Category: Legislation
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Colorado Department of Education Asked for Input on Restraint and Seclusion. Then It Chose the Status Quo
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently invited public comment on draft rules for the Administration of the Protection of Students from Restraint and Seclusion Act (RSA), and the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) submitted detailed feedback grounded in federal guidance, neuroscience, and lived experience. In its written summary of comments and responses, CDE…
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Missouri’s Wake‑Up Call: After the DOJ’s Findings, It’s Time to Ban Seclusion in All Schools
On February 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released its findings in a sweeping investigation of the Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD). DOJ concluded that SSD’s use of seclusion and restraint violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, describing “shocking overuse” of these practices and a pattern of…
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Take Action Today: Help Protect Washington Students from Harmful Restraint and Isolation
Tomorrow, the Washington State Senate Early Learning & K‑12 Education Committee will hold a public hearing on ESHB 1795, a narrow but critical, cost‑neutral bill addressing restraint and isolation in public schools. This is a key moment for families, educators, students, and community members to make their voices heard.
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Minnesota, It Is Time to End the Use of Seclusion, Not Increase It
Minnesota’s Seclusion Working Group had an opportunity to move the state toward ending the involuntary seclusion of children in schools, and missed it. Instead of aligning Minnesota law with federal civil rights guidance and the lived experiences of students and families, the Seclusion Working Group Final Report to the Legislature preserves seclusion as a tool,…
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Washington’s Next Step Toward Safe and Dignified Schools: HB 1795
HB 1795 was introduced “relating to restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs” and is designed to protect students from physically harmful and emotionally traumatic practices. The bill’s stated purposes are purposes of this act are to: Protect students from physically harmful and emotionally traumatic practices of chemical restraint, mechanical restraint,…
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Claimed Capacity, Missing Voices: How Policy Gaps Fail Students—and Why Families and Communities Must Be at the Table
Every child deserves to feel a sense of belonging at school. Yet for many students with disabilities or trauma histories, school becomes a place of stress rather than opportunity. Across the state, children with complex behavioral and emotional needs are being excluded from learning environments not because they lack potential, but because our systems are…
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Join the Pennsylvania Project of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint
The newly established Pennsylvania project of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) invites parents, educators, advocates, and community members to join the fight to end the harmful use of seclusion and restraint in schools and youth facilities across the state. The goal of this project is to develop legislative recommendations for stronger restraint and…
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Keeping All Students Safe Act Reintroduced: It’s Time to End the Use of Seclusion in Schools
The Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA) has been reintroduced in the 119th Congress by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ). This bill aims to prohibit seclusion, mechanical…
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Louisiana’s HB 684 Fails to Protect Students From Harmful Restraint and Seclusion Practices
The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) is deeply concerned about Louisiana’s proposed House Bill 684, which codifies the use of seclusion and physical restraint in schools for students with disabilities. While the bill includes incremental reforms, such as requiring cameras in special education classrooms, it lowers the threshold for mandatory IEP reviews, and it…
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Protect Minnesota’s Youngest Students from Seclusion in Schools
Minnesota made historic progress in 2023 by passing legislation that banned the use of seclusion for K-3 students. This legislation was a critical step in creating safer, more inclusive schools and ensuring that our youngest learners, especially students with disabilities, Black and brown students, and students with a trauma history, are treated with dignity and…