Wake County reports more seclusion/restraint incidents after improved reporting; district outlines mental-health expansion

Wake County Public Schools staff told the school board that 959 acts of seclusion or restraint were reported for July–December, involving 313 students, and that the jump from about 624 incidents in the prior comparable snapshot reflects improved reporting and training rather than a confirmed rise in occurrences.

District presenter Paul Walker said staff have emphasized consistent definitions and legal reporting requirements, noting that “every act of seclusion restraint must be reported to parents within 24 hours.” He told the board the district is focused on the “3 R—s” — report, review and record — and on increasing transparency as the system builds a reliable baseline for trend analysis.

Why it matters: Staff and board members said restrictive practices disproportionately affect students with disabilities and students of color. Walker said 250 of the 313 students involved had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and that elementary schools account for the largest share of incidents. The presentation linked these data to the district—s prevention work: classroom design, restorative practices, calm-down spaces, functional behavior assessments and behavior-intervention plans.

Special Education Services presenter Aubrey outlined school-level supports including structured classroom environments, calm-down spaces, targeted functional behavior assessment (FBA) and behavior-intervention plans (BIP), and specialized staff such as autism-support teachers and behavior-support teachers who provide in-class supports. She said the district is finalizing FBA/BIP training produced with Autism Society of North Carolina and a contracted ABA provider and plans to roll that training out to teachers and administrators next year.

The district also described an expansion of school-based mental-health services. Staff said 94 schools currently have a therapist or teletherapy option and that teletherapy has increased access for elementary students when families participate. District staff said they aim to reach all schools by the 2025–26 school year and are implementing a federal "Mental Health Matters" grant awarded in October 2024; funds became available Jan. 1, 2025.

Grant plan and staffing: District staff summarized a proposed structure in which the grant would fund about 27 hires (20 therapists employed by the district, two school-based mental-health social workers, three medical crisis-response assistants, a program manager and a clinical supervisor), a secure electronic health-record system, and modest recruitment/retention bonuses. Staff said funds are awarded annually by the U.S. Department of Education and the district has deposited the year—s funds but will only draw them down as allowable. The presenters said they expect to post job descriptions and begin hiring in the coming months with a goal to have services launched by July, per grant conditions.

Board questions and clarifications: Board members asked how grant-funded therapists will coordinate with existing social workers and counselors. Presenters said the grant requires clinicians who are fully licensed and that these clinicians will collaborate with school social workers and counseling staff rather than replace their work. Staff emphasized that classroom-level prevention and consistent procedures remain the district—s priorities.

What—s next: Presenters said they will continue to report to the board (September and February are scheduled data updates), hold community meetings to engage families affected by seclusion and restraint, and refine data collection so the district can determine whether changes reflect practice improvements or shifts in occurrence rates.