The concept of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is commonly misunderstood as nothing more than a black-and-white distinction between the general education and special education settings. This leads educators to the mistaken assumption that placing a student in a particular setting will automatically provide that student with his or her LRE.

However, LRE is more than a place, it is a package of supports. Regardless of what setting the student is placed in, there are still a range of LRE options available to the IEP team. Supports that IDEA 2004 refers to as "supplementary aids and services" (e.g., accommodations or modifications, assistive technology (AT), paraprofessional support) are key to ensuring that students with disabilities can receive FAPE while maximizing their independence.

For example, for a student who needs to read grade-level text in a general education class, paraprofessional support would be considered more restrictive than text-to-speech software. The student's location doesn't change, but the environment is more or less restrictive depending on the supports provided.

Consideration of setting is important to LRE, and removal from the general education setting may occur only if the student's educational needs are such that instruction in a general education classroom—with the support of supplementary aids and services—cannot reasonably provide the student with a meaningful educational benefit. Providing instruction in the general education setting with typically developing students has been shown to improve learning outcomes for students with disabilities.

1) Where the instruction will take place

Specialized instruction can be provided in a variety of formats (e.g., pull-out instruction in a resource room, co-teaching or push-in instruction in a general education classroom, etc.).

2) What the student will be missing

The specific classes and activities that the student will not participate in so that they may receive their specialized instruction.

3) Why is this the student’s LRE

Thorough rationales explain the features of specialized instruction that (1) are necessary for the student and (2) cannot be reasonably offered in a less restrictive setting. The explanation needs to be more specific than, “Because his skills are discrepant from peers, Johnny will receive…"

• State the disability and how it hinders the student (specific areas: academics, social skills, behavior, sensory, communication, etc.) 

• How the student’s needs affect participation in the general curriculum 

• Each service listed with the duration, frequency, provider, location and what the student will miss in the general education classroom while receiving special education services out of the classroom. Comment end  

"(1) Brittany needs specialized math instruction in the special education setting. (2) While Brittany participates in this instruction, she will not receive grade level math instruction. (3) This is the least restrictive environment for Brittany because, at her grade level, the general education math curriculum does not target the skills of number sense and computation that Brittany needs in order to make progress. Participating in general education instruction during this time would not provide Brittany with a reasonable opportunity for educational benefit, as she requires math fact fluency trials and repeated and guided practice to make adequate progress on the skill of math calculation."

"(1) Christina will receive specialized social skills instruction in the special education setting. (2) She will participate in this instruction rather than a general education elective. (3) This is the LRE at this time because, in order to make adequate progress, Christina requires thorough description and modeling of calming strategies and related skills. She also needs opportunities to develop rationales for skill performance, frequent opportunities for practice, and detailed critical feedback. These instructional features are not included in the general curriculum to the extent needed by Christina, and attempting to provide these features in the general education setting through supplementary aids and services would not provide a reasonable opportunity for educational benefit."

Example for a student who is receiving co-taught instruction in the general education setting: "Laura will receive specialized math instruction targeting the skills of operations and algebra, numbers base ten, and numbers and operations with fractions. (1) This specialized instruction will be provided in the general education setting. (2) Laura will not miss any time with typically-developing peers to receive these services. (3) In order to make adequate progress toward her goal, Laura requires scaffolding, repeated practice opportunities, and individual feedback. These features of instruction could not be adequately facilitated by a general education teacher without a special education co-teacher."