Conn. House passes isolation room bill

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A bill that would require the state to report on how often special education students are isolated because of emotional outbursts has passed the Connecticut House.

State representatives voted 142-to-0 in favor of an amended version of the measure Tuesday. It now awaits action in the state Senate.

The amended bill would require the State Board of Education to produce an annual report on the use of physical restraint and seclusion on disabled children, but would not include instances of in-school suspension.

The proposal comes after recent incidents in Middletown, where special education students at Farm Hill School were reportedly isolated in "scream rooms" during outbursts.

State officials say isolation rooms can be used as part of a student's Individualized Education Program and are subject to strict regulations.