[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-584945-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-584945-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","policy-research-brief-the-unrestrained-use-of-physical-restraints-in-schools-research-issue","Policy Research Brief - The Unrestrained Use of Physical Restraints in Schools - Research Issue","","Policy Research Brief examines the physical restraint definition used by the U.S. Department of Education and highlights the lack of federal laws or uniform school standards regulating restraints. Evidence from prior studies and Civil Rights Data Collection (2017–2018) shows restraints cause serious harm, including trauma and injuries or fatalities, with higher rates for students with disabilities and for Black students. The brief summarizes key findings and outlines recommendations, including state law reforms and support for the proposed Keeping All Students Safe Act.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/policy-research-brief-the-unrestrained-use-of-physical-restraints-in-schools-research-issue/584945/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/policy-research-brief-the-unrestrained-use-of-physical-restraints-in-schools-research-issue/584945.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Sophia Brooks","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-09","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"How does the U.S. Department of Education define physical restraint in the brief?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"It defines physical restraint as a personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces a student's ability to move the torso, arms, legs, or head freely.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"What key negative consequences of school restraints does the brief emphasize?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"It stresses trauma for those restrained and others, damage to relationships with staff, failure to address the underlying problem, risks of injury or death (especially prone restraints), inconsistent reporting, and potential misuse in unwarranted circumstances.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What disparities does the brief report for students with disabilities and Black students?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Students with disabilities are more likely to be restrained. Black students with disabilities are also more likely to be restrained than overall Black special education students, with disparities described as greater in Minnesota than nationally.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},584945,1792876454,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":96,"preview_page_count":4},962084925636,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Volume 31, Number 1  \nPOLICY RESEARCH BRIEF  \nTHE UNRESTRAINED USE OF PHYSICAL RESTRAINTSIN SCHOOLS  \nResearch Issue  \nThe U. S. Department of Education defines physical restraint as“a personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head freely.”  \nBecause of the inherent dangers of physical restraints, laws and strict standards guide their use in most hospitals, prisons, and public law enforcement settings.  \nHowever, there are currently no federal laws or standards guiding the use of physical restraints in schools. Many states, including Minnesota, have adopted some regulations, but they vary in significance, application, and accountability.  \n“ Fatalities occurred while children were placed in physical and mechanical restraints and in positions described as seated, prone (facedown), side, or supine (face up) positions. Of the 63 fatalities related to physical restraint, 38 happened in a prone position, three in a basket hold, two in a seated position, and one in a side position.”  \n~Nunno et al 2022  \nStudy Background  \nThe US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights describes the statistics disproportionate use of physical restraint (2017- 2018) . More recent data has been reported but was not used due to effects of COVID and school closures.  \nThe negative effects of restraints, particularly fatalities, were reviewed in a 2021 study by Nunno, et Al.  \nKey Findings  \nUsing physical restraints in schools has many negative consequences.  \n(Nunno et Al., 2021.)  \nThey are traumatic for all involved: those being restrained, those restraining, and passersby.  \n• They damage the relationship of students with their school staff.  \n• They do not correct original problem that lead to the restraint.  \n• They can lead to injury and death, particularly prone restraints.  \n• They are inconsistently reported and lack accountability.  \n• They are easily misused, e.g. punitively, in unwarranted circumstances, with improper technique.  \nDuring the 2017–2018 school year, 2459 children in Minnesota and 71,315 nationally were subject to physical restraint at school. (Department of Education Civil Rights Data, 2017–2018.)  \nStudents with disabilities are more likely to be restrained in school.  \nNationally, while 13% of all students receive special education services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 80% of students who are restrained in school receive special education services. In Minnesota, while 17% of students get special education services, 93% of students who are restrained in school receive special education services. (U. S. Department of Education.)  \nPercent of students with disabilities overall versus students with disabilities who are restrained in school.  \nStudents with disabilities who are Black are more likely to be restrained in school.  \nNationally, while 18% of all special education students are Black, 25% of special education students who are restrained in school are Black. In Minnesota, while 11% of special education students are Black, 32% of special education students who are restrained in school are Black. (U. S. Department of Education.)  \nPercent of students with disabilities who are Black overall versus those who are Black and are restrained in school.  \nDisparities in the use of restraints for students with disabilities and students with disabilities who are Black are greater in Minnesota than nationally.  \nThe difference between students with or without disabilities who are restrained in school is 67% nationally and 76% in Minnesota. The difference between students with disabilities who are Black and those who are Black and restrained in school is 8% nationally and 21% in Minnesota.  \nFederal Keeping all Students Safe Act  \nThe proposed federal Keeping All Students Safe Act would ban dangerous restraint practices that restrict children’s breathing, create accountability for the rare acceptable uses of physical restraints","cbCaibbt8ocnLmnE","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibbt8ocnLmnE","pdf",148200,"English","# Research Issue\n## Study Background\n## Key Findings\n## Federal Keeping All Students Safe Act\n## Policy Recommendations\n## Publication Details","[{\"question\":\"How does the U.S. Department of Education define physical restraint in the brief?\",\"answer\":\"It defines physical restraint as a personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces a student's ability to move the torso, arms, legs, or head freely.\"},{\"question\":\"What key negative consequences of school restraints does the brief emphasize?\",\"answer\":\"It stresses trauma for those restrained and others, damage to relationships with staff, failure to address the underlying problem, risks of injury or death (especially prone restraints), inconsistent reporting, and potential misuse in unwarranted circumstances.\"},{\"question\":\"What disparities does the brief report for students with disabilities and Black students?\",\"answer\":\"Students with disabilities are more likely to be restrained. Black students with disabilities are also more likely to be restrained than overall Black special education students, with disparities described as greater in Minnesota than nationally.\"}]","Policy Research Brief - The Unrestrained Use of Physical Restraints in Schools - Research Issue | PDF",1792053054]