OSEP Releases Third Blog on Discipline and Behavior

In her third blog of the series on Discipline and Behavior, Valerie Williams, director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), explains the importance of tracking “informal removals,” the removal of a child with a disability for behavior-related reasons from any school or school-based program for any period of time without justification under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504.

She explains, “These removals often go uncounted, are not reported as suspensions, and fly under-the-radar built to ensure that the [IDEA’s] discipline protections are exercised. Until now, OSEP had not given these removals a name. Now, we call these removals ‘informal removals.’” Often these removals occur because staff have not received adequate preparation to prevent or mitigate the situation at hand and repeated removals without dealing with underlying circumstances perpetuates the problem. 

In closing, Williams shares four pressing questions with responses from the Center for Parent Information and Resources. Questions range from the importance of recognizing the use of informal removals, collaboration with parents, evidence-based strategies to address behavior, and next steps to take.

Read “Informal Removals Matter” here.