Washington

"Mechanical restraint" means staff member use of a device to restrict a student's freedom of movement. "Mechanical restraint" does not include a device used by a staff member or a student: (i) As prescribed by a licensed health professional acting within the scope of the practice of that health profession; (ii) as documented in a student's individualized education program under Part B of the federal individuals with disabilities education act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq., or a student's plan developed under section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973; or (iii) for a specific therapeutic, orthopedic, or medical purpose, when used for its designed purpose. "Mechanical restraint" also does not include the use of vehicle safety restraints when used as intended during the transport of a student in a vehicle;

"Physical restraint" means physical contact by one or more staff members that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move the student's arms, legs, torso, or head freely. "Physical restraint" does not include chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, physical escort, or physical prompt;

"Chemical restraint" means a drug or chemical administered by a staff member to a student to control the student's behavior or restrict the student's freedom of movement that is not: (i) Prescribed by a licensed health professional acting within the scope of the practice of that health profession for the standard treatment of a student's medical or psychiatric condition; (ii) administered by a licensed health professional acting within the scope of the practice of that health profession or administered by a designated staff member delegated and trained by the licensed health professional under RCW 28A.210.260; or (iii) administered in accordance with the student's medical or psychiatric treatment plan.

“Time out” is not separately defined in Washington's restraint and isolation law.

"Isolation" means restricting the student alone within a room or any other form of enclosure, from which the student may not leave. "Isolation" does not include: (i) A student's voluntary use of a quiet space for self-calming; (ii) Temporary removal of a student from his or her regular instructional area to an unlocked area for purposes of carrying out an appropriate positive behavior intervention plan; or (iii) Using a nonpermanent, removable material or barrier within an instructional setting for the purpose of temporarily separating a student from the rest of the instructional setting for a short period of time in order to address privacy concerns among students when a student engages in actions such as disrobement or similar behavior that raises significant privacy concerns and substantially impacts the ability to maintain a safe environment for learning for all students. The temporary material or barrier must still allow the student to be monitored by instructional or support staff in the classroom. Any incidents involving this type of separation of a student using a temporary material or barrier as described under this subsection trigger the procedural and reporting requirements in subsections (4) through (7) of this section and must be reported as a separation;

Corporal punishment includes any act that willfully inflicts or willfully causes the infliction of physical pain on a student. Corporal punishment does not include: (a) The use of reasonable physical force by a school administrator, teacher, school personnel or volunteer as necessary to maintain order or to prevent a student from harming themselves, other students, school personnel, or property; (b) Physical pain or discomfort resulting from or caused by training for or participation in athletic competition or recreational activity voluntarily engaged in by a student; or (c) Physical exertion shared by all students in a teacher-directed class activity, which may include, but is not limited to, physical education exercises, field trips or vocational education projects.

There are no minimum size or dimensional requirements specified for isolation enclosures. Isolation enclosures must be ventilated, lighted, temperature controlled for human occupancy, and permit continuous visual monitoring of the student from outside the enclosure. *Effective June 11, 2026 update: A school district or other provider of public educational services may not design, construct, remodel, reconfigure, repurpose, or otherwise establish any new room or other enclosed area for the primary purpose of student isolation, irrespective of how the space is labeled. (b) Nothing in this subsection (8) precludes a school district or other provider of public educational services from creating: (i) A quiet space for voluntary use by a student for self-calming; (ii) A safe place to be used during a temporary removal of a student from his or her regular instructional area to an unlocked area for purposes of carrying out an appropriate positive behavior intervention plan; or (iii) A temporary safe space to be used during removal of a student from his or her regular instructional area when there is an imminent likelihood of serious harm to the student or to another person and the requirements of subsection (3)(b) of this section are met. Use of this space is considered isolation and triggers the procedural and reporting requirements of subsections (4) through (7) of this section.

Restraint of any student is permitted only when reasonably necessary to control spontaneous behavior that poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm to the student or to another person, such as another student or staff member.

Mechanical Restraint is Prohibited

Chemical Restraint is Prohibited

Isolation of any student is permitted only when reasonably necessary to control spontaneous behavior that poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm to the student or to another person, such as another student or staff member.

Corporal Punishment is prohibited. A school district may not administer corporal punishment, including any act that willfully inflicts or willfully causes the infliction of physical pain on a student. Corporal punishment does not include: (a) The use of reasonable physical force by a school administrator, teacher, school personnel or volunteer as necessary to maintain order or to prevent a student from harming themselves, other students, school personnel, or property; (b) Physical pain or discomfort resulting from or caused by training for or participation in athletic competition or recreational activity voluntarily engaged in by a student; or (c) Physical exertion shared by all students in a teacher-directed class activity, which may include, but is not limited to, physical education exercises, field trips or vocational education projects.

“Time out” is not separately defined in Washington's restraint and isolation law.

