The Community High School District 94 Board of Education committee on Tuesday received a first reading of revised behavioral‑intervention procedures aimed at aligning district practice with recent Illinois State Board of Education guidance.

Megan Paylaitner, director of specialized services, told the board the draft was developed with the district's legal counsel and ISBE input and was reviewed by a committee that included parents, advocates, teachers and administrators. "Our updated procedures ensure student safety, dignity, and informed parents, compliance with Illinois law and IDEA, and staff clarity and accountability," Paylaitner said.

Paylaitner said the draft classifies interventions into four categories — positive behavioral supports and interventions, reactive nonrestrictive interventions, restrictive interventions and prohibited interventions — and describes when a student may require a behavioral intervention plan and how restrictive interventions will be monitored and reported to parents.

Board members pressed Paylaitner on a perceived contradiction in the document’s language that lists some physical holds under "prohibited interventions" while also describing training required to perform certain restrictive interventions. Paylaitner acknowledged the source wording came from ISBE guidance and the district's attorney and said the administration will seek clarification. "We can absolutely reach back out to our attorney and say, can we have some clarification?" she said.

During Q&A Paylaitner also confirmed the district has trained staff available: "Currently, we have 13" staff who are CPI‑trained to use restrictive holds as a last resort, she said. She emphasized the district has not used physical holds on students in the past three years and that training is intended only to ensure any last‑resort intervention is performed by trained staff and followed by reporting and monitoring.

The board was told the policy/procedure will come back for a second reading and potential approval at the district's January meeting. Paylaitner said she will follow up with the attorney to clarify the document's language and will return with any recommended edits.

The committee did not take action on the first reading.