Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Proposes Changes to Regulations Related to Time Out

EVERETT — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today proposed changes to regulations about the use of time-out practices in schools. Time out is a behavioral support strategy used in schools to help students calm. Some schools use specific rooms for this purpose.

Over the last several years, there has been growing attention across the country on time-out practices and the use of time-out rooms, and in Massachusetts, DESE has been examining the topic since 2020. During the 2020-2021 school year, DESE engaged with a broad range of stakeholders in a process that resulted in guidance being issued in 2021 (download). Since issuing that guidance, DESE has increased its monitoring of time-out practices in schools and awarded grants to help districts reduce or eliminate the inappropriate use of time-out practices.

In late summer and fall 2024, DESE established a working group to provide input about potential updates to regulations about time-out practices. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education discussed the topic of time-out practices in general in January, and today, they unanimously agreed to send proposed regulatory amendments out for public comment. The proposals update the definition of seclusion and time out, add requirements for any room or area that is used for time-out, add emergency circumstances under which a form of seclusion may be used as a last resort, and add safeguards for situations in which emergency seclusion is used. 

“All students and educators deserve a safe and supportive environment for teaching and learning,” Governor Maura Healey said. “We’ve heard directly from families and teachers that they need refreshed guidelines when it comes to the use of time out to ensure that we are fully addressing the needs of our students and helping teachers maintain a safe classroom for everyone.”  

“Schools – both traditional public schools and approved special education schools – use a variety of approaches to help students articulate and manage their emotions,” Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll said. “The goal of these proposals is to help maximize the amount of time students are learning successfully alongside their peers.”

“Schools can use a variety of strategies to de-escalate situations, and these proposals would help clarify appropriate ways to give a distressed student space to calm down,” Education Secretary Patrick A. Tutwiler said.  

“I have personally heard from families and programs impacted by time-out practices, and the proposed changes are designed to eliminate inappropriate practices while still allowing strategies that help students calm themselves,” said Russell D. Johnston, acting commissioner of elementary and secondary education. “We look forward to hearing from additional families and educators during the public comment period.”

More information on how to submit comments on the proposals will be posted on DESE’s 2025 Public Comment Submission page. The Department expects to bring final regulations to the Board for a vote in June. 

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