 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Page 1 of 4
EASTON AREA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
No. 113.2
SECTION:
PROGRAMS
TITLE:
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES
ADOPTED:
APRIL 16, 2009
REVISED:
113.2. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES
1.
Purpose
The Easton Area School District believes in the importance of supporting students
with disabilities using Positive Behavior Support (PBS) techniques for the
development, change, and maintenance of behaviors that are designed the be the
least intrusive to the student. We also believe that positive behavior supports are a
district-wide initiative being implemented across school buildings, classrooms, and
individual student levels.
2.
Authority
Title 22
Chapter 14
The Easton Area School District will use Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
techniques in accordance with 22 Pa. Code Chapter 14, Special Education Services
and Programs.
Additionally, this policy is designed to enable students with Individualized
Education Programs (IEP’s) who need a Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Plan to
obtain a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) within the Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE) in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) and the accompanying Pennsylvania Regulations (Chapter 14).
3.
Delegation of
Responsibility
The Superintendent and/or his/her designees are authorized to carry out the
requirements of this policy and are responsible for ensuring that this policy is
implemented in compliance with the IDEA and its implementing regulations. The
Superintendent and/or his/her designees shall develop administrative guidelines to
implement this policy and appropriate behaviors support activities including the
training of personnel for the use of specific procedures, methods, and techniques.
4.
Definitions
The following terms, when used in this section, have the following meanings unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Title 22
Sec. 14.133
1.
Aversive techniques - deliberate activities designed to establish a negative
association with a specific behavior.
113.2. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES - Pg. 2
Page 2 of 4
Title 22
Sec. 14.133
2.
Behavior support - the development, change, and maintenance of selected
behaviors through the systematic application of positive behavior change
techniques.
3.
Positive techniques - methods utilizing positive reinforcement to shape a
student’s behavior, ranging from the use of positive verbal statements, as a
reward for good behaviors to specific tangible rewards.
4.
Restraints - devices and techniques designed and used to control acute or
episodic aggressive behaviors or to control involuntary movements or lack of
muscular control due to organic causes or conditions. The term includes physical
and mechanical restraints.
Title 22
Sec. 14.133
a.
Restraints to control acute or episodic aggressive behaviors may be used only
when the students is acting in a manner as to be a clear and present danger to
himself/herself, to other students, or to employees, and only when less
restrictive measures and techniques have proven to be or are less effective.
i.
The use of restraints to control the aggressive behavior of an individual
student shall cause a meeting for the IEP team to review the current IEP
for appropriateness and effectiveness.
ii.
The use of restraints may not be included in the IEP for the convenience
of staff, as a substitute for an educational program, or employed as
punishment.
iii.
EASD staff shall maintain and report data on the use of restraints as
required by the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education
or other proper authority.
Title 22
Sec. 14.133
b.
Mechanical restraints used to control involuntary movement or lack of
muscular control of students when due to organic causes or conditions may
be employed only with specified by an IEP and as determined by a medical
professional qualified to make the determination, and as agreed to by the
student’s parents/guardians. Mechanical restraints shall prevent a student
from injuring himself/herself or others or promote normative body
positioning and physical functioning.
5.
Guidelines
Title 22
Sec. 14.133
The following aversive techniques of handling behavior are considered inappropriate
and may not be used by agencies in educational programs:
1.
Corporal punishment.
113.2. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES - Pg. 3
Page 3 of 4
2.
Prone restraints (those restraints where the student is held face down on the
floor).
3.
Punishment for a manifestation of a student’s disability.
4.
Locked rooms, locked boxes, or other locked structures or spaces from which
the student cannot readily exit.
5.
Noxious substances.
6.
Deprivation of basic rights, such as withholding meals, water, or fresh air.
7.
Suspension constituting a pattern and not addressed within a student’s IEP.
8.
Treatment of a demeaning nature.
9.
Electric shock.
The use of restraints can be used only in a student’s IEP when:
1.
The type of restraint, frequency, and duration of the restraint is clearly written in
a student’s IEP.
2.
The staff is properly trained on the use and implementation of the restraint
technique.
3.
The parent/guardian/surrogate is notified immediately, by telephone no later than
the end of that school day, as well as via written notification through the
“Invitation to Participate in an IEP Team Meeting Due to a Restraint” stating that
a meeting is to be convened within ten (10) school days unless a written waiver
is provided by the parents/guardian/surrogate.
4.
The student with an IEP has a positive behavior support plan that also includes
positive approaches to addressing the behaviors of concern (e.g., de-escalation
techniques).
5.
The student’s IEP specifically permits the use of restraints.
6.
The IEP states how the restraints will be used (with positive behavior supports
and the teaching of socially acceptable behaviors) as well as a plan for
eliminating the use of restraints.
113.2. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES - Pg. 4
Page 4 of 4
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) plans should include:
1.
A record of the IEP team’s attempts to include parents/guardians/surrogates, via
written notification to participate in the team meeting, in the development of the
student’s positive behavior support (PBS) plan.
2.
A meeting with members of the IEP team to design a positive behavior support
(PBS) plan.
3.
Positive techniques, rather than negative techniques, should be used in
addressing the behaviors of concern.
4.
A functional behavior assessment (FBA) that addressed the antecedents,
behaviors of concern, consequences maintaining the behavior, and function of
the behavior.
5.
Research based practices and techniques used to develop the desired behaviors.
6.
Replacement skills, alternative teaching strategies and consequence strategies in
decreasing the behaviors of concern as well as increasing the desired behaviors
should be included.
7.
Interventions selected should be the least intrusive necessary.
8.
Parental consent shall be obtained prior to the use of highly restraining or
intrusive procedures.
References:
State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 14.133
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act – 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.
Individuals With Disabilities Education, Title 34, Code of Federal
Regulations – 34 CFR Part 300