It may soon be easier for Tennessee schools to remove students with disabilities from classrooms. But advocates worry the removals may be overused and make behavioral assessments of these students less effective.
The Tennessee Board of Education is considering a rule that will allow schools to remove students with disabilities that are a “disruptive force” from classrooms to a more restrictive environment. Typically, teachers needed to complete a functional behavioral assessment or revise a behavior assessment plan before removal, per a 2022 state law.
The Tennessee Department of Education noted that teachers expressed having great difficulty educating students with disabilities who are presenting significantly dangerous or disruptive behavior. The proposed rule would allow teachers to conduct behavioral assessments after the student has been removed from the classroom to a more restrictive environment…