Illinois

“Mechanical restraint” means the use of any device or equipment to limit a student's movement or hold a student immobile. Mechanical restraint is prohibited. “Mechanical restraint” does not include any restraint used to treat a student's medical needs; protect a student known to be at risk of injury resulting from lack of coordination or frequent loss of consciousness; position a student with physical disabilities in a manner specified in the student's individualized education program, federal Section 504 plan, or other plan of care, where there is an evidenced medical need for the positioning and the restraint is not used for convenience; provide a supplementary aid or service or an accommodation, including, but not limited to, assistive technology that provides proprioceptive input or aids in self-regulation; or promote student safety in vehicles used to transport students.

"Physical restraint" or "restraint" means holding a student or otherwise restricting a student's movements. "Physical restraint", as permitted pursuant to this Section, includes only the use of specific, planned techniques. "Physical restraint" or "restraint" does not include momentary periods of physical restriction by direct person to person contact, without the aid of material or mechanical devices, that are accomplished with limited force and that are designed to prevent a student from completing an act that would result in potential physical harm to the student or another or damage to property (see Section 10-20.33 or 34-18.20 of the School Code).

"Chemical restraint" means the use of medication to control a student's behavior or restrict a student's freedom of movement. Chemical restraint is prohibited. "Chemical restraint" does not include medication that is legally prescribed and administered as part of a student's regular medical regimen to manage behavioral symptoms and treat medical symptoms.

"Time out" means a behavior management technique for the purpose of calming or de-escalation that involves the involuntary monitored separation of a student from classmates with an adult trained under subsection (i) for part of the school day, only for a brief time, in a non-locked setting.

"Isolated time out" means the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a time out room or other enclosure outside the classroom without a supervising adult in the time out room or enclosure. Isolated time out is allowed only under limited circumstances. If all other requirements under this Section are met, isolated time out may be used only when the adult in the time out room or enclosure is in imminent danger of serious physical harm because the student is unable to cease actively engaging in extreme physical aggression.

"Corporal punishment" means discipline that deliberately inflicts pain on a student in response to their behavior or language.

Any enclosure used for isolated time out shall meet all of the health/life safety requirements of 23 Ill. Adm. Code 180; have the same ceiling height as the surrounding room or rooms and be large enough to accommodate not only the student being placed in isolated time out but also, if applicable, any other individual who is required to accompany that student under this Section; be constructed of materials that cannot be used by students to harm themselves or others, be free of electrical outlets, exposed wiring, and other objects that could be used by students to harm themselves or others, and be designed so that students cannot climb up the walls; be designed to permit continuous visual monitoring of and communication with the student; and, if fitted with a door, be fitted with either a steel door or a wooden door of solid-core construction. If the door includes a viewing panel, the panel shall be unbreakable. The door shall not be fitted with a locking mechanism or be physically blocked by furniture or any other inanimate object at any time during the isolated time out.

Isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint, as defined in this Section, shall be used only when the student's behavior presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others, other less restrictive and intrusive measures have been tried and proven ineffective in stopping the imminent danger of serious physical harm, there is no known medical contraindication to its use on the student, and the school staff members or members applying the intervention have been trained in its safe application under this Section. (Section 10-20.33(b) or 34-18.20(b) of the School Code). Isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint shall not be used as discipline or punishment, convenience for staff, retaliation, a substitute for appropriate educational or behavioral support, a routine safety matter, or to prevent property damage in the absence of imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others. In addition to any other remedy provided for in State or federal laws, rules, or regulations, a school district or other entity that violates this Section will be subject to the compliance measures outlined in subsection (k). In addition to all other requirements under this Section, the use of physical restraint shall be subject to the following requirements and limitations. Physical restraint must end immediately when the threat of imminent danger of serious physical harm ends; or the student indicates the inability to breathe or staff supervising the student recognizes that the student may be in respiratory distress. The staff involved in physically restraining a student must periodically halt physical restraint every five minutes or sooner based upon the type of physical management hold used and the methodology that the staff member trained in subsection (h) learned in training. If the imminent danger of serious physical harm continues to exist, staff may continue to use the physical restraint and the continued use may not be considered a separate instance of physical restraint. A physical restraint shall not impair a student's ability to breathe or communicate normally, obstruct a student's airway, or interfere with a student's ability to speak. If physical restraint is imposed upon a student whose primary mode of communication is sign language or an augmentative mode, the student shall be permitted to have hands free of restraint for brief periods unless the supervising adult determines that this freedom appears likely to result in imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others. Students shall not be subjected to physical restraint for using profanity or other verbal displays of disrespect for themselves or others. A verbal threat shall not be considered as constituting an imminent risk of serious physical harm unless a student also demonstrates a means of or intent to immediately carry out the threat that would result in the imminent risk of serious physical harm.

Except as permitted by the administrative rules of another State agency operating or licensing a facility in which elementary or secondary educational services are provided (e.g., the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, or the Illinois Department of Human Services), mechanical restraint or chemical restraint, as defined in subsection (c)(11) or (c)(12), shall not be employed.

