Variation Found in Rates of Restraint and Seclusion Among Students with a Disability

The restraint and seclusion of individuals—practices usually associated with highly restrictive environments—are extreme responses to student behavior used in some public schools (see Box 1). This brief aims to answer important questions about the extent and use of restraint and seclusion in schools. Do rates of restraint and seclusion vary based on the disability status of students? How frequently do schools restrain and seclude students? Do trends of restraint and seclusion vary across district poverty rate and racial composition? This brief draws on data from the 2009–2010 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) and the 2009 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE).