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College of Education, Grand Canyon University SPD-510 Professional, Ethical, and Legal Practices and Policies in Special Education LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT (LRE) PART 1: GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Home- bound Specia l Educat ion, Hospital/ Institutio n Gener al Educat ion According to a recent report by Our Kids (2022), students with disabilities may have limited opportunities to interact with peers without disabilities, potentially impacting their social development. This may also lead to a negative perception of special education, as some students may be As per the research conducted by Our Kids (2022), educators who specialize in special education offer supplementary resources and services that are not commonly found in conventional schools. This fosters an environment where students facing similar challenges can connect and receive Drawbacks Benefits Families of children requiring special education services have the option of providing these services within the comfort of their own home. This can be achieved through enrollment in an online school or through homeschooling. In either case, the local public school system offers specialized virtual education services customized to fit the child's specific needs. From monitoring their progress to As per Cipriano's (2016) research, the educational program is tailored to cater to the unique requirements of individual students with disabilities in the classroom. The program prides itself on maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio, ensuring each student receives personalized attention and assistance. Furthermore, the Benefits Cipriano (2016) suggests that the customized and personalized curriculum offered to students may lead to academic challenges in obtaining their high school diploma. This is because individualized curriculums may not always cover the common core standards and state testing requirements. Moreover, students with disabilities may have limited Drawbacks Swanson (2010) notes that schools may face limitations in providing resources rooms for students with disabilities due to funding and resource constraints. These rooms may be located in shared spaces or hallways, which could potentially cause distractions for students. Moreover,

References Chen, C. C., Culhane, D. P., Metraux, S., Park, J. M., Venable, J. C., & Burnett, T. C. (2016). They’re not all at home: Residential placements of early adolescents in special education. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 24(4), 247-256. Cipriano, C., Barnes, T. N., Bertoli, M. C., Flynn, L. M., & Rivers, S. E. (2016). There's no" I" in team: Building a framework for teacher-paraeducator interactions in self-contained special education classrooms. The Journal of Classroom Interac- tion, 51(2), 4-19. Lynch, M. (2020, November 30). What Are the Pros and Cons of Mainstreaming. The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-mainstreaming/ Our Kids. (2019). Special needs schools pros and cons | Our Kids. Ourkids.net. https://www.ourkids.net/school/special-needs-school-benefits Drawbacks Benefits Students who require additional support beyond what special education can provide may receive care from hospitals or specialized institutions. These services can be provided by the local public school district or a specialized facility, enabling students to receive a public education while staying in a public As per Chen's (2016) findings, sending students with disabilities to specialized schools may have significant drawbacks. One such disadvantage is that it can lead to social isolation, separating them from their loved ones for extended periods, which could adversely affect their personal relationships. Furthermore, this could also limit their interactions with non-disabled peers, curtailing their As per the findings of Chen (2016), students with disabilities tend to thrive when provided with round- the-clock assistance from their teachers and staff. Such support ensures a consistent and reinforcing approach throughout the day, while creating a safe environment for the students to learn not just in the classroom, but also in their everyday interactions with peers. This inclusive environment further According to Swanson (2010), the implementation of the inclusive classroom model facilitates the integration of students with disabilities into conventional classroom settings, while simultaneously providing them with an extra instructor who can assist and direct them in Special Educati on School Lynch (2020) suggests that providing students with disabilities the chance to engage and learn alongside their peers can yield numerous advantages. Their social skills may improve by placing them in a diverse group of learners. Furthermore, this approach may also benefit non-disabled students by teaching them how to effectively collaborate with Drawbacks Benefits Special education schools are designed to cater to the specific needs of students who require extra support due to their disabilities. These schools usually have small class sizes with students receiving personalized attention from trained professionals. Depending on the type of disability, special education schools may specialize in certain categories and offer tailored instruction to address specific needs. As a Typically, students who are assigned to special education classrooms are grouped together with individuals who are receiving similar special education services. These classes typically boast smaller group sizes and may be It has been observed that students with disabilities, who also have behavioral issues, might cause disturbances in the classroom during learning. This can negatively impact their self-esteem and social skills while interacting with their peers who do not have disabilities. Although students with disabilities have the potential to learn the same material as their peers, they may require a different pace of learning, which can This allows individuals to connect with others of similar age and abilities and develop valuable skills. This gives individuals a unique opportunity to engage and interact with peers who share their age group and abilities, well Benefits

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Determining the Least Restrictive Environment Machelle E. Summers College of Education, Grand Canyon University SPD-510 Professional, Ethical, and Legal Practices and Policies in Special Education Dr. Elaine Brown January 17, 2024

