Least Restrictive Environment LRE

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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

• Prepared by
• Amarillo Independent School District
• 2002

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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
according to IDEA

• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education
  Act) is the Federal Law that defines and set
  standards for special education across the United
  States.

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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
according to IDEA

• LRE
• To the maximum extent appropriate,
• a child with disabilities,
• MUST BE educated with children who are not
  disabled.

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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
according to IDEA

• LRE
• Special classes,
• separate schooling, or
• other removal of the child with disabilities from
  the regular educational environment occurs only
  when

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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
according to IDEA

• The disability is severe enough,
• that even with supplementary aids and services,
• education in regular classes, cannot be achieved
  satisfactorily.

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What is Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
according to IDEA

• There is a strong preference in IDEA for
• Educating students with disabilities in regular
  classes
• With modifications and supports
• Whenever possible.

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Implementing IDEAs LRE provisions

• How do we do that?

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Implementing LRE

• The regular classroom
• in the school the student would attend if not
  disabled (home campus)
• is the FIRST placement option considered
• for each student identified with a disability
• before a more restrictive placement is considered.

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Implementing LRE

• IF the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) of a
  student with a disability
• can be implemented satisfactorily,
• by providing supplementary aids and services
• in the regular classroom on the home campus then
  .

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Implementing LRE

• That placement IS the Least Restrictive
  Environment placement for that student.

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What if the students IEP cannot be implemented
in the general education classroom?

• If the students IEP cannot be implemented in the
  classroom,
• Even with supplementary aids and services
• Then the general education classroom is NOT the
  Least Restrictive Environment for that student.

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How do we know the Least Restrictive Environment
for each student?

• LRE is addressed at the ARD
• The students ARD forms the basis for the
  placement decision.
• Specific special education and related services
  must be named in the ARD.

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How do we know the Least Restrictive Environment
for each student?

• The extent that each student will participate in
  the general educational program must be outlined
  in the ARD.
• LRE must be considered at least annually at the
  ARD meeting.

14
Remember

• IDEA does not require that every student with a
  disability
• be placed in the general education classroom
• regardless of their abilities and needs.

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Okay so the student cannot be educated solely
in the regular classroom, now what?

• Schools are required to provide a range of
  placement options
• known as a continuum of alternative placements.

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Options on the continuum

• Instruction in regular classes
• Special classes
• Special schools
• Home instruction
• Instruction in hospitals and institutions

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Options on the continuum

• Must be available to the extent necessary to
  implement the IEP of each student identified with
  a disability
• Each student must be able to interact with
  nondisabled peers as much as is appropriate.

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What factors must be considered for LRE?

• Must be individually determined
• Must compare benefits in the
• Regular classroom and the
• Special education classroom

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What factors must be considered for LRE?

• Non-academic benefits to the student with a
  disability must also be considered.
• Interacting with students in the regular
  classroom
• Disruption to other students may be considered

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What about disruption in the general education
classroom?

• If there are behavior problems that are so
  disruptive in a regular classroom
• That the education of other students is impaired,
  then

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What about disruption in the general education
classroom?

• That placement is not the Least Restrictive
  Environment for that student.
• Their unique needs cannot be met in general
  education.

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What factors may NOT be considered in placement?

• Category of the disability
• Learning disability,
• Autism, etc.
• Severity of disability
• Delivery system
• A school cannot say
• We dont have a resource room here.

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What factors may NOT be considered in placement?

• Availability of educational or related services
• Physical therapy, speech therapy
• Transportation, etc.
• Availability of space
• Administrative convenience

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Summary of Least Restrictive Environment

• LRE Each student with a disability
• must participate in the general education program
  
• as much as possible
• while still meeting his or her individual needs.

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Summary of Least Restrictive Environment

• The student must be able to make progress and
• services must be appropriate for the individual
  student.
• That is the Least Restrictive Environment for
  that student.