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Inclusive Education: Least Restrictive Environment

Introduction, lre, student needs and legislative guidelines, appropriate placements and continuum of placements.

The federal government’s People with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees impaired children the right to a free and equitable public education (FAPE) in the setting with the fewest restrictions (LRE). To ensure that your child receives the best education possible, it is crucial to understand how these ideas connect to them. The LRE provision of IDEA mandates that, to the greatest extent practical, students with disabilities attend public schools with classmates who do not have impairments. Additionally, students should keep taking general education courses until they cannot learn, even with additional assistance.

IDEA shows that even if LRE is not mandated by law, the law strongly favors it. LRE’s main objective is to teach kids as much as possible in a peer environment, including putting them in general education courses, lunchrooms, and playgrounds. According to the LRE’s second paragraph, “Disabled children have only been removed from the regular educational environment through the use of special classrooms, entirely separate education, or other methods when the situation is conducive to theirs. Moreover, the intensity of the physical disability prevents learning in regular classes by using additional aids and services” (Silvestri & Hartman, 2022). Therefore, as part of developing a student’s learning plan, LRE is decided individually (IEP).

The IEP team, which includes the parents of the student and some professionals, discusses the student’s individualized educational plan and practical assistance, also known as services and supports, in light of the student’s current performance levels. Areas of strength and areas of need. Additionally, participate in and advance through the general education curriculum, extracurricular activities like the theater club, and several other nonacademic activities like a school football game (Williamson et al., 2019). The word “environment” in the phrase “least restrictive environment” could mean a particular area or locale. Therefore, there is no specific environment for LRE. Making program judgments regarding the services and supports a student needs to succeed. The places and approaches through which those programs and needs can be successfully given are required to identify the LRE, on the other hand.

IDEA mandates that school districts offer a continuum of different placement alternatives since the student’s individualized instructional program determines LRE and supporting equipment rather than the setting. The several educational contexts where an IEP can be used to address the particular needs of disabled students are represented by this continuum. These options are available from the least restrictive (a general studies classroom) to the most restrictive (a special education classroom, such as a residential institution), these options are available. The IEP team should endeavor to place the kid in a general education environment and keep them there before choosing where assistance and assistance will be offered along this continuum. IDEA requires that, to the most significant degree practicable, children with disabilities attend school with their peers without impairments.

Additionally, the law mandates that additional services and aids be offered when required so the student can receive a general education curriculum. However, assignment in a more regional setting(s) may be necessary to provide an appropriate education when the kind or intensity of the disability, even with supplementary aids and services, limits satisfactory growth in this context. For youngsters, the general studies classroom might not be the least intrusive environment (Oertel and Huelser, 2020). Students who are disabled are educated with children without impairments, as much as possible, in classrooms for regular education, unusual educational settings, extracurriculars, and nonacademic contexts. Additionally, several channels provide assistance and support within inclusive categories of postings that range from the lowest to the most restricted. Finally, there are several alternatives for placement. For example, some services may be available to a student in one location and others in different.

Furthermore, a student’s growth or requirements may alter over time, resulting in a shift in placement. Therefore, the national curriculum classroom may not be the least restrictive setting for all kids. A group of people who are familiar with the student, the significance of the evaluation data, the various placement alternatives, as well as the parents of the student make placement decisions at least once a year (Oertel and Huelser, 2020). In light of the kid’s unique needs and the environment that will give them the best opportunity for success, the committee, which includes the IEP team, may consider all options when selecting where the youngster will attend school. The IEP team’s decisions about the student’s assistance outside the general education curriculum must be recorded. No specific rules specify where or how services and assistance will be offered because the LRE is customized. IEP teams should consider the following factors when choosing a placement: Keep in mind that decisions must be made for the child individually and not based on a particular category of disabilities, and Ascertain a student’s LRE using a systematic process. For example, one method for calculating the LRE is shown in the diagram below. As the process progresses, the IEP team gets closer to deciding on a student’s placement.

A student’s particular education placement is based on several variables. Each year, the student’s IEP is reviewed by the IEP team, and if required, the classification may also change. After evaluating the student’s needs, the IEP team must decide where to place the student. Because the law favors the setting with the fewest restrictions, the team should select this choice. To be successful, the environment must encourage the student’s progress (Williamson et al., 2019). For instance, with the right help and support, a kid can frequently succeed in a general education setting. There are instances, though, when this is not the healthiest circumstance for a youngster. Therefore, the team must consider several alternatives if a general studies environment is not optimal for a youngster.

