SPOKANE, Wash. — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement with Spokane Public Schools (SPS) over the use of isolation and restraint against students with disabilities.
The DOJ investigation found the school district "inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities... to address noncompliant behavior, even when those actions appeared to escalate the behavior or when students showed clear signs of trauma."
Isolation rooms have been used at public schools for decades. Sometimes called safety rooms or quiet rooms, they're intended as a tool to separate students who may be a harm to themselves or others.
The Justice Department's investigation found the school district "inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities... to address noncompliant behavior, even when those actions appeared to escalate the behavior or when students showed clear signs of trauma."
Under the settlement agreement, "SPS has agreed to end the use of seclusion, or isolation, overhaul its restraint practices and better train staff on how to de-escalate students' behaviors."
In 2018, KREM learned SPS had the highest numbers in that state for students being isolated and restrained.
The numbers alone were staggering. SPS reported 4,890 incidents where a student was either isolated in a small, padded room or was restrained somehow during the school day. This can mean anything from ankle restraints and chair straps, to being physically held to try and calm them down. To put that in perspective, Seattle, which has almost twice as many students, had 493 incidents. Over in Tacoma, there were 561 incidents.
However, the numbers for the 2021-2022 school year show a dramatic improvement.
The most recent data shows SPS only had 220 incidents of isolation and restraint last school year, compared to 265 in Seattle.
When KREM 2 first asked SPS why their numbers are almost 10 times higher, we were told it was likely because of over-reporting. KREM found many parents of special education students who say isolation and restraint are still being used way more than they should be.
SPS sent KREM 2 the following statement Tuesday in response to the findings:
As previously reported on numerous occasions by local media, there were incidents in 2018 that surfaced concerns about the use of restraint and isolation. Since 2018, SPS has taken significant steps to improve our practices and our data indicates substantial progress since that time. We concur with the findings of the Department of Justice prompted by the 2018 incidents and appreciate reaching a resolution regarding their review and next steps to bring further closure for families.
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