Northeast Regional

Education Cooperative

Lisa Burciaga Segura

Ph.: 454-1472/FAX: 454-1473www.rec4.com

www.lisabsegura@hotmail.com

Least Least Restrictive Restrictive

EnvironmentEnvironment

Federal Register/Vol. 64, No. 48/Friday, March 12, 1999/Rules and Regulations

www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/IDEA/regs.html

1. That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are non-disabled; and

Each Public Agency Shall Each Public Agency Shall Ensure:Ensure:

2. That 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 classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

*A child with a disability

must not be removed from education in age-

appropriate regular classroom solely

because of needed modifications in the general classroom.

New Mexico…DEAD New Mexico…DEAD LAST!!LAST!!

How Is New Mexico Doing How Is New Mexico Doing With LRE?With LRE?

NM actually ranks 2nd to last, next to our nations capitol, Washington, D.C.

OUR PROBLEMOUR PROBLEMComparison of % students

educated in segregated settings

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30

40

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New Mexico educates more students with disabilities in

segregated settings 60% or more of the day than any other state or territory.

Data: U.S. Dept. of Ed., OSEP, August 30, 2001

“We’ve got to bring this bar DOWN”

Insert data slides for particular school district

How Will Professional Roles Change??

1. They must first evolve to meet the requirements of

the law (IDEA).

Good Teaching!

2.The traditional ways of educating students must

evolve to meet the needs of students in schools today…

It’s really all about:

“Our task is to provide an education for the kinds of

kids we have, not the kinds of kids we used to have, want to have, or the kids that exist in our dreams.”

K.P. Gerlach

LRE Role RedefinitionThe Special Educator

Traditional Provides

instruction to students eligible for services in resource rooms, special classes, and special schools.

Redefined Collaborates with general

educators and other support personnel to meet the needs of ALL learners.

Team teaches with regular educators in general education classes.

Recruits and trains students to be tutors and social supports for one another.

The General EducatorTraditional

Refers students who do not “fit” into the traditional program for diagnosis, remediation, and possible removal.

Teaches children who “fit” within the standard curriculum.

Redefined Shares responsibility with

special educators and other support personnel for teaching ALL children in the classroom.

Seeks support of special educators and other support personnel for students experiencing difficulty in learning.

Collaboratively plans and reaches with other members of the staff and community to meet the needs of all learners.

Recruits and trains students to be tutors and supports for one another.

The Educational Assistant

Traditional Works in

segregated programs.

If working in general education classrooms, stays in close proximity to and works only with student(s) eligible for special services

Redefined Provides services

to a variety of students in general education settings.

Facilitates natural peer supports within the general education settings.

The Student

Traditional Primarily works

and competes with other students for “best” performance.

Acts as a passive recipient of learning.

Redefined Often works with

other students in cooperative learning arrangements.

Actively involved in instruction, advocacy, and decision-making for self and others.

The Administrator

Traditional Manages the general

education program. Gives responsibility

for special programs to special education administrators, even though special programs are “housed” within the general education facilities

Redefined Manages educational programs

for ALL students. Articulates the vision and

provides emotional support to staff as they experience the “change” process.

Participates as a member of collaborative problem-solving teams that invent solutions to barriers inhibiting the successful inclusion and education of any child.

Secures resources to enable staff to meet the needs of all children.

How Can This Be How Can This Be Done??Done??

With “Highly Qualified” Teachers (NCLB) By end of 2005-2006, all teachers must meet the legal

definition of “highly qualified”. By Staff Working/Planning Collaboratively

Both general and special education staff are responsible for implementing IEP goals.

Be guided by the IEP! Know Your Students’ Learning Styles and Your

Teaching Style! By Teachers Knowing How to Accommodate and

Modify the Curriculum to Enable ALL Students to Succeed Within It!

By re-examining the traditional roles of educators, administrators, support staff, paraprofessionals, and students.

Utilize Your REC!

To Create Genuinely Challenging and

Engaging Learning For ALL Students?

The Differentiation of Instruction!

The Logical Solution?

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

Essentially, the aim of differentiating instruction is:

to maximize each student's growth by meeting each student where he or she is and helping the student to progress.

In practice, it involves: offering several different learning

experiences in response to students' varied needs.

To educate children with disabilities in an

environment that is as close as possible to that in

which they would be educated if they were not

disabled.(unless the IEP requires another

arrangement)

The Main The Main Idea/Goal:Idea/Goal:

Q & AQ & A

Northeast Regional

Education Cooperative

Lisa Burciaga Segura

Ph.: 454-1472/FAX: 454-1473www.rec4.com

www.lisabsegura@hotmail.com