A general education classroom with consultation would be the next level of support for special education students who are not yet ready for public education, even with supplementary aids and help. To provide the students in this classroom with the assistance they need, any particular education instructor would work alongside the general education teacher. Among other things, these accommodations could entail extra instruction during class, pull-outs for exams, and grade adjustments. The next level of support is a resource classroom if this level of help is still inadequate to meet the learner’s needs. A particular education instructor who would teach this class would also have fewer exceptional education pupils in the classroom since there would be fewer of them (Oertel and Huelser, 2020). Children often attend classes in general education with their peers for other subjects and access classrooms for advanced English or math instruction. The IEP council may need to consider full-time special courses if a student’s disability continues to make it challenging for them to accomplish at this level. Once more, the bulk of the day would be spent with a single, extremely knowledgeable instructor. They would still join their peers in lunchtime activities and perhaps elective classes. Nevertheless, a separate room would be used for all other courses.

In conclusion, the LRE concept represents more of an idea than an actual location. Participation and LRE are integrated to ensure that children with special education are not left out or in the dark. When there are numerous students with special needs, inclusion occurs when the children are included in the general education class. According to popular belief, there should not be over one special education kid in a general education classroom. Using LREs ensures that each student engages in social interaction and prevents isolation in general education. Additional aids or programs are insufficient when a student’s education or ability to think differently is significant enough to prevent them from receiving a quality education.

Mansouri, M.C., Kurth, J.A., Lockman Turner, E., Zimmerman, K.N. and Frick, T.A. (2022). Comparison of academic and social outcomes of students with extensive support needs across placements. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities , 47(2), pp.111–129. Web.

Silvestri, J. A., & Hartman, M. C. (2022). Inclusion and deaf and hard of hearing students: Finding asylum in the LRE . Education Sciences, 12(11), 773. Web.

Oertel, J.M.K. and Huelser, M.J.M. (2020). Ipsi- or contralateral? The dilemma of choosing the best ventriculostomy site for shunt implementation after previous EVD placement. Acta Neurochirurgica , 162(8), pp.1837–1838. Web.

Williamson, P., Hoppey, D., McLeskey, J., Bergmann, E. and Moore, H. (2019). Trends in LRE placement rates over the past 25 years. The Journal of Special Education , 53(4), pp.236–244. Web.

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What Is “Least Restrictive Environment” and How Does It Impact Students?

It’s not just about where you’re sitting.

For most students, where they’re educated isn’t much of a consideration after that meeting in June when next year’s class rosters are created—a student is either in your class or the class across the hall. But for kids with disabilities, the place where they learn is a big consideration because these kids need to receive instruction in a least restrictive environment (LRE).

So, what is LRE and how does it impact students?

What is “least restrictive environment”?

Essentially, a child’s least restrictive environment is general education. For kids with disabilities, that means general education as much as possible, but placement will always be unique to each student. Where a child receives their education is in relation to general education and is part of their FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education). The question for an IEP team to consider is: If a child spends time outside of their LRE or general education, how much time? And is that the most appropriate setting for them?

As much as possible, a child should be taught within the same classroom as typical peers. And general education is the default setting for where all kids go to school. But general education may not be the appropriate place for some kids with disabilities to learn best. For example, a child with an intellectual disability may require a modified curriculum and small-group instruction that is best provided in a self-contained class. Or a student with a learning disability may need small-group instruction a few times per week to practice reading comprehension skills that are on their IEP.

Read more:  understood.org

Is least restrictive environment (LRE) a law?

Least restrictive environment is part of IDEA, a federal law. The main special education law is the 1975 Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In IDEA, the LRE provision states that:

“… to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

[20 U.S.C. Sec. 1412(a)(5)(A); 34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.114; Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56342(b).]

What Does the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Mean?

Under IDEA and the LRE provision, students should start in general education and be moved to settings like separate classrooms or schools only when it has been determined that they will learn best in that environment and that they would not be served best in general education with aids and supports (accommodations, modifications, and supports like a one-to-one aide or assistive technology).

The key wording is “to the maximum extent appropriate.” Special education is based on each child’s individual needs, and what may be right for one child may not be right for another. You’ve heard that special education is a service, not a place. So, when we’re thinking about a child’s LRE, we’re thinking about what services they need, and the location they will receive those services, rather than thinking about where they will be and then what they will receive.

Why is LRE important?

Before the first IDEA law was passed in 1975, students with disabilities were typically separated entirely from general education environments in separate schools or institutions. Since then, schools have had to consider general education for all students, regardless of disability. LRE is the foundation behind mainstreaming, inclusion, and a lot of differentiated education as teachers teach classrooms of diverse learners.

What are options for a child’s LRE?

