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Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Children

The services available to serve an eligible preschool student with a disability fall along a continuum.  The aim is to provide service to every child in his or her Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).  This means that for all children, appropriate services are to be provided in a setting with his or her typically developing peers as much as possible, while meeting his or her individual learning needs.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE
  1. Related Services only
  2. Special Education Itinerant Teacher Services (SEIT) only
  3. SEIT in combination with Related Services
  4. Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS)
  5. Special Class (SC)
  6. Residential Program
MOST RESTRICTIVE

Continuum of CPSE Services

  1. Related Services: These are developmental, corrective, and other supportive services provided to assist a student with a disability. Services may include speech, occupational, or physical therapy; counseling; orientation mobility services; parent training and counseling; school health services; school social work; and assistive technology.  If two or more related services are recommended, the CPSE designates one of the related service providers as the Coordinator.

  2. Special Education Itinerant Teacher Services (SEIS): Service are provided by a NYS certified special education teacher, who travels to the location of the child’s regular education class or program. She or he provides specially designed, individualized or group instruction to meet the unique needs of the student(s) so She or he may benefit from his/her regular early childhood education program.  A SEIT provide “direct service” to the child, and/or “indirect services”, like a consultant, to his or her regular classroom teacher(s).  She or he may make suggestions regarding how to adjust the learning environment and/or modify instructional methods or materials to meet the individual needs of student with a disability who attends an early childhood program.  SEIT services must be provided at least two hours per week.

  3. SEIT in combination with Related Services: A preschool child may receive a combination of the services above in order to meet his or her special learning needs. They may all be provided at a location including, but not limited to: an approved or licensed pre-kindergarten, Head Start program, child care setting, nursery school, therapists office or in the child’s home.  When a child attends a mainstream early childhood program, it is the parent’s responsibility to locate it, enroll the child, and pay any fees or tuition.  The Special Education teacher is designated by the CPSE to serve as the Coordinator.

  4. Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS): A special education program that has been approved by the NY State Education Department, which consists of a class make up by children with and without identified special needs. It requires at least one special education teacher, in addition to a general education teacher and/or a paraprofessional.  Each class lasts for a minimum of 2.5 hours per day (half-day class) or up to a maximum of 5 hours (full-day class).  Children approved for a SCIS may also receive related services.  Transportation options will be discussed upon eligibility.

  5. Special Class: A State Education Department -approved preschool special education program provides this classroom, in which every child enrolled in this class is classified as a “preschool student with a disability” by his or her school district. Classes may have up to a maximum of twelve (12) children.  The classes are staffed by at least one special education teacher and one paraprofessional.  Each class lasts for a minimum of 2.5 hours per day (half-day class) or up to a maximum of 5 hours per day (full-day class).  Children approved for a special class may also receive related services.  Transportation options will be discussed upon eligibility determination.

  6. Residential Program: Special Education services are provided for a minimum of 5 hours per day, five (5) days per week. Placement in a residential program must be approved by the State Education Department Commissioner.  Children approved for a residential program may also receive related services.