Guidance on Section 504 and Restraint and Seclusion

February 13, 2017

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Dear Colleague Letter Section 504.pdf (190KB) [download] Q & A Restraint & Seclusion.pdf (162KB) [download] Parent and Education Resource Section 504.pdf (650KB) [download]

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights released a set of guidance documents that provide information about the legal limitations on the use of restraint and seclusion with regard to students with disabilities.

One of these documents is a new Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Schools. It provides detailed information about students' rights and school districts' obligations to protecting them in practice. The Office of Civil Rights also released a Dear Colleague Letter and a Q & A sheet, which are intended to educate school districts about how the use of restraint and seclusion may result in discrimination against students with disabilities in violation of federal law.

Both documents were issued by the Office for Civil Rights in December 2016.