Research and Report by: Robert Lee, Dean of the Faculty / Assistant Principal
Executive Summary and Conclusion by: Kimberly Brown, Academic Dean / Principal

Executive Summary

Data for Isolated Time Out (ITO) and protective holding was collected by school year beginning August 2013 and concluding July 2016. Both ITO and physical restraint are considered significantly restrictive behavior management techniques, both requiring appropriate documentation from Illinois State Board of Education. ITO is defined as the removal of a disruptive student from the classroom space to a crisis room, with the door to the crisis room closed. Protective holding is defined as the physical immobilization of a student by faculty and staff trained in Professional Crisis Management (PCM).

For the purposes of this report, protective holding is defined in two ways: vertical immobilization and horizontal immobilization; both are considered by the Professional Crisis Management Association to be equal in restrictiveness. In both cases, an immobilization is only completed if the student is exhibiting continuous aggression, continuous self-injury, and/or continuous high magnitude disruption. A vertical immobilization (VI) is a physical restraint that requires two trained faculty members to hold the student’s arms, a third participant holds the legs, with all participants remain standing, or in a vertical position. A horizontal immobilization (HI) requires three certified members of staff to complete the protective hold in a prone position, on a mat. In the instance of a horizontal immobilization, a member of staff holds each arm and one person holds both legs.

Programmatic changes were altered significantly August, 2014, when The Winston Knolls School at Hoffman Estates Campus began using a multi-disciplinary approach to education. Prior to August, 2014, a strict Applied Behavior Analysis approach was used in all educational decisions; both speech language therapy and occupational therapy were consultative services. The multi-disciplinary approach allows for the faculty and staff to implement a curriculum aligned to Common Core state standards; direct speech-language therapy and occupational therapy is provided to students, rather than just consultative. Occupational therapy focuses on sensory integration and ensuring each student is able to maintain sensory regulation. The addition of a school nurse to the program provides students medical support, where appropriate.




Highlights

  • Isolated Time Out interventions slightly increased by about 18% from 2013-14 to 2014-15. Comparatively, from the 2013-14 school year to the 2014-15 school year, there was a 62% decrease in Restrictive Holding procedures.
  • Comparatively, from the 2014-15 school year to the 2015-16 school year, there has been a 59% decrease in Isolated Time Out interventions.
  • Comparatively, from the 2014-15 school year to the 2015-16 school year, there has been a 77% decrease in Restrictive Holding procedures.

There are several reasons that contribute to the significant decreases in the use of restrictive procedures in school programming resulting from data-driven decision-making and evidenced-based practices. In previous years, Applied Behavior Analysis was the central approach to program design. Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, the focus at The Winston Knolls School was to provide more balanced programming in Speech, Occupational Therapy, and implementing a curriculum, in addition to the use of Applied Behavioral Analysis.

1. Increased school-wide structure that includes more flexibility in behavioral approaches.
2. Increased fostering of student independence.
3. Increased student engagement through appropriately designed curriculum and instructional practices.
4. Increased collaborative problem-solving involving classroom team and members of related services (Occupational Therapy, Speech/Language Pathologist, behavior specialists).
5. Increased collaboration with parents and districts to explore medication where needed.
6. Emphasis on standardizing and implementing proactive classroom strategies.
7. Appropriate changes of placement to highly aggressive students (1).
8. Appropriately grouping students according to ability level as well as age level.

Conclusion

The 90% decrease in protective holds and the 50% decrease in Isolated Time Outs over a three year period indicate that the measures implemented in August 2014, have been successful. While Applied Behavior Analysis is successful in reducing disruptive behavior in students, a multi-disciplinary approach is necessary to decreasing Isolated Time Out and physical restraints for all students.

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