Uncounted: What WFYI uncovered about restraint and seclusion in Indiana schools

Indiana lawmakers approved legislation in 2013 intended to regulate and curb the use of restraint and seclusion in schools.

These interventions should be used rarely, according to the law, and only as a last resort in situations where the safety of students or others is threatened.

But a WFYI investigation found a lack of oversight from the Indiana Department of Education means it’s unclear whether the law has had its intended effect.

Click the player above to hear reporter Lee V. Gaines in conversation with All Things Considered newscaster Darian Benson about the series and some of the families featured in the reporting.

What the investigation uncovered

The series Uncounted also uncovered multiple failures and discrepancies in the reporting of and use of restraint and seclusion, including:

• Indiana schools are misreporting how often they restrain and seclude students to the DOE.
• The DOE has never conducted an audit of school seclusion and restraint data as required by a 2018 rule. After inquiries from WFYI, the DOE says it is now conducting audits for the last two school years.
• The DOE hasn't held schools accountable for violating their restraint and seclusion plans. Families are left with few options to address the misuse of these interventions, including filing federal complaints or lawsuits.
• Two members of the Indiana Commission on Seclusion and Restraint told WFYI the body has lost its focus and its members have debated their purpose and intended role since 2019.
• Students in some special education programs are frequently secluded and restrained and those incidents are hidden from public view.

The stories and the aftermath

Indiana isn’t holding schools accountable for forcibly isolating and restraining students

Indiana parents are kept in the dark as schools isolate and restrain kids thousands of times

Database: Students secluded and restrained in Indiana schools

Lawmakers call for student protections, accountability following WFYI investigation

Seclusion, restraint of Indiana students not accurately reported by schools, audit finds

'We should not have kids in closets.' Indiana legislation targets systemic issues for students with disabilities

New law, prompted by WFYI investigation, tightens rules for student seclusion

(This story has been updated.)