Except as permitted by the administrative rules of another State agency operating or licensing a facility in which elementary or secondary educational services are provided (e.g., the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, or the Illinois Department of Human Services), mechanical restraint or chemical restraint, as defined in subsection (c)(11) or (c)(12), shall not be employed.

Isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint, as defined in this Section, shall be used only when the student's behavior presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others, other less restrictive and intrusive measures have been tried and proven ineffective in stopping the imminent danger of serious physical harm, there is no known medical contraindication to its use on the student, and the school staff members or members applying the intervention have been trained in its safe application under this Section. (Section 10-20.33(b) or 34-18.20(b) of the School Code). Isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint shall not be used as discipline or punishment, convenience for staff, retaliation, a substitute for appropriate educational or behavioral support, a routine safety matter, or to prevent property damage in the absence of imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others. In addition to any other remedy provided for in State or federal laws, rules, or regulations, a school district or other entity that violates this Section will be subject to the compliance measures outlined in subsection (k). For an isolated time out, an adult who is responsible for supervising the student must remain within two feet of the enclosure. The supervising staff member must always be able to see, hear, and communicate with the student. The door shall not be locked or held to block egress. A student in isolated time out shall not be supervised using cameras, audio recording, or any other electronic monitoring device. The deprivation of necessities needed to sustain the health of a person is prohibited. A student placed in isolated time out or time out must have reasonable access to food, water, medication, and toileting facilities. Except in circumstances in which there is a risk of self-injury or injury to staff or others, a student in isolated time out or time out shall not have clothing removed, including, but not limited to, shoes, shoelaces, boots, or belts.

Not allowed

Isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint, as defined in this Section, shall be used only when the student's behavior presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others, other less restrictive and intrusive measures have been tried and proven ineffective in stopping the imminent danger of serious physical harm, there is no known medical contraindication to its use on the student, and the school staff members or members applying the intervention have been trained in its safe application under this Section. (Section 10-20.33(b) or 34-18.20(b) of the School Code). Isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint shall not be used as discipline or punishment, convenience for staff, retaliation, a substitute for appropriate educational or behavioral support, a routine safety matter, or to prevent property damage in the absence of imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others. In addition to any other remedy provided for in State or federal laws, rules, or regulations, a school district or other entity that violates this Section will be subject to the compliance measures outlined in subsection (k). For time out, an adult trained under subsection (h) who is responsible for supervising the student must remain in the same room as the student at all times during the time out. The deprivation of necessities needed to sustain the health of a person is prohibited. A student placed in isolated time out or time out must have reasonable access to food, water, medication, and toileting facilities. Except in circumstances in which there is a risk of self-injury or injury to staff or others, a student in isolated time out or time out shall not have clothing removed, including, but not limited to, shoes, shoelaces, boots, or belts.

Yes

If a student is subject to isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, the school must make a reasonable attempt to notify the student's parent or guardian on the same day the isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint is imposed.

In a form and manner prescribed by the State Superintendent, a written record of each episode of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint shall be maintained in the student's temporary record. The official designated under this Section shall also maintain a copy of each of these records. Each record shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following: the student's name; the date of the incident; the beginning and ending times of the incident; a description of any relevant events leading up to the incident; a description of any less restrictive or intrusive alternative measures that were used prior to the implementation of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint and why those measures were ineffective or deemed inappropriate; a description of the incident or student behavior that resulted in isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, including the specific imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others; for isolated time out, a description of the rationale of why the needs of the student cannot be met by a lesser restrictive intervention and why an adult could not be present in the time out room; a log of the student's behavior in isolated time out, time out, or during physical restraint, including a description of the restraint techniques used and any other interaction between the student and staff; a description of any injuries (whether to students, staff, or others) or property damage; a description of any planned approach to dealing with the student's behavior in the future, including any de-escalation methods or procedures that may be used to avoid the use of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint; a list of the school personnel who participated in the implementation, monitoring, and supervision of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint; and the date on which parental or guardian notification took place, as required by subsection (f).

No later than 2 school days after any use of isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint, the school district or other entity serving the student shall, in a form and manner prescribed by the State Superintendent, submit the information required under subsection (e)(1) to the State Superintendent.

Public Act 102-0339 requires each school district’s time out and physical restraint oversight team to develop a plan for reducing and eventually eliminating the use of isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint in accordance with ISBE goals and benchmarks. These annual updates must include an overview of RTO data for the school year and detail the strategies used to limit restrictive interventions.

Annually by July 1st

There are reports published from 2017 to 2020. But no current reports are published. https://www.isbe.net/Documents/RTO-Summary-Report.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Public and Private schools contracting with the public school

Any adult who is supervising a student in isolated time out or time out, or who is involved in a physical restraint, shall receive at least 8 hours of developmentally appropriate training annually. Except for training on physical restraint, online training may be utilized for all training areas under this subsection (h)(1). Training is required in the following areas: crisis de-escalation; restorative practices; identifying signs of distress during physical restraint and time out; trauma-informed practices; and behavior management practices.