Physical Intervention, Restraints and Seclusion

Colorado law prohibits corporal punishment and tightly limits restraint and seclusion in schools. HB 25‑1248 (2025) and implementing State Board regulations clarify that seclusion is a form of restraint and limit restraint and seclusion to emergencies involving a serious, probable, imminent threat of bodily harm. The requirements also establish safeguards for seclusion, narrow the use of restraint in response to property destruction, update staff training, strengthen parent notification and documentation, require annual review and reporting of restraint and seclusion data, and expand who may file a complaint on behalf of a student. The State Board approved the regulations on April 8, 2026, and they became effective June 1, 2026. CSI has updated its sample policy accordingly. Schools should review and update their policies, procedures, training, documentation, and reporting practices to ensure compliance.

Additionally, CSI schools must ensure that an annual review process is established. This includes documenting incidents and reviews in the Statewide Student Information System (SIS) and reporting required data annually through the School Discipline Collection. Schools with questions about the data reporting requirements should contact submissions_csi@state.co.us.