Physical Restraint and Seclusion – Students 5-54

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 5-54

STUDENTS

Physical Restraint and Seclusion – Students

1. Physical restraint and seclusion of students- when allowed

   Dedicated seclusion rooms are not authorized in Virginia Beach Public School Buildings which also applies to contractors using Virginia Beach School buildings. School Division personnel may implement physical restraint and seclusion of students only when an imminent risk of or an emergency arises and other interventions are, or would be, ineffective in the reasonable judgment of the School Division personnel implementing a physical restraint or seclusion, and only to:

   1. Prevent a student from inflicting serious physical harm or injury to self or others.
   2. Quell a disturbance.
   3. Remove a student from the scene of a disturbance in which the student’s behavior or damage to property threatens serious physical harm to injury to person. Unless the student’s damage to property creates an imminent risk of serious physical harm or injury to the student or others, the damage of property itself does not indicate an imminent risk of serious physical harm or injury and shall not be the justification for the restraint or seclusion of a student.
   4. Defend self or others from serious physical harm or injury to person.
   5. Obtain possession of controlled substances or paraphernalia that are upon the person of the student or within the student’s control.
   6. Obtain possession of weapons, or other dangerous objects that are upon the person of the student or within the student’s control.
2. Discontinuance of physical restraint and seclusion

   Physical restraint and seclusion shall be discontinued as soon as the imminent risk and/or the need presented by the emergency situation has dissipated.

3. Less restrictive intervention not required in emergency situations

   Nothing in this Policy shall be construed to require School Division personnel to attempt to implement a less restrictive intervention before using physical restraint or seclusion, where, in the reasonable judgment of the School Division personnel, there is an imminent risk of or an emergency situation, and a less restrictive intervention would be ineffective.

   The School Board encourages the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports to reduce and prevent the need for the use of physical restraint and seclusion.

4. Procedures regarding the use of physical restraint and seclusion

   The Superintendent or designee is responsible for developing procedures to address the requirements of the Virginia Board of Education regulations regarding physical restraint and seclusion in public schools. Such procedures shall include but not necessarily be limited to notification of parents of a student whom physical restraint or seclusion has been used, documentation of such use, and continuous monitoring of such use.

5. Annual review

   This Policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Legal Reference

Code of Virginia § 22.1-78, as amended. Bylaws and regulations

Code of Virginia § 22.1-279.1:1, as amended. The use of seclusion and restraint in public schools; Board of Education regulations.

Virginia Board of Education Regulations, 8VAC20-750-10, as amended. Regulations Governing the use of Seclusion and Restraint in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in Virginia.

Adopted by School Board: February 24, 2026