Source: undivided.io

Each child’s LRE looks different and is defined within their IEP. There are six typical structures for LRE:

• General education classroom with supports: A student spends the entire day in general education with some push-in supports, like assistive technology or accommodations.
• General education with pull-out supports: A student spends the majority of their day in general education with some time spent in a separate classroom (a resources or pull-out classroom) with the special education teacher, speech therapist, or occupational therapist, depending on what they need.
• Special education class (also called self-contained): A student spends the majority of their academic day in a class with other students with disabilities. They may go to general education for things like music, art, and assemblies.
• Separate school or program: A student spends their day in a school or program that is specifically designed to address their learning needs.
• Homebound instruction: A student receives services at home because their disability is such that they cannot attend class in a school setting.
• Residential placement: A student receives education in a separate school that doubles as a residential placement.

A child’s least restrictive environment may change over the course of their education as their needs change. They may start in a self-contained class until the IEP team decides to move them into a general education class with supports, or vice versa.

Read more: fortelawgroup.com

Read more: parentcenterhub.org

How is LRE determined?

Appropriate placement for a student is decided during the IEP meeting. The team (parent, teachers, a district representative, and other therapists who work with the child) all come together to decide what services a student is eligible for and how those services are going to be provided. LRE is in the how .

As an example, a team may decide to provide all the student’s services in the general education classroom, or they may decide that a student requires services within a self-contained class.

But there is no official definition of LRE for each type of disability, so LRE is often a hot-button topic in meetings.

Source: knilt.arcc.albany.edu

Once LRE is decided, the team will also explain (documented in the IEP) why the services a child receives can’t be provided in the general education setting. So, a child who receives speech therapy may need to have therapy in a small-group setting to really get the most from practicing their speech sounds and so they can work with a skilled speech therapist. Or a child who receives their education in a self-contained class may require full-day support from a special education teacher within a small group or structured setting in order to learn and meet their goals.

Additionally, IDEA states that certain aspects need to be considered when deciding on a placement:

• The educational benefits the student would receive in a general education classroom, with supports and services.
• Non-academic benefits to a student that come from interacting with peers.
• Disruption that may occur to other students that may impact the education of the student with disabilities. If a child’s behaviors are such that their participation in a general education environment disrupts education for other students, then the needs of the student with a disability cannot be met in general education.

LRE decisions cannot be made based on:

• Disability category
• Severity of a child’s disability
• The configuration of the delivery system
• The availability of educational or related services
• The space available
• Administrative convenience

The focus for LRE discussions should always be on where and how the student learns best.

Read more: wrightslaw.com

What are the benefits of educating kids in the LRE?

For many children with disabilities, being in general education with appropriate supports provides academic and social benefits. General education classrooms provide opportunities for kids to make friends and engage with peers, especially if teachers help engage kids in interactions. Kids without disabilities also benefit by engaging with kids who have disabilities. They learn how to communicate and befriend a wider range of peers and may learn about a specific disability.

Some of the benefits of educating kids within the LRE are:

• Interaction: Interaction is something that kids need practice with, so being in a setting with more kids and with kids who have better social skills can help kid with disabilities strengthen their own communication.
• Achievement: The achievement of kids with disabilities in general education depends on the individual student. However, learning and peer tutoring yielded academic benefits for kids with and without disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Students with more severe disabilities benefited from practicing skills in small groups of general education peers.
• Attitude: When all kids have positive experiences with peers who have disabilities, it improves attitudes about people with disabilities.

Read more: lrecoalition.org

What are the challenges of implementing LRE?

The challenges in implementing LRE are those associated with a diverse classroom—for example, how to balance each student’s individual needs with the class as a whole. That’s where things like differentiated instruction and collaboration come in. Working with a special education teacher and making sure you know each student’s needs and accommodations will go a long way to making sure LRE is paying off.

Read more: www.weareteachers.com

What is the general education teacher’s role in LRE?

If you’re a teacher with students with disabilities, part of your job will be creating community. Your role in LRE is to engage all the students in your class. To do that, you’ll collaborate with the teachers and therapists who may be working with you, or pulling kids out of your room.

Some ways that you may collaborate:

• Planning lessons that support students with IEPs with accommodations. These include preferential seating, chunking, or pulling kids into small groups for practice or testing.
• Leading small groups: Students with mild disabilities (like a learning disability) do well when teachers use inclusive small groups to teach skills.
• Collaborating with special education teachers to provide modified work or co-teach lessons.
• Collecting data about how a particular setting is working for a student.

There are some school-level considerations that make LRE work for everyone:

• Teacher training: Programs that had strong teacher training and models produced higher gains for students with severe disabilities and greater progress compared to peers in special education settings.
• Curriculum: The general education curriculum should be accessible, even with modifications, for all students in a class. That helps a teacher truly create an LRE for every student.

Read more: What Is Inclusion in Education?

Read more: inclusionevolution.com

Least Restrictive Environment Resources

IRIS Center LRE Resource

The PACER Center’s overview of LRE and FAPE.

