Key Changes to 23 Illinois Administrative Code 1.285 - Updates on Restraint, Time Out, and Isolated Time Out - Presented by Jeffrey Judge, Lisa Armonda, Joshua Peters

Oct 10, 2026

Outlines key updates to 23 Illinois Administrative Code 1.285 regarding restraint, time out, and isolated time out in school settings. Covers new requirements for time out and isolated time out spaces, including monitoring, door and egress conditions, and a juvenile detention facility exception. Clarifies prohibitions on prone restraint and refines the mechanical restraint exception, emphasizing medical necessity and limiting misuse of common restraint devices. Summarizes new RTO incident meeting and timeline rules, parent documentation, and a clarified complaint filing window. Also introduces an ISBE mediation process with published mediation metrics and withdrawal requirements upon resolution.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Agenda

Legal & regulatory updates

Juvenile detention-specific provisions

ISBE mediation process

New Room Requirements for a Time Out Space 1.285(a)(5)

Isolated Time Out Room Requirements 1.285(a)(4)

Prohibition on Prone Restraint

Mechanical Restraint Exception 1.285(c)(12)

RTO incidents on three days in a 30-day period 1.285(e)(4)

Meeting Requirements

New Timeline Requirements

Documents to be Sent to Parents 1.285(f)(3)(E)

Additional Documentation for General Education Students

Mediation 1.285(j)(3)

Complaint Filing Timeline Clarified

Key Changes to 23 Illinois Administrative Code 1.285 Updateson Restraint, Time Out, and Isolated Time Out Presented by: Jeffrey Judge, Wellness & Student Care Director Lisa Armonda, Assistant Legal Counsel Joshua Peters, Wellness & Student Care Lead 1 Agenda • Legal & regulatory updates • Juvenile detention-specific provisions • Clarifications from the March 25, 2025, State Superintendent Weekly Message • New ISBE mediation process 2 New Room Requirements fora Time Out Space 1.285(a)(5) Can now occur ina classroom or sensory room Door may have alock, but it may not be used during time out Egress must not be blocked by objects A person may physically block egress 3 Isolated Time Out Room Requirements 1.285(a)(4) • Room requirements remain unchanged meaning that the room must meet all health, life and safety requirements, the room must have continuous visual monitoring and communication with the student and the door must not have a lock and must have an unbreakable viewing panel • New exception for students in juvenile detention facilities is that the door can be locked 4 Prohibition on Prone Restraint • Prone restraint is prohibited in all school settings even if the use of prone restraint is in the student’s Individualized Education Program 1.285(c)(4) • Aprone restraint is held facedown on the floor or other surface and pressure is applied to the student’s body to keep the student ina prone position. 5 Mechanical Restraint Exception 1.285(c)(12) • New language added to the exception for positioning students with physical disabilities. Any equipment needed to position a student must bein the student’sIEP and the equipment must be supported by medical need and not used for staff convenience. • Recent ISBE complaint findings have seen arise in the use of mechanical restraints: Gait belts, Rifton chairs, harnesses, bungee cords handcuffs and weighted blankets have all been used to physically restrain students in Illinois schools 6 RTO incidentson three days ina 30-day period 1.285(e)(4) Meeting Requirements • You must discuss in the meeting if anew functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is needed. • You are not required to conduct an FBA, but the discussion must be captured in your notes and the notes must be kept in the student’s temporary file. New Timeline Requirements • The meeting must beheld within twenty days from the third incident • An extension to hold the meeting may only be extended atthe request of the parent 7 Documents tobe Sent to Parents 1.285(f)(3)(E) Additional Documentation for General Education Students Information on the procedures to request an evaluation and pursuing accommodations for students that are not yet eligible to receive these accommodationsand services. 8 Mediation 1.285(j)(3) • Any party involved ina stateRTO complaint may request state-sponsored mediation. • Both parties must agree to participate. o Ifan IL student is attending an approved nonpublic special education program, the student's home district must also agree to mediate. • If the parties reach aresolution, the complainant must formally withdraw their complaint. • ISBE will publish metrics fortheuse of mediation. o Number of complaints resulting in mediation. o Number of complaints resolved through mediation. 9 Complaint Filing Timeline Clarified • 1-year complaint window starts when parent receives notification, not the incident date • The notice must include the ISBE 11-01 formandall necessary documents required in 23 Ill. Admin. Code 1.285(g)(3) 10

FAQs

What are the updated requirements for a time out room under 1.285(a)(5)?

Time out can occur in a classroom or sensory room. The door may have a lock but it cannot be used during time out, and egress must not be blocked by objects even though a person may physically block egress.

Is prone restraint allowed if it is included in a student’s IEP under 1.285(c)(4)?

No. Prone restraint is prohibited in all school settings even if its use is listed in the student’s Individualized Education Program.

When must an RTO-related meeting be held after three incidents in a 30-day period under 1.285(e)(4)?

The meeting must be held within twenty days from the third incident. An extension may be granted only at the request of the parent.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks