In This Issue . . .

• Ban Abusive Interventions in IEPs
• IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems
• IEPs: Key Legal Issues
• Using Federal Stimulus $ for Seclusion Areas

Circulation: 75,469
ISSN: 1538-320

To help protect all schoolchildren, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act, prohibits the use of restraint and seclusion unless there is an imminent risk of physical injury that less restrictive interventions would not stop.

What will happen if schools can write restraints and seclusion into the IEPs of children with disabilities? Will the ban on restraints and seclusion apply only to children who are not disabled?

This issue of the Special Ed Advocate contains information about the newly proposed legislation that forbids putting restraint and seclusion in a child's IEP, BIP, or 504 Plan. Learn how you can take action to keep the bill intact and make schools use less-restrictive interventions.

Please don't hesitate to forward this issue to other friends, families, or colleagues.

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Ban Abusive Interventions in IEPs

Organizations like the American Association of School Administrators are lobbying to weaken the new legislation and let schools put abusive interventions in IEPs.

Too often, parents have been misled into consenting to restraint and seclusion in IEPs only to find out their children have been abused, injured, and traumatized.

Tell Congress that IEPs should not be a back door to get around the statute.

Be an activist! It will only take 10 minutes. Here's how...

IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems

Must the IEP team develop a plan to address these problem behaviors? Are school districts required to train teachers to use positive behavioral interventions and support?

In IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems, Pat Howey answers questions from parents whose children have behavior problems, describes IDEA requirements and offers strategies parents can use to request help.

IEPs: Key Legal Issues

1. If you encounter legal issues about your child's IEP, do you know your legal rights and responsibilities?
2. Do you know IEP caselaw and understand what is and is not permissible in IEPs?
3. Can you draft a SMART IEP based on your child's unique needs?

If you can answer YES to all of the above, great. If not, you should consider attending Wrightslaw All About IEPs training.

Training Date: Friday, January 15, 2010 in Tampa, FL

Details and registration here

From the Wrightslaw Way Blog

Using Federal Stimulus $$$ to Construct Seclusion Areas

Find out what the state DPI says when a Wisconsin school district decided to use federal stimulus dollars to construct “seclusion areas” in its schools.

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