001Good morning. Today is Friday, May the 29th, 2026. Today is the second of two public hearings regarding proposed amendments to 19 TAC chapter 89, specifically 89.1053, procedures for use restraint and time out. My name is Derek Hollingsworth. I am the host of today. Uh, we do have several people who have arrived to provide public testimony. Uh, so we'll go ahead with the verbal instructions. Please clearly state and spell your full name. If you're representing an organization, please clearly state the name of the organization that you're representing. You will have 3 minutes to speak. The timer will start after you have stated your name and if applicable, the name of the organization that you're representing. A 30-second warning will be given at the end of the 3 minutes. You will be given a signal to stop.
002Once the stop signal is given, you may complete your sentence and then you must stop. TEA staff will not be responding to your comments today, nor will TEA staff ask or answer any questions. So again, our first speaker is uh, Maya Volk. >> Hello. Um, you said we needed to spell our names also, right? >> Yes, please. >> Okay. Uh, my name is Maya Volk, M A I A V O L K, and I'm testifying on behalf of Disability Rights Texas. We have four recommendations on the chapter 89.1053 rule making on restraint and crisis prevention training, post restraint screening, the definition of seclusion, and the documentation of time out. First on restraint and crisis prevention and intervention or CPI training, um, DRTX along with other stakeholders have long recommended that restraint training be replaced with
003CPI training, which focuses on de-escalation and prevention more than physical interventions. So, the current rules actually add CPI training as a separate training instead of replacing it, and that maintains some of our other concerns on restraint training such as that many staff don't get trained until after they perform a restraint, among other things. And so, we recommend adding language into subsections D and subsection J, requiring that anyone who receives restraint training also receives CPI training. Second, restraint can cause both visible and invisible harm to students, particularly those with disabilities or those with prior histories of trauma. So, we recommend adding language in subsection E requiring an evidence-based overall health assessment be conducted within a reasonable amount of time after a restraint, including a mental health screening and a physical health screening. Third, on the definition
004of seclusion in subsection B7, we recommend adding the blocking and obstruction of an exit to a room as seclusion to strengthen the enforceability and oversight of the use of seclusion, and also allowing parents the ability to request video monitoring in seclusion rooms. And then lastly, number four, um we have some concerns about the proposed subsection G2, which would require a student's ARC committee to review timeout as a behavioral intervention at least annually. Um we have some concerns that this would actually promote the use of timeout rather than reduce or eliminate it. And so, we recommend removing this language and replacing it with language requiring that the district document and track the use of timeout and share this information with parents. Thank you. >> Thank you, ma'am. All right. Ms. Salcedo, uh you're up next. >>
005Wonderful. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Um Good morning and thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment. My name is Sabrina Gonzales Salcedo and I'm the director of public policy and advocacy for The Arc of Texas. Uh my name is spelled S A B R I N A Gonzales G O N Z A L E Z Salcedo S A U C E D O. We appreciate TEA's efforts to incorporate the legislative changes related to restraint and the new crisis prevention and intervention training requirements passed by the legislature during the 89th legislative session. To strengthen the impact of these changes, we encourage the agency to more clearly connect required restraint training with crisis prevention and intervention training. Current rules require each campus to have a core team trained in the use of restraint. We recommend
006requiring that core team to also complete crisis prevention and intervention training. Doing so would help ensure that the staff most likely to respond in urgent situations are also equipped with strategies to prevent escalation and support students before a crisis reaches the point where restraint may be considered. We also recommend applying the same requirement to any school personnel who participate in a restraint without prior training and are then required to complete a restraint training within 30 school days. Those staff could also complete crisis prevention and intervention training. Linking these training requirements would help ensure staff are prepared not only to respond in crisis, but also to reduce the likelihood that a crisis escalates to the point of restraint. This would better support students and staff and reinforce a stronger prevention focused approach in Texas schools. Lastly,
007I'd also like to express support for recommendations to strengthen follow-up after a restraint incident occurs including timely physical and mental health screenings of the restrained students and documentation that can inform the ARD committee. Given the serious impact restraint can have on students, particularly those with disabilities, these steps are important safeguards. Thank you for your consideration and that ends my comments. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Ms. Dylan, you had entered the room right after the meeting started. Are you interested in providing public testimony? >> Hi, good morning. No, I'm not. I'm just monitoring. Thank you, Dirk. >> Okay, thank you. All right. Um Ms. Lissinger, have you changed your mind about providing additional testimony? >> No, I'm good. Thank you. >> Thank you. Mr. Allamon, have you changed your mind about providing
008testimony? >> No, sir. I'll just listening in. >> Thank you very much. At this time, no one else has arrived to give public testimony. Accordingly, today's public hearing is concluded. As a reminder, you can always submit your written comments to [email protected] and a copy of this meeting will be posted on the TEA YouTube channel early next week. Thank you very much for your attendance.