Virginia Law

A. When any student has been physically restrained or secluded:

1. The school personnel involved shall report the incident and the use of any related first aid to the school principal or the principal's designee as soon as possible by the end of the school day in which the incident occurred; and

2. The school principal or the principal's designee, or other school personnel shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that direct contact is made with the student's parent, either in person or through telephone conversation, or other means of communication authorized by the parent, such as email, to notify the parent of the incident and any related first aid on the day the incident occurred.

B. When any student has been physically restrained or secluded after the regular school day, the notifications required by subsection A of this section shall be made as soon as practicable in compliance with the school division's school crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan required by § 22.1-279.8 of the Code of Virginia.

C. As soon as practicable, but no later than two school days after an incident in which physical restraint or seclusion has been implemented, the school personnel involved in the incident or other school personnel, as may be designated by the principal, shall complete and provide to the principal or the principal's designee a written incident report. The school division shall provide the parent with a copy of the incident report within seven calendar days of the incident.

The written incident report shall contain information sufficient to inform the parent about the incident. Such information would typically include the following:

1. Student name, age, gender, grade, and ethnicity;

2. Location of the incident;

3. Date, time, and total duration of incident, including documentation of the beginning and ending time of each application of physical restraint or seclusion;

4. Date of report;

5. Name of person completing the report;

6. School personnel involved in the incident, their roles in the use of physical restraint or seclusion, and documentation of their completion of the division's training program;

7. Description of the incident, including the resolution and process of return of the student to the student's educational setting, if appropriate;

8. Detailed description of the physical restraint or seclusion method used;

9. Student behavior that justified the use of physical restraint or seclusion;

10. Description of prior events and circumstances prompting the student's behavior, to the extent known;

11. Less restrictive interventions attempted prior to the use of physical restraint or seclusion, and an explanation if no such interventions were employed;

12. Whether the student has an IEP, a Section 504 plan, a BIP, or other plan;

13. If a student, school personnel, or any other individual sustained bodily injury, the date and time of nurse or emergency response personnel notification and the treatment administered, if any;

14. Date, time, and method of parental notification of the incident, as required by this section; and

15. Date, time, and method of school personnel debriefing.

D. Following an incident of physical restraint or seclusion, the school division shall ensure that, within two school days, the principal or the principal's designee reviews the incident with all school personnel who implemented the use of physical restraint or seclusion to discuss:

1. Whether the use of restraint or seclusion was implemented in compliance with this chapter and local policies; and

2. How to prevent or reduce the future need for physical restraint or seclusion.

E. As appropriate, depending on the student's age and developmental level, following each incident of physical restraint or seclusion the school division shall ensure that, as soon as practicable, but no later than two school days or upon the student's return to school, the principal or the principal's designee shall review the incident with the student involved to discuss:

1. Details of the incident in an effort to assist the student and school personnel in identifying patterns of behaviors, triggers, or antecedents; and

2. Alternative positive behaviors or coping skills the student may utilize to prevent or reduce behaviors that may result in the application of physical restraint or seclusion.

F. The principal or the principal's designee shall regularly review the use of physical restraint or seclusion to ensure compliance with school division policy and procedures. When there are multiple incidents within the same classroom or by the same individual, the principal or the principal's designee shall take appropriate steps to address the frequency of use.