Part 2: Determining the Least Restrictive Environment The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a crucial federal law that mandates that all students with disabilities in the United States receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) from their local public institutions (Rothstein & Johnson, 2021). The EAHCA, enacted in 1975, was the precursor to this law. The IDEA guarantees that each state must provide customized services to meet the distinctive needs of students with disabilities without any financial burden to their families (Rothstein & Johnson, 2021) A collaborative effort between education professionals and the student's family is undertaken to determine the most suitable educational environment for a student. The goal is to assess the student's individual needs while also considering the least restrictive environment (LRE) concept. The LRE refers to an educational setting where the student has optimal access to the general curriculum while being integrated with non-disabled peers to the greatest extent possible (U.S. Department of Education, 2017). The determined placement is then recorded in the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which guarantees that the student receives the necessary education to achieve their maximum potential. According to Bateman and Yell (2017), prior to the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), Congress discovered that a significant number of students with disabilities were not receiving public education, and those who did were not getting education appropriate to their needs. Following the enactment of EAHCA, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), education for students with disabilities was revolutionized by providing free education that was tailored to their individual needs. Despite "Free" and "Education" being undisputed, "Appropriate" was a topic of debate, and several court cases addressed what appropriate setting meant for such students. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2017), the term "appropriate" has been defined as educational services that are designed to meet an individual's needs and are consistent with the needs of non-disabled students. In addition, students with disabilities are to be placed in educational settings with non-disabled peers as much as possible, and evaluation and procedures are in place to prevent inappropriate placement. Finally, due process procedures have been established to safeguard students with disabilities.

Least Restrictive Environment The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlines the concept of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), which governs how and where students with disabilities receive their education (IRIS, 2019). LRE is individualized for each student based on their disability, educational needs, and discrepancies. The main objective of LRE is to offer students with disabilities educational opportunities similar to those of their non-disabled peers, with adequate support (IRIS, 2019). IDEA recommends that students with disabilities spend the maximum amount of time possible with non-disabled peers in general education classrooms (IRIS, 2019). Only when learning is not possible in the general education setting should they be placed in an alternative setting according to their LRE. The rationale is that students educated in their LRE perform better academically and socially (Rothstein, 2021). Nonetheless, certain situations may require a more restrictive LRE for some students. For example, a student who disrupts the general education classroom may need a more controlled environment. Some students may also require a more restrictive LRE due to academic levels, behavioral issues, or the need for a disturbance-free environment (IRIS, 2019). However, it is crucial to understand that a highly restrictive LRE should not be a permanent placement. Educators should attempt to help students with more restrictive LREs transition to a less restrictive environment when possible (IRIS, 2019). Appropriate Placement Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), there is a range of alternative placements available for students with disabilities. These placements include general education classrooms with additional support, specialized classrooms, separate schools, home instruction, and other settings (IRIS, 2019). A special education evaluation must be conducted before determining the most suitable placement for a student. This evaluation may involve academic testing, observations, feedback from parents and teachers, and other measures to determine if the student is eligible for special education services. The data collected from the evaluation will indicate the student's current level of performance, strengths, and areas of need. In some cases, the evaluation may also reveal greater discrepancies that require a more restrictive environment (IRIS, 2019).

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The University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration stresses the importance of selecting a placement for students with disabilities that promotes academic and functional growth, fosters inclusive participation in extracurricular activities alongside peers with and without disabilities, and maximizes exposure to general education settings (IRIS, 2019). The ultimate aim of special education placement is to provide a customized learning environment that caters to the unique needs of each student and empowers them to achieve their full potential. Educational professionals work closely with parents to determine the optimal placement for each student. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team convenes annually to evaluate the student's progress and ascertain whether the current placement aligns with the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) or requires modification. Every three years, evaluations are conducted to monitor the student's present level of performance and identify any necessary changes in placement. As students’ progress toward achieving their annual objectives or demonstrate a need for additional assistance, they may transition through various placement options. The overarching goal is always to ensure that the student's educational needs are met in the most suitable and least restrictive environment feasible (IRIS, 2019). Conclusion In recent years, the public education system has made significant strides to support students with disabilities. With the introduction of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), academic and behavioral assistance became a reality for these students, with the concept of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) at the forefront of these efforts. The primary focus of IDEA was to ensure that students with disabilities are placed in the least restrictive environment possible, allowing them to spend as much time as possible with their non-disabled peers throughout the school day. This was achieved by creating a continuum of placements, offering a range of options for students based on their academic performance, strengths, and areas of need. Students can now move from one placement to another based on their growth or increasing need for support, ensuring that every student is supported to reach their full potential.

References: Iris Center. (2019). Introduction to LRE . https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf_info_briefs/IRIS_Least_Restrictive_Environment_InfoBrief_092519.pdf Rothstein, L. F., & Johnson, S. F. (2021). Special education law (Sixth). Sage Publications, Inc. U.S. Department of Education. (2017). Individuals with disabilities education act . Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.114 Yell, M. L., & Bateman, D. F. (2017). Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017) FAPE and the U.S. Supreme Court. TEACHING Exceptional Children , 50 (1), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059917721116

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