REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Use of Reasonable Force Annual Report

Use of Reasonable Force Annual Report

Woodland School District

June 29, 2023

Prepared by Jake Hall, Executive Director of Learning Supports

USE OF REASONABLE FORCE, ISOLATION, AND RESTRAINT -- Policy 3246

Per policy 3246, “District staff may use isolation, restraint, and other forms of reasonable force only when reasonably necessary to control spontaneous behavior that poses an imminent likelihood of serious harm.” While some specifically trained staff do need to use force in rare occasions to keep students and staff safe, the district takes precautions, utilizes Crisis Prevention Intervention training, and always submits an incident-review report to the superintendent (3246F). Each incident is reviewed by the Executive Director of Learning Supports, input into our computer database system (Skyward), and reported to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

Here is the data on Isolation and Restraint from the 2022-23 school year:

• The number of individual incidents of restraint and isolation: 28 
• The number of students involved in the incidents: 11
• The number of injuries to students: 2
• The number of injuries to staff: 6
• The types of restraint or isolation used:
• 1 person restraint
• 2 person standing restraint
• 2 person seated restraint
• Walking restraint/escort/transport
• Other restraint: TEAM control
• Designated Isolation Room
• Classroom Isolation
• Other Isolation: Breezeway/Hallway

This annual report is inclusive of the Isolation and Restraint data from the behavior programs the district contracts with QUEST in Longview, Jim Tangeman Center in Vancouver, and Multnomah Educational Service District in Portland. 

As stated in policy 3246, district staff avoids the use of force, isolation, or restraint of students and, instead, takes a proactive approach in preventing student behavior escalations or intervening using de-escalation strategies taught and practiced in the Crisis Prevention Intervention training.