What Is the Purpose of Least Restrictive Environment?

Navigating the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in the IEP Process

As parents sit at the IEP table, the team comes to the part of the meeting where they discuss the “appropriate classroom setting.” If you are like me, parents automatically think their child will be in the gen-ed (general education/ regular) classroom. Random thoughts that have gone through my head — as a parent and advocate––Isn’t every child entitled to be placed in the gen-ed setting? Is the gen-ed classroom the “best” setting for each child? What is the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for my child? This last question is the hardest for parents as they sit at the IEP table.

Considering Placement Options: A Personal Perspective

While at the IEP Meeting, it is hard to make a sound choice regarding which placement/setting will be the most beneficial to your child when you are reviewing all options for your child! We had to consider a non-inclusion class for our younger daughter with her legal blindness. With her blindness, there are different cues, teaching strategies, accommodations, etc… that needed to be addressed, and that would have been more “typical” in a center classroom/ residential school with other students who were also blind. That decision did not come easily for my husband and I, but we had several other families to discuss placement with, so she benefitted best! At least we “could prepare.” Most parents don’t have that luxury.

Understanding the IDEA Law

Getting back to the IDEA law: IDEA does state that our children with disabilities in public or private schools/facilities should be educated with children who are nondisabled and that placement outside the gen ed class “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.”¹ The ASD (autism) class is one example where your child might benefit from placement with other students with autism; the classroom might be more equipped with tools/equipment/therapies/strategies than the gen ed class.

Exploring the Continuum of Placement

There is a continuum of placement – regular/gen-ed classes, gen-ed classes with supports (inclusion), special classes (ESE/resource room/self-contained), special schools (center or residential schools), home instruction, and hospital/homebound and institutions.² The IEP Team, which includes parents, will consider the IEP, present levels, and evaluations, and placement should be reviewed and determined annually. Placement should also be made at the school closest to the child’s home or where he/she would be placed if they did not have a disability.³

Inclusion and Supplementary Aids

If your child is placed in a more restrictive classroom, they should be included to the extent possible with their non-disabled peers. This may mean that they are in the lunchroom or extracurricular classes/electives with their nondisabled peers but are sitting with their classmates. The IEP will have a breakdown of the percentage of time your child will be with children with and without disabilities. The team will also review and determine your child’s need for supplementary aids/services, which will also be written into the IEP. I usually suggest that parents request that their child be included in an elective (or two) with support to see how their child will do in a gen-ed setting.

Advocating for Your Child’s Placement

It’s crucial for parents to network with other parents and seek guidance from advocates to make informed decisions about their child’s placement. Additionally, parents should give the placement time to see if their child thrives in that environment.

Doreen Franklin Doreen is a Special Ed Advocate and parent of 2 adopted daughters with diverse special needs. She assists parents with their understanding of legal policy, procedures, rights, & responsibilities under IDEA so parents can learn to advocate for their children collaboratively. She has been an Advocate & Coach since 2005. Doreen is also a private tutor and homeschooled her older daughter.

1. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.114
2. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.115
3. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.116

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• The Importance of S.M.A.R.T IEP Goals
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This post originally appeared on our September/October 2018 Magazine