Yes

The principal, other building administrator, or designee must make a reasonable effort to verbally inform the student's parent or guardian within 24 hours of the incident, and must send written notification as soon as practical but postmarked no later than five business days after the restraint or isolation occurred. If the school district or other provider of public educational services customarily provides the parent or guardian with school-related information in a language other than English, the written report under this section must be provided to the parent or guardian in that language.

For each school, the school district or other provider of public educational services shall include the number of individual incidents of restraint and isolation, the number of students involved in the incidents, the number of injuries to students and staff members, and the types of restraint or isolation used.

Any staff member who uses isolation or restraint on a student during school-sponsored instruction or activities must inform the building administrator or building administrator's designee as soon as possible, and within two business days submit a written report of the incident to the office of the school district superintendent or other chief administrator of the provider of public educational services. The written report must include, at a minimum, the following information: (a) The date and time of the incident; (b) The name and job title of the staff member who administered the restraint or isolation; (c) A description of the activity that led to the restraint or isolation; (d) The type of restraint or isolation used on the student, including the duration; (e) Whether the student or staff members were physically injured during the restraint or isolation incident and any medical care provided; and (f) Any recommendations for changing the nature or amount of resources available to the student and staff members in order to avoid similar incidents.

Annually by January 1st, each school district and other provider of public educational services shall summarize the written reports received under subsection (5) of this section and submit the summaries to the office of the superintendent of public instruction. For each school, the school district or other provider of public educational services shall include the number of individual incidents of restraint and isolation, the number of students involved in the incidents, the number of injuries to students and staff members, and the types of restraint or isolation used. (b) No later than 90 days after receipt, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall publish to its website the data received under (a) of this subsection (7). The data must be published in a format that enables trend analysis, including comparisons of incident rates and types between school districts and authorized entities as defined in RCW 28A.300.690. The office of the superintendent of public instruction may use this data to investigate the training, practices, and other efforts used by school districts and other providers of public educational services to reduce the use of restraint and isolation.

Annually by January 1st, each school district and other provider of public educational services shall summarize the written reports received under subsection (5) of this section and submit the summaries to the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) publishes the annual restraint and isolation data on its website. (Under subsection “Data and Reporting Requirements: Statewide Data). https://ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/health-safety/school-safety-center/restraint-and-isolation

Provider of public educational services. (1) The provisions of this section apply to all staff members of school districts and other providers of public educational services, except for staff members who are licensed or certified health professionals of an inpatient health care facility. However, nothing in this section prohibits a school resource officer as defined in RCW 28A.320.124 from carrying out the lawful duties of a commissioned law enforcement officer. Incidents involving a school resource officer trigger the procedural and reporting requirements in subsections (4) through (7) of this section. "Provider of public educational services" means any entity that directly operates, or provides educational services under contract to, an elementary or secondary school program that receives public funds from the office of the superintendent of public instruction. "Provider of public educational services" includes a school district, a public school as defined in RCW 28A.150.010, an educational service district, an institutional education provider as defined in RCW 28A.190.005, a public agency or private entity providing educational services under contract with any other provider of public educational services, an authorized entity as defined in RCW 28A.300.690, and any providers of services in accordance with Part B of the federal individuals with disabilities education act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq. In addition, "provider of public educational services" includes the state school for the blind and the center for deaf and hard of hearing youth established under RCW 72.40.010;

Isolation training requirements: Any staff member or other adults using isolation must be trained and currently certified by a qualified provider in the use of trauma-informed crisis intervention (including de-escalation techniques), and also trained by the district in isolation requirements, or otherwise available in the case of an emergency when trained personnel are not immediately available due to the unforeseeable nature of the emergency. Restraint training requirements: Any staff member or other adults using a restraint must be trained and currently certified by a qualified provider in the use of trauma-informed crisis intervention (including de-escalation techniques) and such restraints, or otherwise available in the case of an emergency when trained personnel are not immediately available due to the unforeseeable nature of the emergency.

RCW 28A.600.485- Student restraint and isolation—Limitations on use—Specifications in individualized education programs and section 504 plans—Follow-up procedures and reports—Publication of data—Restrictions on isolation spaces—Definitions. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=28a.600.485&utm WAC 392-172A-02110- Isolation or restraint—Conditions. https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=392-172A-02110&utm WAC 392-172A-02110- Isolation or restraint—Conditions. (**Note: This regulation has not yet been updated to reflect the 2026 amendments to Washington’s restraint and isolation law. The current WAC language was last amended in 2021 and became effective January 1, 2022.) https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=392-172A-02110.&utm Washington OSPI Restraint and Isolation Resource Page — Includes restraint and isolation laws and definitions, prohibited practices, reporting and parent-notification requirements, statewide restraint and isolation data, data-reporting guidance, professional development and training resources, prevention and de-escalation resources, tiered student supports, and information about Washington’s Reducing Restraint & Eliminating Isolation (RREI) Project. (*Note: Some materials and legal summaries on this page may not yet reflect the amendments to Washington law effective June 11, 2026. Current statutory language should be verified against RCW 28A.600.485.) https://ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/health-safety/school-safety-center/restraint-and-isolation?utm