The purpose of Comprehensive Healthy and Safe Learning Environments (Division II of Chapter 14) is to provide uniform definitions and rules for public schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and area education agencies (AEAs) regarding standards for professional development and training in evidence-based classroom management practices, evidence-based interventions, and appropriate and inappropriate responses to behavior in the classroom that present an imminent threat of bodily injury to a student or another person. Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) 281-14.6(279).
Prevention of Classroom Behaviors That Present an Imminent Threat
Appropriate responses to behaviors, including classroom behavior that presents an imminent threat of bodily injury, are to be part of evidence-based tiered supports within the department’s continuous improvement framework to support student behavioral and mental health. A school’s evidence-based tiered supports will include the provisions of IAC 14.12(2).
Standards for Comprehensive Healthy and Safe Learning Environments - Within one year of beginning employment in a teaching position in Iowa, a classroom teacher shall receive training on the prevention of behaviors that present an imminent threat including the topics of IAC 14.15(4).
Standards of Professional Learning for Least Restrictive Environment - An employee of a public school, nonpublic school and area education agency must receive training regarding the least restrictive environment. IAC 14.15(2).
Response & Reporting of School Behavioral Challenges
The rules regarding response to school behavioral challenges are intended to promote the dignity, care, safety, welfare, and security of each child and the school community; encourage the use of proactive, effective, and evidence- and research-based strategies and best practices to reduce the occurrence of challenging behaviors and increase meaningful instructional time for all students.
The applicability of these rules do not depend on the terminology used by the district or organization to describe the activity or space.
Classroom Clear
“Classroom clear” means clearing all other students out of the classroom to calm a child or to address disruption by a child. A classroom teacher may clear students from the classroom only if necessary to prevent or terminate an imminent threat of bodily injury to a student or another person in the classroom. The limitations on use of classroom clears pertains to all classrooms, general and special education, ages 3 through 21, when a child is served in a setting that is using public funds for educational purposes.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) of children eligible for special education must not include provisions for a classroom clear.
AEA staff, classroom teachers and school administrators shall receive training prior to using a classroom clear to calm a student. Training shall be reviewed regularly, but no less frequently than once every three school years, and cover the topics of IAC 281-14.15(3).
If a classroom clear occurs, the school principal must notify the parents/guardians of all students within the classroom within 24 hours (preferably by the end of the school day) and request a meeting with the parent of the child whose behavior caused the classroom clear. Additional information can be found in Iowa Code 279.51A and IAC 281-14.8.
Restraint & Seclusion
Physical restraint or seclusion is reasonable and necessary only to prevent or terminate an imminent threat of bodily injury to the student or others; or to prevent serious damage to property of significant monetary value or significant nonmonetary value or importance; or when the student’s actions seriously disrupt the learning environment or when physical restraint or seclusion is necessary to ensure the safety of the student and others; and when less restrictive alternatives to seclusion or physical restraint would not be effective, would not be feasible under the circumstances, or have failed in preventing or terminating the imminent threat of behavior; and when the physical restraint or seclusion complies with all the rules of this chapter. IAC 281–103.
If a child’s IEP, BIP, Individual Health Plan, or safety plan includes either or both physical restraint or seclusion measures, those measures will be individualized to the child; described with specificity in the child’s plan; and be reasonably calculated to enable the child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.
An employee must receive training prior to using any form of physical restraint or seclusion covering the topics of IAC 281-103.8(1).
If seclusion or physical restraint is utilized, a school will attempt to notify the student’s parent/guardian as soon as practicable, but no later than one hour or the end of the school day, whichever occurs first. Schools must provide the student’s parents/guardians with written documentation within three days of the occurrence and an invitation to participate in a debriefing meeting within five days of the written notification.
Additional information can be found in IAC 281-103 (256B, 280).
See also Protecting Student Safety webpage.
Crisis Response
Crisis response strategies are to include a safety assessment and continuum of strategies informed by the level of risk and safety assessment. When possible, response strategies are to use less disruptive, nonphysical intervention prior to the use of physical interventions, unless the circumstances are such that physical intervention is necessary to ensure the safety of the student and others.
Prevention of imminent threat and response to behavior trainings must cover crisis response. Classroom clear training must include the school’s specific crisis response plan for incidents of imminent threat and staff supports following a crisis or significant event. IAC 281-14.15(3).
New teacher training, Standards for Comprehensive Healthy and Safe Learning Environment, and Chapter 103 Seclusion and Restraint training must cover crisis prevention, intervention, and de-escalation.
Reporting Incidents of Assault or Violence
A classroom teacher must report to the principal any incident of assault or violence that results in injury or property damage by a student enrolled in the school.
The district must report to the Iowa Department of Education an annual count of all incidents of assault, violence resulting in injury or property damage and referrals and transfers to a therapeutic classroom. Incidents must be included if they occurred by a student in a school building, on school grounds, or at a school-sponsored function. Reporting must disaggregate the data by type of incident and demographics of victim(s) and perpetrator(s).
Find additional information on the Student Reporting in Iowa webpage.
Intervention Training
AEA and school district staff who engage in intervention planning to support supplemental and intensive social-emotional interventions shall receive training on evidence-based interventions for challenging classroom behaviors. Training must include the topics of IAC 281-14.15(5).