Across Washington state, school districts are demonstrating that meaningful reductions in student restraint and the elimination of isolation practices are achievable when systems, training, and culture shift together.

During a January 2026 House Education Committee work session on HB 1795, leaders from Auburn School District, Bainbridge Island School District, and Concrete School District shared the results of their work as part of the state’s Reducing Restraint and Eliminating Isolation (RREI) initiative.

The project, now in its second year, is supported by funding from the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), along with professional development and technical assistance. Early results are encouraging: 68 percent of pilot and demonstration sites reported reductions in restraint and isolation compared to the prior school year, with some districts reporting reductions exceeding 60 percent.

The stories shared by district leaders revealed a common theme: sustainable change happens when districts invest in prevention, staff capacity, and reflective practices that prioritize student dignity.

Auburn School District: Eliminating Isolation Spaces and Building Staff Capacity

Patrick Mulick, Director of Student Engagement for Auburn School District, described how the district began its transformation after reaching nearly 800 combined incidents of restraint and isolation during the 2019–20 school year.

Since then, Auburn has restructured its behavioral support systems, improved data reporting, and expanded staff training in de-escalation strategies, including Safety-Care. As a result, the district reports a 45.7 percent reduction in restraint and a 95 percent decrease in isolation compared to 2019–20 levels.

One of the most significant steps the district took was dismantling its isolation infrastructure.

In spring 2025, Auburn removed its final dedicated isolation room. Since then, isolation incidents have continued to decline. During the 2024–25 school year, the district recorded just 17 isolation incidents, and only 8 incidents have been reported so far this year.

Mulick explained that eliminating isolation spaces changed how adults approached challenging behavior and pushed the system toward proactive support strategies rather than reactive responses.

To support staff in this shift, Auburn trained more than 300 staff members in Safety-Care, focusing on de-escalation, ethical decision-making, and less restrictive interventions. The district also developed a four-hour asynchronous training option so that staff outside traditional classroom roles could learn consistent crisis-response practices.

Bainbridge Island School District: Culture Change Through Debriefing and Shared Language

Bainbridge Island School District has also seen dramatic reductions in restrictive interventions.

In the 2021–22 school year, the district recorded 18 restraints and 12 isolations. Since then, isolation incidents have dropped to zero, while restraint has steadily declined. During the 2024–25 school year, Bainbridge reported only 6 restraint incidents across the district.

Director of Student Services Annalisa Sanchez credits several systemic changes for these outcomes, including district-wide de-escalation training and stronger leadership involvement during escalated moments.

Safety-Care was selected as the district’s crisis prevention training after a committee review of available programs. Sanchez said the training aligned with Bainbridge’s values and helped shift staff focus away from physical intervention. She noted that the training emphasizes prevention and respectful crisis response.

Another key factor in Bainbridge’s success has been the introduction of structured post-incident debriefing practices. The district now requires debriefing after incidents, budgets staff time for these discussions, and ensures that administrators participate in the process. The conversations intentionally focus on reflection rather than blame. “If we’re not making a change for tomorrow, we’re setting the student up to fail,” says Sanchez. Debriefing occurs when staff and students are emotionally ready, and the district adapts conversations for students who need visual supports or alternative communication approaches.

Student voice has also informed Bainbridge’s evolving practices. One student who had previously experienced physical restraint shared that those experiences made him feel out of control, while new strategies such as scheduled sensory breaks and access to quiet spaces help him communicate his needs earlier and feel more emotionally safe at school.

The district has also expanded training beyond classroom educators. Staff in transportation, food service, and other roles receive foundational training so that students encounter consistent language and expectations across the school environment.

Concrete School District: Adapting Strategies for Small and Rural Systems

For small districts, the work looks different but the goals remain the same.

Concrete School District, which serves approximately 435 students, participates in the RREI project as a pilot site. Because of the district’s small size, a single student can significantly influence annual data trends. Even so, Concrete reports that it is currently on track for a 73 percent reduction in restraint and isolation compared to the previous year.

Superintendent Carrie Crickmore said access to a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) has been one of the most valuable supports the district has received through the initiative. The BCBA helps develop effective behavior intervention plans and provides coaching to staff working with students who have complex needs.

Crickmore also emphasized that most incidents historically involved young elementary students, particularly in situations involving elopement into unsafe areas such as parking lots. These situations reinforced the importance of prevention strategies and staff support rather than reactive responses.

A Shared Lesson Across Districts

Although Auburn, Bainbridge Island, and Concrete differ in size and resources, their experiences point to the same conclusion.
Reducing restraint and eliminating isolation is not simply a policy decision. It requires a coordinated system that includes:

• proactive behavior supports
• staff training in de-escalation
• strong leadership involvement
• reflective debriefing practices
• and consistent expectations across school staff

District leaders repeatedly emphasized that tools like Safety-Care, combined with behavioral expertise and layered professional development, help create the conditions for these changes to succeed.

As Washington continues to examine policies related to restraint and isolation, the experiences of these districts offer a powerful reminder: when schools invest in prevention, reflection, and dignity-centered practices, safer outcomes for students and staff are possible.

For more information regarding Auburn School District’s success in reducing and eliminating isolation, listen to Safety-Care’s Customer Spotlight with Patrick Mulick.