LAC 28:XLIII.547. Policy and Reporting Requirements

A. Each public school governing authority shall adopt written guidelines and procedures regarding the following: 1. proper use of crisis intervention plans, including the use of positive behavioral interventions and support, sensory rooms, seclusion, and physical restraint, and how these strategies differ; 2. all seclusion and physical restraint safety, reporting, and notification requirements, including any follow-up procedures; 3. an explanation of the methods of physical restraint and the school employee training requirements relative to the use of restraint; and 4. an explanation of how school employees may utilize and be trained in a crisis intervention training program. B. LEA guidelines and procedures shall be annually provided to all school employees, all parents and legal guardians of students with an exceptionality, and the LDOE by May 31, 2026, and prior to the start of each school year thereafter. C. The guidelines and procedures shall also be annually submitted to the local special education advisory council, prior to the beginning of each school year. D. At the beginning of each school year, each public school governing authority shall post on its website the guidelines and procedures adopted in accordance with this Subsection. E. The LDOE shall maintain on its website, and annually distribute to public school governing authorities, updated guidance for recommended best practices relative to the use of seclusion and physical restraint for students with exceptionalities. F. The LDOE shall provide guidance to public school systems for establishing local guidelines and procedures. LEAs shall follow the incidents of seclusion and physical restraint reporting requirements in accordance with this Subsection, including specific data elements to be included in such reporting. G. Each public school governing authority shall report all instances where seclusion or physical restraint is used to address student behavior to the LDOE. H. The LDOE shall maintain a database of all reported incidents of seclusion and physical restraint of students with exceptionalities and shall disaggregate the data for analysis by school, student age, race, ethnicity, gender, and disability, where applicable, and any involved school employee(s). 1. Based upon the data collected, the LDOE shall annually compile a comprehensive report regarding the use of seclusion and physical restraint of students with exceptionalities. The report shall include the following: a. the number of incidents of physical restraint disaggregated by school system, student age, race, ethnicity, gender, and student disability classification; b. the number of incidents of seclusion disaggregated by school system, student age, race, ethnicity, gender, and student disability classification; and c. a list of the school systems and charter schools that have complied with the reporting requirements in accordance with this Subsection. 2. The annual report shall be posted on the LDOE website and submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Education and the Special Education Advisory Panel.