Welcome to the LRE Coalition Web Site

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SEEKING
THE LRE FOR YOUR CHILD

In New York City, a parent is entitled to look at any placement recommendation for their child before agreeing to that placement. So if the Committee on Special Education recommends your child be placed in a particular class, make sure you visit th at classroom before you agree to it. In this time of transition to inclusion, you may be told you can’t see the particular inclusion class the CSE is recommending because it doesn’t exist yet, but you can still visit the school for a sense of its atmosph ere and philosophy.

Here are some suggestions about what to look for in the classroom when you visit:

What is the overall atmosphere of the classroom? Is the classroom cluttered or distracting? Is it noisy and seemingly out of control (bad), or noisy with the sounds of learning (good)? Is children’s work displayed in the room? How does the atmosph ere of the classroom match your child's needs?

What activities took place during my visit? Did the students appear to be engaged in the class: that is, were they participating in discussion or otherwise involved with a learning activity? Or did they appear bored: not working, looking into spa ce, head on their table, etc.?

How does the teacher’s instructional style matchyour child's needs? Some children need more structure, some less. Some respond well working together with other students in a small group, others may need to take the cue from the teacher. Some chil dren may need more one-on-one instruction – is it available? If you feel unsure as to what type of learning environment your child might do best in, you could ask specialists for advice – perhaps your child's current teacher or principal, the CSE personn el, or private counselors.

How does the level of functioning of the class compare to your child's? Students in a segregated special education class cannot range more than 36 months apart in age and must be grouped by functional level and learning needs. You have a right to a written profile of any class you visit showing the age range of the class and the functional levels of students including language and intellectual level and behavior. In an inclusion class, try to get a sense of whether your child will be able to progress in that enviro nment, with the required supports, services and/or modifications.

Is the material the students are working on appropriate for your child? If not, could modifications be made that would allow him or her to follow the general curriculum of the class? Could your child achieve his or her IEP goals in this environment? For example, there are severely disabled children who will not be able to follow much or most of the curriculum, but may learn a modified curriculum and derive social/emotional benefits from inclusion in the class.

Would the other children’s behavior be positive or negative for my child? Are there appropriate role models in the class? For example, if a child is not emotionally disturbed but is put in a segregated special education class with numerous children who are emotionally disturbed, this is likely to be a negative learning experience.

How do the class and school handle behavior issues? Is discipline maintained by positive reinforcement or punitive measures? Will the school’s discipline methods be appropriate for your child? If your child's IEP requires a functional behavior asses sment, how will this be implemented in the classroom?

If it is a special class (i.e. a segregated special education class), are there opportunities for inclusion in general education classes or activities, for example in a subject or class my child could handle, or at lunch, or in gym, art, or library classes, etc.?

If my child's IEP requires supports and services, how and by whom will they be provided? Do other students in the class receive IEP services?

How do the teacher and the parent communicate with each other about goals for the child, classroom and work expectations, behavior and discipline, etc. for consistency in classroom and the home? If you can, speak with the teacher(s) and aide(s), to get a sense of how they interact with you and what their philosophy for teaching is.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SEEKING THE LRE FOR YOUR CHILD

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN SEEKING
THE LRE FOR YOUR CHILD