Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Defining Least Restrictive Environment

Inclusive education is best defined by membership. Included students with IEPs are supported members of age-appropriate general education classes and programs in their home school communities. They receive specialized instruction, related services, and/or supplementary aids and services to enable involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (34 CFR Part 300 1, p. 12470; 20 USC 141[1][A][iii])

LRE IS:

• required by Federal and State Law
• where students with disabilities have the opportunity to attend their home schools
• an individualized determination of the appropriate placement that is made by the IEP team, including the student as appropriate
• consideration of the full array of services to meet individual student needs, including supplementary aids and services provided in the general classroom
• placement of students with disabilities with peers of the same chronological age
• bringing supports and services to students where they need them 9e.g., in general education classes or in community vocational settings, etc.)
• educating students in general education classrooms with appropriate supports and services
• providing access to all areas of the general education curriculum
• collaboration and shared responsibility among general and special educators, administrators, parents, and students with disabilities

LRE IS NOT:

• an option
• educating students with disabilities without considering their home school
• considering only one placement option within the array of services
• making IEP teams choose between needed services and a preferred appropriate placement
• “putting” students in general education classrooms without appropriate supports
• providing a separate, unrelated curriculum to the general education curriculum
• special educators assuming sole responsibility for students with disabilities

Inclusive Education Guidelines

Resources on LRE:

Building Instructional Capacity and Skill of Educators

• OESE Center of Instruction – www.centeroninstruction.org
• Prepare educators to teach students with disabilities in an era of standards-based reform and accountability- http://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/
• Instructional programs and practices- www.k8accesscenter.org/training resources/programsandpractices.asp
• Universal design for learning- www.k8accesscenter.org./training resources/universal design.asp

School culture and leadership that supports LRE

• Background materials on access to the general education curriculum- www.k8accesscenter.org/training resources/default.asp
• Addressing behavior issues through a schoolwide, districtwide, or statewide initiative- www.pbis.org
• Inclusion, LRE, and mainstreaming- www.wrightslaw.com/idea/

From the States

• LRE Resources Project- www.wested.org/online_pubs/leastrestrictive.pdf