Programs and Placement
What's Required
The IDEA guarantees that a student with a disability will be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
This means that to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities must be educated with students who do not have disabilities. Therefore, removal of a student from the regular educational environment may only occur 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. Federal law requires that a school district must ensure a continuum of placements is available to meet the needs of students with disabilities (34 CFR 300.115I(b)).
What We Do
When developing the IEP, the ARD/IEP Committee must determine the placement of a student served through special education. Placement considerations:
- placement must be in the least restrictive environment (LRE), which means to the maximum extent appropriate, the student will be educated with students who do not have disabilities;
- placement is not the specific physical location or site where the services will be delivered.
Special education services are provided on a continuum as follows:
- general education with consultation services from special education
- general education with instructional modifications and/or accommodations with supplementary aids and services from special education
- special education instructional services less than 21 percent of the school day
- special education instructional services at least 21 percent of the school day and less than 50 percent of the school day
- special education instructional services at least 50 percent and no more than 60 percent of the school day
- special education instructional services more than 60 percent of the school day.
Educational Placements
Please locate specific information regarding programs under the "sidebar menu" such as Early Childhood, Mainstream/In-Class Support Services, LIFE Skills/Applied Academics, Therapeutic Intervention Program, and Resource Room.