Board adopts revisions to student restraint, exclusion and health policies

The Carroll County Board of Education on July 16 unanimously adopted revisions to two student-related policies: JL I, covering student exclusion, physical restraint and seclusion prohibition; and JLCE, which addresses first aid and health care procedures. Superintendent Dr. McCabe said JL I was brought to the board in June, submitted for public comment and revised to align with recent state legislation. She told members the updated policy reflects recent legal changes and returns for action after public comment. When asked by Board Member Dr. Malvo whether the policy’s list of what does not constitute a physical restraint meant certain actions were disallowed, a staff member responded that the language ‘‘is to clarify. It's actually completely aligned to COMAR. COMAR specifically says that what restraint is not.’’ The board discussed that interventions such as separating students in a fight to protect others are not to be conflated with prohibited restraints and that the policy mirrors state regulatory language. The revised JLCE policy also returned after June discussion and public comment and was approved without amendment. Both votes were unanimous. Why it matters: The revisions codify definitions and practices about exclusion, seclusion and physical restraint in school settings and align district policy language to Maryland Code of Regulations (COMAR) and recent state legislation, clarifying staff responsibilities and permissible interventions. Next steps: District staff will post corrected versions of the policies in the permanent board documents on the CCPS website.