The Inclusion Reading List

Professional development books for your teaching library:

The Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for Differentiated Instruction by Margo Mastropieri and Thomas Scruggs (Pearson)

Behavior Solutions for the Inclusive Classroom by Beth Aune

Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Inclusive Classroom by Barbara Boroson (Teaching Strategies)

High Leverage Practices for Inclusive Classrooms by James McLeskey (Routledge)

Picture books for the inclusive classroom

Your students don’t know about LRE, but they’re definitely curious about the other kids in your class. Use these books with elementary school students to set the tone and teach them about various disabilities.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

All My Stripes: A Story for Children With Autism by Shaina Rudolph

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor

Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids With Dyslexia and Learning Differences by Shaina Rudolph

A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott

Have questions about LRE and how to understand it for the students you teach? Join the  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to exchange ideas and ask for advice!

Plus, check out inclusive classroom spaces for students with disabilities..

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Your Child’s Rights: 6 Principles of IDEA

At a glance.

Originally adopted in 1975 and amended in 2004, the IDEA aims to curb educational problems associated with low expectations and insufficient focus on alternative research, teaching methods, and tools. Following are the six major principles of the IDEA, focusing on students’ rights and the responsibilities of public schools to children with disabilities.

1. Free Appropriate Public Education

Under the IDEA, every child with a disability is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The IDEA emphasizes special education and related services, which should be designed to meet a child’s “unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.”

Furthermore, courts have held that the IDEA requires schools to prepare Individualized Education Plans, which confer “meaningful educational benefit” to children with disabilities. The “meaningful educational benefit” requirement includes a focus on raised student expectations, appropriate progress, and transition into postsecondary education and independent living.

Public schools and local school boards are responsible for ensuring that every child with a disability receives a FAPE.

2.  Appropriate Evaluation

The IDEA requires that schools conduct “appropriate evaluations”of students who are suspected of having a disability. An appropriate evaluation must be implemented by a team of knowledgeable and trained evaluators, must utilize sound evaluation materials and procedures, and must be administered on a non-discriminatory basis.

Children should not be subjected to unnecessary assessments or testing, and evaluations must be geared toward planning for the child’s education and future instruction. Finally, an appropriate evaluation must determine and make recommendations regarding a child’s eligibility for special education services in a timely manner.

3.  Individualized Education Plan

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was established by the IDEA to help ensure every child’s access to a Free Appropriate Public Education. The IEP is a written document, developed by an IEP team , which draws upon existing evaluation information in order to meet a student’s unique educational needs.

Under the IDEA, an IEP must include information regarding a student’s present levels of educational performance, annual goals and benchmarking objectives, services and supplementary aids to be received, and a detailed explanation of instances where a student is not participating in the general classroom and why.

An IEP is also required to include information regarding consistent reporting on student progress as well as “transition” to adult life. Finally, it is required that an IEP account for the planning concerns of the parents and child, the strengths of a particular child, and the specific “academic, developmental, and functional needs” of the child.

4. Least Restrictive Environment

The IDEA places a strong emphasis on placement in a general education setting. Under the IDEA, a student is guaranteed placement in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) possible. Therefore, an IEP team must explore a number of alternatives for enabling a student to participate in the general education classroom. These may include: classroom modifications , supplemental aids and services, alternative instructional methods, etc.

If an IEP team determines that a student cannot be satisfactorily educated in a general education setting, then the team must make responsible efforts to determine the LRE for that student outside of the general classroom.

5.  Parent Participation

The IDEA has a special provision for “parent participation in placement decisions.” Under this provision, state educational agencies and local school boards must ensure that the parents of a child with a disability are members of any group that makes decisions regarding the placement and LRE of that child.

Parents have the right to equal participation in this process, and are entitled to notification of a planned evaluation, access to planning and evaluation materials, and involvement in all meetings regarding their child’s placement. Additionally, parents retain the right to refuse further evaluation of their child. Both students and parents must be invited to IEP meetings, and the IDEA explicitly establishes a role for the parent as equal participant and decision maker.

6.  Procedural Safeguards

Finally, the IDEA establishes procedural safeguards to help parents and students enforce their rights under federal law. The primary purpose of this requirement is twofold: safeguards protect parental access to information pertaining to placement and transition planning; and procedures are put in place to resolve disagreements between parents and schools regarding the placement of a student.

Under the IDEA procedural safeguards, parents have a right to review all educational records pertaining to their child, receive notice prior to meetings about their child’s evaluation, placement, or identification, and to obtain an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) for consideration at such meetings.

If disagreements arise, parents have the right to request mediation or due process hearings with state-level education agencies, and beyond that may appeal the decision in state or federal court.

Matthew Saleh is a Research Fellow at Cornell University ’ s Employment and Disability Institute and a Research Associate at the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia University. He received his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law and is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University.

