Education requires that all children be taught in their least restrictive environment.The terminology may be confusing to some parents as well as educators.

According to Public Law 94-142, each student with a disability shall receive a free, appropriate education. To help foster this ruling, the law mandates that an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) be developed for each child and approved by the child’s parent.
Part of the IEP deals with the best educational setting that will be tailored to helping the student meet his or her learning and social-emotional needs. This law has a provision that requires each student to be educated in an environment that is the least restrictive. (LRE) The term least restrictive environment (LRE) according to PL 94-142 means that to the extent appropriate, handicapped and /or disabled students should be educated with non-handicapped students.

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