OSEP Director Introduces IDEA Discipline and Behavior Requirements Blog Series

By the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 8, 2022) – Valerie C. Williams, director of the Office of Special Education Programs, introduced a blog series, today, that will explain topics of interest related to the discipline and behavior guidance package released by her office this summer.

The blog series will expound on topics such as alternatives to exclusionary discipline, informal removals, discipline disparities, and behavior as part of a free appropriate public education. The series will also feature relevant resources for stakeholders to encourage a shift to address challenging behavior proactively, positively and preventatively.

“The data trends are longstanding and clear: children with disabilities, particularly children of color with disabilities, are disciplined at far greater rates than their peers without disabilities and these trends start as early as preschool and extend throughout high school,” Williams said. “We cannot suspend our way to better behavior, but we can invest in what works.”

For the most up-to-date information from the blog series, visit the OSERS Blog.

Last modified on December 8, 2022