Related Smart Kids Topics

• Determining Placement for Your Child with LD
• Resolving Special Education Disputes
• Your Child’s Rights: FAPE
• IDEA and the IEP Process

Least Restrictive Environment and Inclusion

As stated by McGovern (2015), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires the US public schools to support the learning process the students with diverse disabilities who “need such supports…to benefit educationally” (p. 117). The development of an appropriate learning context for disabled children is required by the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) mandate, but it may be challenging for educators and students, as well as children with learning disabilities (LD) themselves, to cope with potential problems that may occur while mixing the special and general education practices.

Educating Peter provides evidence that teaching an LD child in the general class settings entails difficulties. In the beginning, Peter, the student with the Down’s syndrome, was very distracting and even aggressive, his behavior was “inconsistent” and unpredictable and, as a result, the students were “taken back” in the learning process (Educating Peter, n.d.). However, the placement of the student with special needs in such environment was appropriate, and it had a favorable impact on his peers.

Peter’s inclusion required the alignment of education strategy according to his needs, and the intervention of Peter’s behavior was primarily led by the students. The students thus learned to be more attentive and tolerant. Through active participation in Peter’s learning process and close communication with him, they learned to resolve conflicts and cultivate the sensitivity towards other people needs. It is possible to say that the students obtained a real-life experience of interaction with a person who differs from them and it certainly led to a formation of greater awareness about the problems of social differences, inequality, and inclusion.

At the same time, as the learning process was intervened and became more organized, Peter began to demonstrate significant progress in education. It was mentioned that the child expressed positive emotions after coming back home from school, and that could possible impact the overall Peter’s condition in a positive way. Based on this, it is possible to conclude that initiation of LRE program, in this case, was beneficial.

It is possible to assume that the adaptation of a child with LD to the learning process in self-contained educational settings may be complicated because he/she needs to listen, understand, and respond to a large number of people. Although class collaboration and group activities are the important components of children’s socialization, the provision of individual assistance for a student with learning disability may have a favorable impact on his/her academic achievement. Such individualized assistance may be both peer-mediated or teacher-mediated. However, a peer-mediated support, supervised by a specialist, is much preferable because it allows the students to build friendship and feel more accepted by the peers.

As mentioned by Hart (2009) peer tutoring can help to maintain students’ interest during the performance of lesson activities, increase their engagement in the learning process and foster social interaction of all students. Based on this, the individual student’s support of a child with LD can be regarded as an efficient method of peer-mediated learning that to achieve greater progress in the instruction of students with underdeveloped skills in multiple subjects. Moreover, peer-mediated tutoring helps to develop a flexible class environment in which all students may feel included (Hart, 2009). Therefore, such evidence-based strategy can provide substantial support for teachers in work with different types of students and in finding an individual approach to their education.

The idea of positive reinforcement and the initiation of a reward system suggested by the colleague can be considered an efficient method of the LD students motivation. Since the reward system must be based on the praise for a good and appropriate behavior, educators need to design and select the criteria of such behavior according to the students’ personal qualities and behavioral characteristics. The issue of the motivation system’s relevance to a student’s age discussed by the peer is important as well. It is important to choose such rewards which would be of greater interest for a student. Otherwise, the intent aimed at the motivation of the learning progress and improvement of behavior will not be realized, and the reward system will not be efficient.

An effective motivation system can become an essential component of a student’s academic success, and can be regarded as an important LRE practice. A student receiving small rewards for the accomplishments in the class or the demonstration of good behavior will develop a better understanding of what social and academic norms are valued and perceived as positive, and, in this way, it will become possible to adjust or at least bring closer the student’s behavior to the accepted standards. The rewards, such as stickers, drawings, cards, or hand-made crowns, will become associated with positive teachers’ and peers’ expectations, and there is a great chance that it will inevitably lead a student towards greater academic achievements.

Educating Peter . (n.d.) Web.

Hart, J. (2009). Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students With Special Needs. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 53 (3), 197-208. doi: 10.3200/PSFL.53.3.197-208

McGovern, M. (2015). Least restrictive environment: Fulfilling the promises of idea. Widener Law Review , 21 (1), 117-137.

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Special Education & IEPs

6 principles of idea: lre.

Click here for transcript of video

The word “environment” makes LRE sound like a physical location, but it’s actually a term that describes your child’s educational program. Where your child learns is only one piece of the program.

IDEA calls for children with disabilities to be educated with children who are non-disabled to the maximum extent appropriate. This means that children who receive special education should spend as much time as possible with peers who do not receive special education. The law recognizes that "appropriate" is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, and allows for the team to determine which environment will be the most effective for each student. 

The term LRE is often used in conjunction with the concept of "inclusion." Inclusion means allowing students with I/DD to participate in the general education classroom and extracurricular activities. The degree to which a student is included in a general education classroom is determined by the IEP team. 

