Team Considerations

Considering and selecting natural environments (NE) or least restrictive environment (LRE) are the third and fourth of five key decisions on the NE/LRE Team Decision Making Map, as required under the IDEA for the IFSP/IEP process for a child with a disability.

A child’s Extended IFSP outcomes or IEP goals are central to helping a team identify his or her NE/LRE, and are an essential component of an Extended IFSP or IEP document. Developed with parents, these documents identify the services necessary to support a child’s learning and development in an early childhood setting, with appropriate supports, accommodations and modifications as needed.
 

A Family's Story: Part 1

Watch a Maryland family story that highlights their son Cameron's journey in transitioning from an IFSP to an IEP.

NE/LRE for Preschool through Kindergarten Age Children

A continuum of potential options for natural environments (NE) and least restrictive environments (LRE) for preschool through kindergarten age children are represented on the NE/LRE Decision Making Map.

For a child receiving services through an Extended IFSP, the natural environment is a setting that is natural or typical for a same-aged child without a disability; this may include the home or a community setting. To the maximum extent appropriate, early intervention and related services are provided in natural environments. When early intervention outcomes cannot be achieved satisfactorily in the natural environment, a justification for providing services in an environment other than the natural environment must be made by the parent and the IFSP team. The justification is required to be based on the needs of the child and evidence-based practice and is reflected in the child’s outcomes identified by the IFSP Team. Include in the justification, a plan for how to move the child from an environment that is not a natural environment back into other settings at home or in the community once the specific outcome that could not be met in the natural environment is achieved.

For a child receiving services through an IEP, the least restrictive environment is the setting where a child is educated with peers without disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate. The LRE placement where a child receives these service(s) must be as close as possible to his or her home.

The determination of whether an early childhood setting for a preschool through kindergarten age child is the “least restrictive” is based on:

• what are the early childhood settings of children without disabilities of the same chronological age
• if the IFSP/IEP services can be implemented in that setting
• access and meaningful involvement in, the local school system's early learning curriculum and
• meaningful interaction with his or her peers without disabilities. MSDE TA Bulletin 9B 2010, p. 3

The considerations above may also be relevant for a child receiving services through an Extended IFSP in a classroom/community setting.
 

A variety of data sources about a child’s current performance and identified outcomes/goals should guide the team discussion regarding NE/LRE placement. Consider all the following data sources, and review at least annually:

• Parental input
• Reports of formal assessments
• Assessor recommendations and observations
• Interviews with early care and education partners
• Child’s work samples
• Information provided by other key individuals familiar with a child.

When a child with a disability is receiving services through an IEP and is below mandatory school age, include an individual on the IEP team who is experienced in teaching children without disabilities of the same age; otherwise, a regular educator must be included on the team. The role of this teacher is to help identify appropriate positive behavioral interventions, program modifications and supplementary aids and services, as needed.

A Family's Story: Part 2

Continuing the conversation: Watch a family working through the IEP process.

Justifying placement decisions outside regular early childhood settings for children receiving services through an IEP

Self contained special education classes, separate schooling or other removal of a student with a disability from the early childhood settings occurs only if the nature or severity of his/her disability is such that participation in these settings, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be satisfactorily achieved.

A self contained special education setting cannot be based solely on any one factor:

• Category of a child’s disability;
• Significance of the child’s disability;
• Language and communication needs;
• Needed modifications in the general curriculum;
• Lack of experience participating with typical peers;
• Configuration of the public agency’s delivery system;
• Availability of space or educational or related services; or
• Administrative convenience.

A child with a disability is never removed from a community early childhood setting(s) solely because of needed modifications to the early learning curriculum or activities. Nor can placement decisions be based on a generalized statement e.g., “We think a child with this disability would do better in a self-contained setting.”

When an IEP team determines that a child cannot be educated in a community early childhood setting, specific reasons for that decision must be documented. MSDE TA Bulletin 9B, 2010. 

Include in the justification:

• An explanation why services cannot be delivered in a community early childhood setting with the use of supplementary aids, services, program modifications and other supports, as needed.
• A description of the extent to which the child WILL NOT participate with peers without disabilities in age-appropriate early childhood activities, including meals, recess, and other services available to all children in the setting.