OSEP Director and the Center for Parent Information and Resources Address Why Informal Removals Matter

By the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 22, 2023) – Valerie C. Williams, director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), released the third blog in a blog series on discipline and behavior.

Williams, along with the OSEP-funded Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), writes about why informal removals of students matter.

“These [informal] removals often go uncounted, are not reported as suspensions, and fly under-the-radar built to ensure that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s (IDEA’s) discipline protections are exercised,” Williams said.

Williams noted the sections in which the IDEA discipline requirements guidance package released in July 2022 addresses informal removals.

Additionally, CPIR shares information and resources for parents, schools, and early childhood programs about informal removals. The center describes how schools and early programs can collaborate with parents to address a child’s behavior; provides examples of evidence-based practices schools can implement to avoid relying on informal removals to address behaviors; and highlights resources parents can access to support their participation in their child’s education.

Last modified on February 22, 2023