Continuum of Placement Options

While IDEA says that students with disabilities should spend, as much time as possible in the general education classroom, it's not a requirement. Instead, the law requires school districts to offer a continuum of placement options to ensure students are not excluded from public education. This continuum goes from the least restrictive option, the regular education classroom, to the most restrictive option, which is home instruction. 

The continuum of options can include: 

• Regular education classroom:  child spends the full day in a regular education classroom with supports and services either in a small group or individual instruction within the classroom.
• Partial regular and special education classroom:   child spends part of the day in a regular education class and part in a special education class.
• Special education classroom:   child spends most of the day in a specialized program with other disabled students.
• Separate public school:   child spends the full day in a specialized program in a separate (no non-disabled peers) public school.
• Separate private school:   child spends the full day in a specialized program outside of your school district. 
• Separate residential school:  the child both goes to school and lives with other children with disabilities
• Hospital and Home Instruction:   one-on-one instruction, where the child is separated from all other children

In determining if a placement option is appropriate under IDEA, the following factors are considered:

• The educational benefit to the student from regular education in comparison to the benefits of special education
• The benefit to the disabled student from interacting with typical peers, and
• The degree of disruption of the education of other students resulting in the inability to meet the unique needs of the student with a disability

Related Resources

• What You Need to Know about LRE
• Understanding Least Restrictive Environment (Video)
• Key Requirements of LRE
• LRE and Inclusion: What's the Difference?
• Inclusion FAQs
• Need more guidance? Submit an advocacy request

THE 6 PRINCIPLES OF IDEA

Use the buttons below to navigate to a detail page for each topic. 

• Eligibility
• Evaluations
• Least Restrictive Environment
• Parent & Student Participation
• Procedural Safeguards

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LRE Justification Statement Examples

Are you a special education teacher or administrator looking for guidance on how to write a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Justification Statement? Look no further! 

The LRE Justification Statement is  an important document that explains why a student with a disability is placed in a particular educational setting . In this blog, we will provide some LRE Justification Statement Examples.

As much as possible, it’s essential to ensure students with disabilities can go to school with their peers who don’t have disabilities. The LRE Justification Statement helps support this goal. In this blog post, we’ll provide some examples and tips on how to write a compelling LRE Justification Statement that clearly explains the student’s needs and how they will be met in the chosen educational setting.

The Meaning of LRE

The term  Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)  is used in special education to describe the educational setting that gives a student with a disability the right services and support while letting them learn as much as possible with their non-disabled peers. LRE is based on the idea that students with disabilities should be able to participate in the same classes and extracurricular activities as their peers without disabilities and shouldn’t be separated for no reason.

The  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) , a federal law ensuring  students with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education , explains the LRE concept (FAPE). The student’s  individualized education plan (IEP)  decides the LRE, made by teachers, parents, and other professionals who know the student’s needs. The IEP team thinks about the student’s specific needs and the proper support and services needed to meet those needs in the least restrictive environment.

LRE Justification Statement Describes the Nature of Severity of the Disability

An LRE Justification Statement is  a piece of paper describing why a student with a disability is in a particular school setting . As required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act helps reach the goal of giving students with disabilities a chance to go to school with their non-disabled peers as much as possible (IDEA). The LRE Justification Statement is usually part of the student’s individualized education plan (IEP), made by a team of teachers, parents, and other professionals who know about the student’s needs.

The IEP team thinks about the student’s specific needs and the proper support and services needed to meet those needs in the least restrictive environment. The LRE Justification Statement  should clarify students’ needs and how they will be completed in the chosen educational setting . It could also tell the student about any  accommodations  or changes the school will make to help them participate and progress.

Can an LRE Statement About Disability Make It Better for the Student?

LRE aims to ensure that students with disabilities have the same educational and extracurricular opportunities as their peers without disabilities and are not separated from them for no reason. 

Benefits of the least restrictive environment  can help a student with a disability in several ways:

• Promotes socialization and integration:  When students with disabilities go to school with students who don’t have disabilities, they can learn social skills , make friends, and feel like they belong.
• Access to the general education curriculum:  In an LRE, students with disabilities have access to the same curriculum as their peers without disabilities. It can help them make progress in their academic subjects.
• Increases independence and self-advocacy skills:  In an LRE, students with disabilities can speak up for their own needs and make decisions about their learning, which can help them build independence and self-advocacy skills.
• Supports the development of transition skills:  An LRE can give students going from high school to college or a job the chance to practice and learn the skills they will need to succeed in these settings.

Overall, an LRE can help students with disabilities because it gives them the support and accommodations they need to do well in a regular classroom.

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Example LRE Justification Statement

Here’s an  example  of a Justification Statement for an LRE:

“The IEP team has decided that the student should learn in a general education classroom with support and accommodations. When the student was taught in small groups and given one-on-one help, they made a lot of progress in their schoolwork and social skills. The student has also shown that they can participate in a general education setting with the help of accommodations like a modified schedule, preferred seating, and a visual schedule.

