Placement Determination

Placement determination is made by a group of people, including the parents that are knowledgeable about the student and knowledgeable about the evaluation data and placement options.  A continuum of placement options must be available to meet the needs of students with disabilities for special education and related services. The continuum includes:

• • instruction in regular classes (with or without resource room support)

  • special classes

  • special schools

  • instruction in hospitals and institutions

  • home instruction

Placement options must be available to the extent necessary to implement the individualized education program for each student with a disability. 

Placement decisions must be made in conformity with the least restrictive environment (LRE) provisions.  These provisions direct that to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities be educated with students who are nondisabled, and that special classes, separate schooling or other removal of students with disabilities from the regular educational environment 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.  The placement must be made in the school that the student would attend if not disabled unless unique circumstances prevent this placement.  A student with a disability cannot be removed from education in age-appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general curriculum.

Placement must be:

• • determined at least annually

  • based on the student’s IEP

  • made as close as possible to the student’s home

Requirement for Least Restrictive Environment

School districts must ensure that:

(1) To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who do not have a disability and

(2) Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment 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.