Least Restrictive Environment All Students Who Receive Special Education

least restrictive environment all students who receive special education services must be taught in a least restrictive environment (lre). t

Least Restrictive Environment
All students who receive special education services must be taught in
a least restrictive environment (LRE). The Georgia Department of
Education recommends 8 different environments where students with
disabilities can be educated.
General Guidelines:
*
Ensure all students who are working towards a general education
diploma will be served through a direct service model in a
co-teaching or a collaborative environment to the maximum extent
possible or through an indirect service model and receive support
from support personnel such as interpreters, teacher assistants,
etc.
*
Consider the various placement options available in school with
general education as the LRE and the most viable option for
student. Always consider the least restrictive environment to the
most restrictive environment and mark appropriately on the IEP.
Check all the options considered on the IEP.
*
Provide supports, accommodations and modifications in the general
education environment to be successful. Answer the following
question while considering the placement option: Can the student
be placed in the general education class with appropriate
accommodations? If the student can function in the general
education class with accommodations, then don't place the student
in a co-taught class. Similarly, if the student can function in a
co-teaching class with accommodations, then don’t place the
student in a resource class.
*
Ensure all students are included in the non-academic and
extra-curricular activities
*
Review the placement options frequently to determine if the
student’s current setting is the least restrictive environment is
for him/her.
State Models:
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Consultative: Students with disabilities receive at least one
segment per month of direct service from the special education
personnel.
*
Collaborative: A special education teacher/therapist provides
service in the general education classroom along with the general
education teacher less than full segment daily. (For example, ½
segment per day for 5 days or the whole segment on 4 days a week).
*
Co-teaching: A special education teacher /therapist provides
service in the general education classroom along with the general
education teacher for the entire segment daily.
*
Separate Class: A special education teacher/therapist provides
services in a separate setting such as a resource classroom.
*
Separate Day School: Student receives his/her services in a
separate school due to the severity of his/her disability.
Students must have a reintegration plan.
*
Home Instruction: Student receives instruction in a separate
setting for short term. For example, due to the student’s severe
behavior, student receives services in the interim alternative
placement. Student will receive IEP services by following the
procedures for Troup County home-based students.
*
Hospital/Home bound: Student receives services in the hospital or
receives home-bound services as he or she is unable to attend
school due to medical condition that will significantly impact
his/her education and requires them to be restricted at
hospital/home.
*
Residential: Student is placed in a residential setting due to the
severity of his/her behavior.
Least Restrictive Environment Model