In most cases, likely yes, unless the use of restraint or isolation was an isolated event, unlikely to occur again. For a child with an IEP, a Section 504 plan, or with identified behavior challenges, a team can work together to develop a plan for positive behavioral interventions. The team can consider environmental factors that may be triggering challenging behaviors, and can identify and reinforce skills to support positive behaviors.
A Functional Behavior Assessment (or FBA) and other evaluation may be needed to understand the underlying factors influencing the child’s behavior. If you think a behavior assessment or other evaluation is needed, it is helpful to make that request in writing.
If an FBA has already been done, and the child already has a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), those should be reviewed to see if they are sufficient to understand the child’s behavior and to guide the adults working with the child.
For a child with an IEP or a Section 504 plan, a parent can request a team meeting to discuss these issues.
For a child with an IEP, if the team decides to do an FBA, or to change parts of the IEP, including a Behavior Intervention Plan, the school district should follow up with the parent with a “Prior Written Notice” reflecting those decisions and the reasons for them. Check out our toolkit on Prior Written Notices, and our web page on Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans.