A Review of U.S. Policy Guidance and Legislation on Restraint and Seclusion in Schools: Considerations for Improvement.

This article examines state-level policy guidance and legislation on the use of restraint and seclusion (R/S) in U.S. schools, highlighting significant variability and gaps due to the absence of a federal law regulating these practices. The study reviews documents from all 50 states and territories, finding that most have some form of legislation or policy guidance addressing R/S, though definitions, reporting requirements, and protections—especially for students with disabilities—differ widely. The article compares these state policies with the proposed federal Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA), which seeks to standardize definitions, restrict certain restraint types, enhance parental protections, and improve data collection and training. Given that KASSA has not been enacted, the authors recommend states improve clarity in definitions, data use, prevention strategies, and scope of policies to better protect students and ensure consistent implementation.