PLACEMENT
Consideration of special education placement for students with disabilities is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) decision based on the student’s most appropriate Least Restrictive Environment (LRE):
When developing the IEP, the IEP team will identify the needed supports and services for the student and then determine the placement of a student.
Placement must be:
n the least restrictive environment (LRE)
to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are non-disabled
Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of a child with a disability from the regular education environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily
Placement considerations must involve a Student Services Manager as part of the Individualized Education Plan team. When discussing placement, the team considers the Least Restrictive Environment, specifying the specific support, services and where they occur, then justifying need within the LRE statement, section 11. LRE considerations for district supported placements include:
Specialized Classrooms: Multiple Disabilities, Autism, Strides and Compass
special education instructional services outside the general education setting at least 21 percent of the school day and no more than 60 percent of the school day
special education instructional services outside the general education setting more than 60 percent of the school day
Separate Facility: Partial Hospitalization and School and School Only Consideration
special education instructional services provided in a separate facility
Home Instruction:
Temporary Home Instruction for Students Absent during an Illness or Seeking Educational Placement
Intermittent Home Instruction
special education instructional services provided in homebound, hospital
Since change of placement is a team based decision, parents must be notified of change of placement using a PR01 (Prior Written Notice) and be an active participant in their child’s IEP team meeting (Section 13). The parent must also indicate agreement of change of placement in section 14 of their child’s IEP.
FORMS
Individualized Education Plan (PR07)
RESOURCES
Link to What is a specialized classroom
Link to Home Instruction Brochure