Section 7-1102 - Appointment of task force.
§ 7-1102. Appointment of task force.
(a) In general.- The State Superintendent shall appoint a task force to propose regulations to the State Board regarding student behavior intervention practices.
(b) Representation on task force.- The task force shall consist of:
(1) Representatives of the Department;
(2) Representatives of local school systems, including teachers, administrators, school psychologists, and social workers;
(3) Representatives of advocacy communities;
(4) Representatives from nonpublic special education facilities; and
(5) Individuals with knowledge of and expertise in positive behavioral interventions.
(c) Issues for consideration.- The task force shall consider:
(1) The circumstances under which, and the schools or types of schools in which, physical restraint, mechanical restraint, and seclusion shall be prohibited;
(2) The definitions of involuntary and other types of time out;
(3) The use of physical restraint, mechanical restraint, voluntary time out, and involuntary time out, including:
(i) The types of permissible and prohibited physical holds and mechanical restraints;
(ii) The size and characteristics of a time out room or other area; and
(iii) The amount of time and examples of circumstances under which students may be placed in physical restraint, voluntary time out, and involuntary time out;
(4) The circumstances under which review of a student's individualized education program would occur if restraints or involuntary time out are used with the student as a behavior intervention;
(5) The circumstances under which the special education evaluation process shall be initiated for students not in special education who are restrained or placed in involuntary time out as a behavior intervention;
(6) The circumstances under which a functional assessment and a behavior intervention plan will be conducted for the students described in items (4) and (5) of this subsection;
(7) Appropriate behavioral interventions, including but not limited to crisis intervention and prevention techniques;
(8) Definitions of "positive behavioral supports" and "behavior interventions and strategies plan";
(9) How to document properly the need for and use of behavioral interventions with students, including notice requirements to parents;
(10) Training requirements for school staff regarding behavioral interventions, including the need to individualize behavioral interventions based on a student's behavioral, medical, and psychological history and disability characteristics;
(11) Minimum requirements for policies and procedures to be developed by local school systems, State operated programs, and nonpublic schools; and
(12) Standards for monitoring compliance by local school systems, State operated programs, and nonpublic schools with the requirements of this subtitle.
(d) Submission of proposed regulations.- The Department shall submit proposed regulations to the State Board of Education on or before December 31, 2002.
[2002, ch. 230; 2006, ch. 44, § 6.]