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Volume 73 |
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Summer 07 2007 |
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Educating, Assisting, Supporting, and Informing through this newsletter... A newsletter for and by parents with sons & daughters with disabilities and education advocates. |
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(All toll free numbers for Kansas parents & education advocates) |
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Least Restrictive Environment (taken from “Guide to Special Education” Student Support Services, KSDE)
When deciding where the services on the IEP should be delivered, the IEP team will always start by thinking about how the student’s goals can be met in the general education classroom. What special education services, related services, or supplementary aids and services will it take for that to happen? Some examples might include some modification to the classroom environment for the student or specialized training for the teacher; an assistive technology evaluation may indicate the need for an assistive technology device; or maybe the student can be successful in controlling his behavior with some instruction in a small group.
Only when there is evidence that, even with the use of supplemental aids and services, education in a regular classroom will not be successful, would the team consider taking the student out of the general education classroom. The expectation is to continue work in the general education curriculum and to have high expectations for students, so that they can be successful. If there is proof that a more restrictive environment is needed, the placement may be changed. However, there should always be a plan to move back to the more inclusive, less restrictive setting.
The least restrictive environment (LRE) means, that to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who are not disabled. Also, students with disabilities are to be removed from the general education environment only when the nature or severity of the needs of the student is such that education in a general education classroom with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
When developing the IEP, the IEP team must include a statement of the program modifications and supports that will be provided for school personnel and for the student so that the student can: advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals; be involved and progress in the general curriculum; participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and be educated and participate with other students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
The IEP must also include an explanation of how much time, if any, the student will not participate with students without disabilities in the general education class and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.
The IEP team, which includes the parents and other people who know about the student, the meaning of the evaluation data, and the placement options will make the decisions about where the student will receive services. Schools are to be sure that parents participate in all decisions concerning the educational placement of their student.
(Parents, to request a copy of the “Guide to Special Education,” please contact the Families Together Center nearest you.) |
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Kansas City Center 1-877-499-5369 Garden City Center 1-888-820-6364 Topeka Center 1-800-264-6343 Statewide Spanish parent line 1-800-499-9443 |
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3033 W. 2nd Suite 106 Wichita, KS 67203 (316) 945-7747 or 888-815-6364 |