Special Education

The Restraint Information System Collection (RISC) is open for data entry for the second quarter (restraints occurring between October 1st – December 31, 2022 of the 2022-23 school year). The RISC program has been enhanced and gives local educational agencies (LEAs) greater opportunity to provide both more detail about restraints and to analyze trends to reduce the use of physical restraints.

A new RISC reporting webinar has been recently posted on the RISC website: apps.leaderservices.com/_risc/index.aspx. This RISC reporting webinar link is located below the login box of the Leader Services RISC sign-in page. This webinar explains the reporting and investigation process and how to use the RISC system. The webinar also shares how to update your LEA's contact information. All parties involved with RISC are highly encouraged to view this webinar to learn how to report restraints, how to use the system, and to understand the regulatory responsibility of LEAs.

Additionally, BSE's “Guidelines for De-escalation and the Use of and Reporting of Restraints in Educational Programs” is available for review on the RISC website.

The count will be conducted beginning with Approved Private School programs in January 2023 followed by LEAs in February 2023. You must verify and submit your information no later than February 28, 2023. It is important for Pennsylvania to have an accurate Deaf-Blind Child Count as this information is tied to funding research, training, and technical assistance for this population of children.

Please be aware that for the Deaf-Blind Child Count, the federal definition of deaf-blindness is more inclusive and extensive than the one used for the IDEA child count. Children ages birth to 21 should be reported in the count if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students who have a diagnosis of deaf-blindness and/or receive both vision and hearing support services;
2. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students who have a mild to profound hearing loss and vision loss with correction that still requires adaptations or modifications;
3. Infants and toddlers (ages birth-to-three; i.e. Part C) who have a diagnosis that places them at-risk for an intellectual disability with inconsistent responses to light and sound. (At-risk means a diagnosis that does not guarantee hearing/vision loss); or
4. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students with multiple disabilities who may demonstrate inconsistent responses to light and sound.
   
   It is important for each Early Intervention Program and Local Educational Agency (LEA) to participate in the Deaf-Blind Child Count.
   
   

1. If you do not have any infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or students with deaf-blindness, you will still need to log in and identify that you are not educating anyone with deaf-blindness at the present time.
2. If you are educating an infant, toddler, preschooler, or student with dual sensory impairments, you will need to either enter a new record or verify information about a child who already exists in the system.
3. School-age and preschool programs are encouraged to work closely with contracted providers (e.g., Approved Private Schools, Charter Schools for the Deaf or Blind) to ensure an accurate count of children.
4. Connecting families of children who are deaf-blind with supporting networks and information is vital. A feature of the Deaf-Blind Child Count is a letter which you will be asked to send to the family of each child listed in your count. The letter provides information which will link them to support and information for their family.