The student’s strengths and needs were considered when determining the least restrictive environment. The team decided that a general education classroom with support and accommodations is the best place for the student to learn and grow. The student will receive a full-time aide to help them participate in general education and help implement modifications and accommodations. The special education teacher will also work with the student thrice a week for 30 minutes in small groups to address any special needs.

The IEP team thinks that the combination of support and accommodations in the general education setting will help the student improve their academic and social skills while also making it easier for them to join in with peers who don’t have disabilities.”

Difference Between a Least Restrictive Environment and a More Restrictive Environment

The  Least Restrictive Environment  (LRE) is an educational setting that gives a student with a disability the right services and support and lets them learn as much as possible with their peers who don’t have a disability. LRE aims to ensure that students with disabilities have the same educational and extracurricular opportunities as their peers without disabilities and are not separated from them for no reason. The disadvantages of the least restrictive environment can vary.

A more restrictive environment is an educational setting that is  more separate from the general education setting  and offers more support and services. Self-contained special education classrooms, separate schools or programs for students with disabilities, and residential facilities are all examples of more restrictive environments. Find an LRE checklist in another blog of ours.

The student’s individualized education plan (IEP) will determine the right educational setting for a student with a disability. A team of teachers, parents, and other professionals who know the student’s needs makes the plan. The IEP team thinks about the  student’s specific needs and the proper support and services needed  to meet those needs in the least restrictive environment. 

In the LRE Justification Statement, the IEP team  must explain why the student needs to be in a more restrictive environment  if they decide that this is what the student needs.

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Supplementary Aids and Services for LRE

Supplementary aids and services are  extra supports and resources that help students with disabilities access the general education curriculum  and do the same things as their non-disabled peers. These aids and services help students learn and participate in the least restrictive environment (LRE). 

The  LRE  is the educational setting that gives students the right services and support while letting them learn as much as possible with their non-disabled peers. The purpose of additional aids and services in LRE is to give students with disabilities the extra help they need to access and participate in the general education setting. 

Some examples of  extra services and aids that may be available in an LRE  are:

• Adaptive technology or tools
• Interpretation of sign language or other ways to talk
• More time on tests or homework
• Lecture notes or outlines
• One-on-one tutoring or lessons
• Graphic organizers and other visual aids
• Changed test questions or assignments

Each student’s individualized education plan (IEP) team should carefully consider the extra help and services the student needs and how to get them. The IEP team should look over and update the student’s extra services and aids regularly to make sure they meet the student’s needs and help them make progress in the LRE.

Jennifer Hanson  is a dedicated and seasoned writer specializing in the field of special education. With a passion for advocating for the rights and needs of children with diverse learning abilities, Jennifer uses her pen to educate, inspire, and empower both educators and parents alike.

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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Essays

Application of every student succeeds act (essa) to students with disabilities, popular essay topics.

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Least Restrictive Environment (Essay Sample)

The paper talks about the Least Restricitve Environment (LRE) when discussing support and placement options for students with disabilities.

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Divisions Set to Deepen in Georgia After Foreign Influence Law Passes

Many Georgians see restrictions on organizations that receive international funding as a sign their country is moving away from the West and toward a Russia they abhor.

By Ivan Nechepurenko

Reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia

The moment the Parliament of Georgia put its final seal of approval Tuesday night on a contentious law aimed at keeping closer tabs on organizations funded from abroad, protesters surrounding the building erupted with screams, boos, and whistles.

Many were stunned, and some were in tears, fearing that the law could change the trajectory of their country for years to come, aligning it more with Russia than with the European Union they want to join.

“It is a new chapter in our life,” said Tamar Kintsurashvili, 54, who runs a nongovernmental organization that aids media organizations in Georgia, referring to what protesters have called the “Russian law,” saying it resembles one the Kremlin adopted to rein in its critics. “We know Russian experience. We know how they are operating.”

For weeks, the square and streets around the imposing Parliament building in Tbilisi have seethed with nightly protests, as thousands of mainly young residents of the capital who see Georgia’s future as aligned with the West — and the democratic freedoms they associate with that — decry what they see as the country’s slide into Russia’s orbit.

“We don’t want to become a second Belarus — or Russia,” said Konstantine Chakhunashvili, 32, a pediatrician and a member of the Geut protest group. Members of the group have been demonstrating in front of the Parliament every day over the past two years, but those protests have intensified — growing to include other groups and individuals — after the government introduced the foreign influence bill in April.

On Tuesday night, President Salome Zourabichvili, who has supported the protests but whose veto of the bill this month could not prevent its passage, called on protesters to press for a referendum on whether Georgia should be aligned with Europe or Russia. The president, whose duties are mainly ceremonial, also called on the country’s divided opposition parties to join forces to unseat the ruling Georgian Dream party at parliamentary elections in October.

