Rule 3301-37-10 | Behavior management/discipline.
(A) A preschool staff member in charge of a child or a group of children shall be responsible for their discipline.
(B) The center shall have a written discipline policy describing the center's philosophy of discipline and the specific methods of discipline used at the center. This written policy shall be on file at the center for review. Constructive, developmentally appropriate child guidance and management techniques are to be used at all times, and shall include such measures as redirection, separation from problem situations, talking with the child about the situation, and positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior. The center's written discipline policy is to comply with this rule, section 3319.46 of the Revised Code and rule 3301-35-15 of the Administrative Code.
(C) Behavior management/discipline policies and procedures shall ensure the safety, physical, and emotional well-being of all individuals on the premises. If suspension, expulsion, and removal policies exist, they are to be written in accordance with section 3313.66 of the Revised Code.
(D) The center's actual methods of discipline shall apply to all persons on the premises. In addition to the restrictions outlined in rule 3301-35-15 of the Administrative Code, the following apply:
(1) There shall be no cruel, harsh, corporal punishment or any unusual punishments such as, but not limited to, punching, pinching, shaking, spanking, or biting.
(2) No discipline shall be delegated to any other child.
(3) No physical restraints shall be used to confine a child by any means other than holding a child for a short period of time, so the child may regain control.
(4) No child shall be placed in a locked room or confined in an enclosed area such as a closet, a box, or a similar cubicle.
(5) No child shall be subjected to profane language, threats, derogatory remarks about himself or his family, or other verbal abuse.
(6) Discipline shall not be imposed on a child for failure to eat, failure to sleep, or for toileting accidents.
(7) Techniques of discipline shall not humiliate, shame, or frighten a child.
(8) Discipline shall not include withholding food, rest, or toilet use, and food shall not be used as a reward for behavior.
(9) Separation, when used as discipline shall be brief in duration and appropriate to the child's age and developmental ability, and the child shall be within sight and hearing of a preschool staff member in a safe, lighted, and well-ventilated space.
(10) The center shall not abuse or neglect children and shall protect children from abuse and neglect while in attendance in the preschool program.
(11) A staff member who suspects that a child has been abused or neglected is to immediately notify the public children services agency and a serious incident report is to be completed and submitted to the department in accordance with section 2151.421 of the Revised Code.
(E) The parent of a child enrolled in a center shall receive the center's written discipline policy. The center is to communicate and consult with the parent prior to implementing a specific behavior management plan. This plan will be consistent with this rule and in writing and signed by the parent.
(F) All preschool staff members shall receive a copy of the center's discipline policy for review upon employment.
Last updated July 1, 2021 at 10:35 AM
Supplemental Information