PARKERSBURG -Few guidelines exist for the discipline of autistic or special needs students, officials say, though individualized plans may specify how situations can be handled.
The topic of discipline for autistic and special needs students has gained national attention in recent years. The Government Accountability Office in May released a report on the dangers of using restraints or seclusion techniques with autistic children, presenting 10 case studies where students were harmed or even died due to improper disciplinary actions.
Advocates have contended the ability to restrain or seclude a child is sometimes necessary to keep them from harming themselves, other students or even adults. Critics contend the techniques used can be dangerous and educators often are untrained or improperly trained in disciplining students with mental or physical issues.
Yvonne Santin, director of special education for Wood County Schools, said for the most part discipline is handled the same for special needs students as with any student.
"They would follow the same rules for students outlined in our student behavior policy," she said.
Those rules might have exceptions outlined in a student's Intensive Education Plan, or IEP, which could spell out specific guidelines.
"The IEPs can be very specific about things such as touching the student, certain kinds of light and noise," she said. "Especially with students who have sensory issues, whether they are labeled as autistic or not, personal space can be a big issue, and keeping those boundaries can help a lot in situations."
Students may also have behavior management plans, which help educators better understand how to deal with an individual student's behavioral issues.
"Behavior management plans are written in a very positive way, but at the same time you have to have a crisis plan," Santin said. "It is about how to take control of an out-of-control situation, but at the same time not trying to take control from the student. It is about keeping the situation from getting worse."
Liza Cordeiro, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Department of Education, said the state's special education policy does not contain rules concerning restraining or disciplining special needs students.
"We follow the federal regulations for special education in schools," she said. "Our overall guidance has always been no use of restraints, but that is not specifically written into any policy."
Cordeiro said some guidelines, however, are written in code concerning pre-kindergarten students.
According to the GAO report, West Virginia's law states:
- Staff members in a West Virginia pre-k classroom may not handle behavior problems by restraining a child by any means other than a firm grasp around a child's arms or legs and then for only as long as is necessary for the child to regain control.
- Staff members in a West Virginia pre-k classroom may not handle behavior problems by isolating a child without supervision or placing the child in a dark area.
In Ohio, state code prevents corporal punishment "unless the board of education of a school district has taken certain steps to permit it." However, the code goes on to say staff may only do so in certain situations, such as if there is a weapon involved or threat of injury to a student or adult, and may only use an "amount of force and restraint as is reasonable and necessary."
In recent years Wood County Schools has begun using CPI, which stands for Crisis Prevention Institute, a program that teaches educators how to deal with different situations without resorting to physical action.
"It teaches things like how to talk to a student who is upset, where to stand and how to stand to diffuse the situation," Santin said. "It is more about controlling and calming a situation."
Santin said select teachers and administrators are given CPI training, then pass those lessons along to other teachers.
"We ask that at least one administrator in each school be trained and try to have at least one special education teacher trained at each school," said Santin, who added the techniques taught in the institute are not intended solely for special needs students, but for all disciplinary situations.
"It addresses the anxiety and stress that can be placed on students in these situations," she said.
Teachers and administrators are required to go through periodic retraining as part of the program.
West Virginia law does not require schools to report instances in which a child is physically restrained, Santin said. Some public health institutions, such as mental health or nursing homes, might be required to report on such instances, but the school system does not.
"We report in terms of suspensions, that is when a student is removed from a school," she said. "I'm not aware of anything where we are required to report a student being restrained."