“Are you angry today?” she told the crowds via a video link. “Let’s get to work.”

While the protesters have vowed to fight on, there is little they can do to change the reality of the bill that Georgian Dream legislators and their allies voted into law on Tuesday, overturning Ms. Zourabichvili’s veto.

The legislation requires nongovernmental groups and media organizations that receive at least 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as organizations “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.”

Both the United States and the European Union have criticized the law, and E.U. officials have said it could hamper Georgia’s longstanding ambitions of joining the bloc.

The protests have been mainly organized by civil society groups, many of which receive funding from overseas groups promoting things like democracy and a free media, who fear the country is sliding into authoritarianism. Many have coordinated their activities in messaging apps with opposition lawmakers.

The protests have been broadly embraced by citizens of the capital. Students have marched from their schools, and workers from their offices. Tbilisi’s techno dance clubs called on their patrons to go out and protest.

However, while most Georgians support joining the European Union and NATO, according to polls , the views of the overwhelmingly young protesters in Tbilisi have found little sympathy in more conservative areas outside the city center.

That has particularly been the case with older Georgians in rural regions and in small towns and villages, many of whom bore the economic brunt of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the chaos when Georgia plunged into civil war.

Many repeat the government’s claims that foreign groups and the European Union are imposing what they call an L.G.B.T.Q. ideology on Georgia — echoing populist leaders in countries like Hungary and Slovakia . In response, they have held their own marches, which are characterized by hymns and crosses instead of the anti-Russia chants and flags of the European Union at the pro-Western demonstrations.

“Everyone wants to interfere in our politics and make sure there is war here just as in Ukraine,” said Ketevan Lomidze, 60, a doctor, at a recent “family values” rally in Tbilisi. “We want to be part of the European Union, but with our own sovereignty, faith and traditions.”

Such polarization has been exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has forced Georgia to make a clearer choice between the West and its giant neighbor, said Dimitri Moniava, head of the Center for Strategic Communications, a research group in Tbilisi.

And, fearing its 12-year grip on Georgia might end, Georgian Dream, which is led by a reclusive oligarch, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is tapping into the fears of conservative voters and moving to curtail the activities of its critics, Mr. Moniava said.

“We are witnessing the formation of a fully-fledged authoritarian regime,” he said.

Many of the protesters in Tbilisi are students and professionals born in an independent Georgia after 1990. They say they fear their country is at a pivot point, and that democratic freedoms — like the one that allows them to protest in front of the Parliament — might be taken away.

“If we let them slide back to the times of the U.S.S.R., they will try to restrict freedom of assembly and speech,” said Mr. Chakhunashvili, the protest group member.

The government says it wants Georgia to be in the European Union and NATO, but that it has little choice but to take a more neutral stance on Russia, with which it fought a brief war in 2008, to avoid getting engulfed in a spreading conflict from Ukraine. The offices of the prime minister and the majority leader in Parliament declined requests for interviews.

Nino Zhizhilashvili, an anchor at Formula, one of the leading TV channels in Georgia, and dean of the Caucasus School of Media , said she joined the demonstrations to protest an increasingly restrictive environment for the media, as well as physical attacks on journalists.

“We are taking sides now; we can’t be impartial,” said Ms. Zhizhilashvili, 52. “We are all civil activists because we are attacked; our country is attacked — we are perceiving it as Russian pressure.”

Badri Okujava, a researcher at SovLab , an organization of historians studying Georgia’s past under Soviet rule, is one of the organizers of the protests.

“Russia did awful things in our country,” Mr. Okujava said in an interview in SovLab’s office, which was packed with dusty archival documents that he said outlined Russia’s occupation of Georgian land for centuries and the destruction of its culture.

According to Mr. Okujava, the government has tried to conceal Moscow’s role in such events. Access to archives has been severely restricted, he said, while history textbooks, which are overseen by the education ministry, have been dedicating more space to the Middle Ages, when Georgia’s main enemies where Turkey and Iran, not Russia.

Eka Gigauri, the head of Transparency International Georgia , which focuses on corruption issues including writing reports about Mr. Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream, said that her organization would not abide by the law.

She said her work had made her a constant target of attack; her car had been spray painted and her face had appeared on posters around Tbilisi accusing her of being a foreign agent and an “L.G.B.T.Q. propagandist.”

“These guys act in the interest of Putin’s regime,” said Ms. Gigauri, 46, referring to the government. The foreign influence bill would turn Georgia into a “backyard of Russia,” she said.

Ivan Nechepurenko covers Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the countries of the Caucasus, and Central Asia. He is based in Moscow. More about Ivan Nechepurenko