infliction of bodily harm
Physical manipulation or procedure that causes pain and/or tissue damage when used as
as an aversive procedure
Coercion, threats, intimidation, and/or bullying of students
Aversive mists
4.
DATA COLLECTION
Data collection is an integral and necessary component to monitoring any behavioral
intervention program. A functional behavior analysis and a behavior management program
requires systematic and consistent data collection, as well. Necessary components are as
follows:
Description of the target behavior
Location, time, other proximal factors
Purpose/function of target behavior
Frequency, duration, and or intensity of the target behavior
Antecedent event
Pertinent environmental conditions
Selection of intervention
Evaluation, monitoring, and achievement/progress schedule
Method for coordination with parents
Crisis plan
5.
SELECTION OF INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
The selection of an intervention should always be based on the individual needs of the
student. Because students respond differently to various interventions, some programs will
be more or less intense. Analyzing information collected during the functional analysis
phase of the program will yield valuable information. The least restrictive intervention
which will produce the greatest desired behavioral change should be selected from the
continuum of strategies. Regardless of the choice, the pupil’s human dignity and personal
privacy, physical freedom, and social interaction must always be considered.
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BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions For Students With Disabilities
6.
EVALUATION OF RESTRICTIVE INTERVENTIONS
The effectiveness of intervention strategies shall be determined by evaluation of data which
is collected. An analysis of data should consider:
a.
b.
c.
d.
7.
A review of baseline data prior to the initiation and following the selection of an
intervention (data could include frequency, duration, and/or intensity)
A review of antecedent events and environmental modifications
Comparison of data over the course of the intervention phase
Use and effectiveness of less restrictive interventions
PROCEDURES FOR USING HIGHLY RESTRICTIVE INTERVENTIONS
In accordance with Section 1.285 of the 23 Illinois Administrative Code, isolated time out
and/or physical restraint will only be used when other measures have failed, or under
emergency circumstances. Neither isolated time out or physical restraint shall be used in
administering discipline to individual students, i.e. as a form of punishment. Staff will be
trained annually in the implementation of these procedures. Written documentation of the
use of highly restricted interventions will be completed in a timely manner for each incident
and will contain the following information:












Identifying information (student name, date, location, IEP case manager)
Primary mode of communication for student
Description of incident
Antecedent event
Name and title of staff involved in the intervention
Disposition of student following the intervention
Timely parent notification
Identification of any injuries or property damage that occurred
Supervisor notification and review
Duration of time out or physical restraint
Description of less restrictive measures that were attempted
Description of future plans to address behavior
The parents or guardians will be notified within 24 hours when a restrictive measure such
as isolated time out or physical restraint is used. An IEP meeting will be convened to
conduct further functional behavior assessments and/or to amend the student’s behavior
management plan once a student has first experienced three instances of isolated time out
or physical restraint.
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BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions For Students with Disabilities
8.
EMERGENCY USE OF HIGHLY RESTRICTIVE INTERVENTIONS
An “emergency” (highly restrictive) intervention may be suddenly necessary to protect the
student, other students, the classroom, or other individuals from harm or injury, even though
the student has never required it. The following are examples of emergency or crisis
situations:
a. physical injury to self or others
b. significant verbal or nonverbal treats and gestures with a demonstrated means or intent
to carry out such a threat (see section 1.285 d) 2 of 23 Illinois Administrative Code)
c. significant disruption of the school/classroom environment.
If a pattern of “emergency” situations occurs which require the use of restrictive
interventions, an IEP meeting may be convened to create or modify a behavior
management plan.
9.
PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
Under no circumstances shall a behavior management plan be implemented for a student
with a disability without it being developed as part of an IEP. All procedural safeguards,
including rights to administrative remedy, mediation, and impartial due process hearing, as
required through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and
the Illinois School Code, shall be applicable to the resolution of disputes involving the
behavior management plan and the IEP.
10.
PROVISIONS FOR TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Training on the implementation of procedures described in this policy will be provided
annually. Staff will have training in the safe administration of highly restrictive interventions.
Administrative staff will oversee and advise use of these measures.
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BASSC Policy Regarding Behavioral Interventions for Students with Disabilities
References:
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004,
20 U.S.C. §1401, et seq.
Code of Federal Regulations, 34 C.F.R. Part 300
Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/10-20.14, 14-8.05, and 24-24
23 Ill.Admin.Code 1.280, 1.285, and 226.400
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APPENDIX A
Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Management Plan
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APPENDIX B
Physical Restraint & Isolated Time Out Log
9