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Pullman special‑education teams report large drop in restraint and isolation after OSPI‑funded debrief program
Summary
Pullman Public Schools, as an OSPI pilot site, used $70,000 to expand weekly paid debrief time and coaching for staff; the district reported a drop from 87 to 17 reported restraint/isolation incidents and described classroom practices that cut incidents at Kamiak from 32 to 4 this school year.
Pullman Public Schools staff reported a substantial reduction in the use of restraint and isolation after implementing an OSPI‑funded pilot that added paid debrief time and coaching for staff working with students in specialized placements.
Why it matters: Restraint and isolation are reportable events in special education settings. The district said the change both reduced incidents and improved staff collaboration, which district leaders linked to better classroom experiences for students with severe disabilities.
What the district did Dom Ventresco, assistant director for special services, described the district’s participation in an OSPI statewide inclusionary‑practices pilot. Pullman was selected as a pilot site and received $70,000 to support practices intended to reduce restraint and isolation. The district used funds to pay select teams for weekly debrief time (additional paid 90‑minute sessions outside contract hours) and to contract with True Measure Collaborative for ongoing coaching and feedback.
How staff used the time Teams of about 20 staff members across Kamiak, Jefferson and Lincoln met regularly to review incidents, analyze triggers and create consistent response plans. Lexi Brantner, lead special‑education teacher at Kamiak’s DLC program, described twice‑weekly 45‑minute debriefs that often ran longer because staff found them productive. Brantner recounted a case where the team created a flowchart specifying staff responses for targeted behaviors and paired that with a student “passport” system; she said the team’s consistent responses reduced the need for restraints to “only about five times” and the behaviors have “almost completely stopped.” Paraeducators also said the debriefs helped the team coordinate responses and see multiple perspectives on incidents.
Data presented The district reported that last year 87 restraint/isolation incidents were reported to OSPI; this year the district has reported 17, a 91 percent decrease to date. Kamiak’s DLC program reported a drop from 32 incidents last year to 4 so far this year (an 88 percent reduction). Ventresco and staff emphasized that the debrief time was prioritized for incident review, program planning and creating materials to implement agreed interventions.
Next steps and context District leaders called the results promising and credited staff commitment and the targeted use of state funds. Ventresco noted the obligation to report restraint and isolation incidents to OSPI and framed debrief time as a postvention practice focused on reflection and prevention. The district did not report plans for scaling the paid debrief model beyond the pilot cohort but identified the work as part of ongoing inclusionary practice efforts.
Ending District officials said they will continue to monitor data and refine practices; staff requested continued support for dedicated collaboration time and coaching.
