1. LRE: THE PLACE TO BE How to Document Least Restrictive Environment
Presented by:
Christel Hockensmith
Roger Lacy
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services
November 23, 2010

2. Desired Session Outcomes:
Understand the IDEA requirements for LRE
Recognize appropriate ways to document LRE considerations
Apply knowledge gained from this training to future placement decisions
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

3. IDEA in the 1970s Disco was “where it’s at”
Gerald Ford was President of the USA
Gasoline was 59 cents a gallon
“Blackberry” was a fruit used in cobblers and jam
Ford had a better IDEA
PL was a brand new Law
The law assumed that most students with disabilities were educated in segregated settings
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

4. IDEA in the 21st Century
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

5. IDEA in the 21st Century Instant worldwide communication
Social Media like Facebook or Twitter
Your rock n’ roll is now on your iPod and not on an 8-Track tape
IDEA assumes children with disabilities are served primarily in general education settings
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

6. What does the law say about LRE?
An LEA (district) shall ensure that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children placed by the LEA in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled. The LEA shall ensure that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if education in the regular education environment with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be satisfactorily achieved due to the nature or severity of the disability.
707 KAR 1:350 Section 1
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

7. What does the law say about LRE?
An LEA shall ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is available to meet the needs of children with disabilities for special education and related services
The continuum shall include the alternative placements of:
Instruction in regular classes
Special classes
Special schools
Home instruction
Instruction in hospitals and institutions
707 KAR 1:350 Section 1 (2) (3)
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services
4/14/2018

8. What does the law say about LRE?
The LEA shall make provision for supplementary services to be provided in conjunction with regular class placement.
In determining the educational placement of a child with a disability, the LEA shall ensure that the placement decision is made by the ARC in conformity with the least restrictive environment provisions.
A child’s placement shall be:
Determined at least annually
Based on the child’s IEP
As close as possible to the child’s home
707 KAR 1:350 Section 1 (4) (5) (6)
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

9. What does the law say about LRE?
An IEP shall contain an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will NOT participate in nondisabled children in regular classrooms 707 KAR 1:320 Section 5 (9)
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

10. What does the law say about LRE?
Unless the IEP of a child with a disability requires some other arrangement, the child shall be educated in the school that he would attend if nondisabled
In selecting the least restrictive environment, consideration shall be given to any potential harmful effects on the child or on the quality of services he needs
A child with a disability shall not be removed from education in age appropriate regular classrooms solely because of needed modifications in the general curriculum
707 KAR 1:350 Section 1 (7) (8) (9)
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

11. Annual Performance Report (APR)/KCMP Indicator 5 Measurable Targets
5 A- Increase the percentage of students served inside the regular class 80% or more of the day from 64.5 percent to 65 percent. 5 B- Decrease the percentage of students served inside the regular class less than 40% of the day from 11.1% to 11.0%. 5 C- Decrease the percentage of students receiving their special education services in public and private residential day schools by .05 percent.
Activities are being modified and adjusted this year. LRE analysis has taken place with indicator 3 (achievement for student with disabilities) looking for correlations in placement and achievement.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

12. Annotated Conference Summary and Annotated IEP
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

13. How do we document LRE? Rejecting General Education Setting
Problem statement
Not restrictive enough
Is not the LRE
John needs small group instruction in order to be successful.
Better Example
Even with supplementary aids and services, John cannot be successful in a full time general education setting due to his need for intensive direct instruction and need for frequent repetition of content.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

14. How do we document LRE? Rejecting General Education Setting
Problem statement
Eileen needs a resource setting for speech services.
Better Example
Eileen needs to be in a quiet setting that’s free from distractions for articulation therapy.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education
Division of Learning Services

15. How do we document LRE? Rejecting General Education Setting
Problem statement
Steve cannot be successful in the regular classroom because of his behavior.
Better Example
Even with the use of an appropriate BIP and other supports, Steve still exhibits volatile behaviors that are a constant disruption to the classroom environment.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education
Division of Learning Services

16. How do we document LRE? Accepting General Education Setting
Acceptable Statement
Kiah’s IEP can be successfully implemented in the general education setting.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

17. How do we document LRE? Rejecting Resource Room Setting
Problem statement
Not restrictive enough.
Larry cannot be successful in the resource room.
Larry needs to be in a self-contained class.
Better Example
Larry’s documented behavior concerns have escalated to the point that he is a danger to himself and others.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education
Division of Learning Services

18. How do we document LRE? Accepting Resource Setting
Acceptable Statement
The resource room provides the necessary structure and fewer distractions that will allow Elizabetha to be successful in meeting her IEP goals.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

19. How do we document LRE? Accepting Self-Contained Setting
Acceptable Statement
Based on the needs documented above, Kareem can be most successful in a self-contained classroom setting.
Show poor examples and give examples of how these could be written appropriately.
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

20. Resources:
Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)/Division of Learning Services (DLS) Annotated IEP and Conference Summary Special Education Cooperatives
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

21. 4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services

22. Contact Information
4/14/2018
Kentucky Department of Education/Division of Learning Services