School staff with specific training may physically restrain out-of-control students with special needs. The technique, called “prone restraints,” involves holding a student face-down until the situation becomes manageable.
Gov. Mark Dayton renewed the authorization for qualified staff to use this technique through the upcoming school year, with the requirement that the Department of Education gather data on its use. In Minnesota, prone restraints may only be used with the minimum amount of time and the force it takes to ensure the student or another person will not be injured.
The new law, signed April 2 and effective the next day, states that the department must examine this information with the intent of eventually replacing the practice with a safe alternative.
Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Mpls) and Sen. Pam Wolf (R-Spring Lake Park) sponsor the law.
HF2293/
SF1917*/CH146
Waiting for the governor’s final grade
Omnibus education bill nears finish line
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Published 4/27/2012
Last in, first out … out or in?
Conference committee weighs benefits of changing teacher layoff practices
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Published 3/30/2012
Education advocate is moving on
Rep. Mindy Greiling announces she won’t seek re-election
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Published 2/3/2012
Withholding state funds from schools
Education finance law keeps $780 million for other General Fund spending
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Published 8/11/2011
First try at K-12 finance bill fails
Dayton says special education cuts ‘would create significant funding gaps’
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Published 7/15/2011
‘Bold and beautiful’ or full of inequities?
Confusion exists whether K-12 bill increases or cuts funding
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Published 5/20/2011
Minnesota Index: Teaching and learning
Facts and statistics about education in Minnesota
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Published 5/20/2011
Lands set apart
Permanent School Fund management, income potential explored
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Published 5/13/2011
‘Social promotion’ to promote literacy
Third-graders could repeat if they can’t read
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Published 4/29/2011
Historic St. Paul walkout
Illegal action changed teacher bargaining; a new debate rises over right to strike
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Published 4/15/2011
Changes in education
House approves omnibus education finance bill
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Published 4/1/2011
Education finance bill offers bold reforms
Quantity not as key as quality, says DFL
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Published 3/25/2011
A voucher by any other name
Bill would create limited scholarships for low-income students
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Published 3/18/2011
Fewer days, longer hours
Some districts find four-day school week works as a budget fix
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Published 2/18/2011
First Reading: ‘Pitting the good against the good’
Proposed lift of safe schools mandate is a tough call
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Published 2/4/2011
The goal: 25,000 new teachers
Bush Foundation commits big bucks to revamp teacher training
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Published 1/28/2011
First Reading: Alternative teacher mindset
Tackling the achievement gap one classroom at a time
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Published 1/21/2011