Least Restrictive Environment

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Least Restrictive Environment
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• Defining Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
• Requirements (300.114)
• Continuum of alternative placements (300.115)
• Placements (300.116)
• Nonacademic settings (300.117)

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Defining LRE
Each public agency must ensure that

• To the maximum extent appropriate, children with
  disabilities are educated with children who are
  nondisabled

and
300.114 LRE requirements.
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Defining LRE
Special classes, separate schooling, or other
removal of children with disabilities from the
regular educational environment occurs only
if the nature or severity of the
disability is such that education in regular
classes with the use of supplementary aids and
services cannot be achieved satisfactorily
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Defining LRE
Continuum of Alternative Placements
includes instruction in
childs home
special classes
regular classes
hospitals or institutions
special schools
More gtgt
ltlt Less
Restrictive
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Placement decisions are made by a group of
persons, including the parents, who are
knowledgeable
Defining LRE Placements

• about the child
• the meaning of the evaluation data
• the placement options

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Defining LRE Placements

• The childs placement is determined at least
  annually
• Is based on the childs IEP
• Is as close as possible to the child's home
• Unless childs IEP requires another arrangement,
  child is educated in the school that he or she
  would attend if nondisabled

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Defining LRE Placements

• Consideration must be given to any potential
  harmful effect on the child or on the quality of
  services that he or she needs
• A child with a disability may not be removed from
  education in age-appropriate regular classrooms
  solely because of needed modifications in the
  general education curriculum

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Participation in Extracurricular and Nonacademic
Services and Activities

• Each public agency must ensure that

• the child has supplementary aids and services
  determined appropriate and necessary by the
  childs IEP Team to participate in nonacademic
  and extracurricular services and activities

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Special education is not a place. Its a set of
services and supports
Where a child with a disability receives special
education services is that childs placement
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The first where to consider is
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The IEP and the LRE Decision Making Process

• Before you start
• Define the students present levels of
  performance and educational needs.
• Determine annual goals and objectives
• Determine services required in order for the
  student to make progress on annual goals
• Then begin the LRE decision making process.

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1. Consider whether the student can be educated
satisfactorily In the regular classroom with
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2. Compare the benefits provided in the regular
educationclassroom and those provided in a
special education classroom or segregated
setting.
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3. Consider the potentially beneficial or harmful
effects that a regular class placement may have
on the student with an exceptionality or the
other students in the class.
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The placement decision cannot be solely based on

• Category of the exceptionality
• Severity of the exceptionality

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Additional Resources

• Handout D-Selected IDEA Regulations Relevant to
  The Big Picture of IEPs
• http//www.nichcy.org/Laws/IDEA/Documents/Trainin
  g_Curriculum/15-handouts.pdf
• Building the Legacy A Training Curriculum on
  IDEA 2004 
• http//www.nichcy.org/Laws/IDEA/Pages/BuildingTheL
  egacy.aspx
• NM PED Placement in the Least Restrictive
  Environment (LRE) Understanding and Making the
  Placement Decision
• http//www.ped.state.nm.us/seo/lre/lre.booklet.pdf