Evaluating The Best Educational Placement For Children With Special Educational Needs Essay

Placement decisions related to students with disabilities is an issue that arises from providing a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) and the least restrictive environment (LRE). While FAPE and LRE are not new requirements, the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) continues to be open to interpretation and implementation of the mandates (McGovern, 2015). A student’s least restrictive environment is the setting where the student can be integrated with his non-disabled peers. IDEA requires that students with disabilities be educated in the most integrated, least restrictive environment (Carson, 2015); however, this is where the grey area enters. The interpretation of what the least restrictive environment is, depends

The special education teacher is in charge of informing the family on when and where the Individualized Education Program will take place. The family of the student will discuss the necessary content of the individual’s program, how reports will be received to express the child’s progress, and who will be included within the Individualized Education Program team. There will also be considerations in the development of the program, the specific role of the regular education teacher, and the requests of review and revision of the Individualized Education Program. Overall, the family plays a huge role in developing the Individualized Education Program and the parent’s consent must be obtained in order for the IEP to go forward or even be altered.

Special education programs and services are available in many school and are fast growing. In a high school, a principal named Debbie Young has been presented with a situation with the parents of a special education student. Mrs. Young has been a special education teacher and assistant principal in a progressive and affluent school district in the South. Mrs. Young was approached by the parents of Jonathan a severely disabled tenth grader whose parents want him to attend one of the schools in the district. He is profoundly mentally disabled, has spastic quadriplegia, and has a seizure disorder. Mrs. Young refuses his parent’s request because of the huge expenses and the school is not an appropriate place for Jonathan.

The work of Wright and Wright relates that individuals who have children with special needs are well aware of the requirement that they comprehend the laws relating to those special needs in education and the rights of their children. The parents of special needs children know that testing is the primary factor in determining the educational needs and benefits as well as the advancement or alternatively the lack of advancement of their child in the educational endeavor. Wright and Wright note that decisions concerning the child's education is such that must be formulated on the basis of ""¦objective information and facts" rather than reactions and beliefs that are subjective and emotionally based.

I interviewed Mrs. C. Mangum, a former English teacher, who is now a principal in Johnston County, North Carolina. In the beginning of our interview, Mrs. Mangum stated, “All children with exceptionalities are no different than non-disabled students, and should be treated as such.” The student is the main focus and the IEP goal and specifications are centered around them. The student, if found eligible, have the right to receive a free and appropriate education in a least restrictive environment that will allow for greater learning and achievement.

I am providing an analysis of “Who Decides Where Jerry Goes to School? Family and Educator Conflict in Special Education Placement” by John J. Steffen and Joanne M. Marshall (2006). The school and district’s administrators are facing a conflict with the placement of a special education student. After being diagnosed with several medical disabilities which affected his behavior, the student struggled to achieve success in the initial placement that was chosen for his academic experiences as part of his inclusion in the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program. However, the procedures, decision making, communication, learning objectives, and follow up process were plagued with mistakes. This decision making process, the conflict between school administrators and parents, and the needs of the student for his success in academic achievement is the focus of this case study analysis.

Code, Chapter 15, Protected Handicapped Students, which implements Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Schools are required to provide necessary accommodations for qualifying students to have an equal opportunity to participate in the school program. This written plan is developed by an IEP team for students in need of special education. This plan outlines how the school will provide a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment and is usually initiated by the teacher or administrator. However, parental involvement is required (Department of Health, 2010).

In accordance, the first step is to determine that there is enrollment room for a conventional placement. With that being approved, the next step is to determine if a prospective child’s needs exceed "conventional" supports provided within a general education setting, or within already established Special Education Programs. Guidelines regarding enrollment of space-available students who require special education services are very restrictive. If a child’s needs involve the implementation of additional supports, such as, medically related services to include counseling, psychiatric services, Physical

To best suit a child with special needs a variety of different elements need to be considered to develop the best plan for the child. This is why it is important to understand that not every child with special needs has a mom or dad. They may have a foster parent and it is the responsibility of the special education teacher to include the foster parent and work with all members of the family. Next, it is important to understand the a disability not only impacts the child but siblings as well. Some siblings may be very helpful while others may act out, it is important to consider siblings when creating a plan as well. Lastly, as a special education teacher, it is important to consider if any extended family help with any responsibility with raising the child. A child has a greater rate of success when all members of the family are working together and are on the same

From the first day a child is born, parents are there to nurture their child, to support them as they grow and develop. There is a lot to learn about raising a child under normal circumstances, but when a child has special needs parents must learn this whole new language of medical and special education terms (Overton, 2005). Parents enter this new world where navigating for the best interest of their child is riddled with challenges and obstacles that they need to somehow overcome. This is especially true when parents are dealing with the special education program in their child’s school.

There are millions of children that are passing through the United States school system every day, not all children possess the same traits, and not all children can learn at the same rate, and do not perform at the same ability. The fact that all children learn differently and some have difficulties learning in general classrooms, special education was put into place to try and take care of these issues. Special education programs were put into place to help all students with disabilities. These children range from general disabilities to more complex and severe disabilities. There has been a revolution occurring in the past several years with education systems, and special education. There have now been several laws that have been

If these students were placed in a regular classroom, they were often functionally excluded, when no support was provided for the child or the teacher. In addition, many students were misclassified following inaccurate assessment, placement or tracking. These past practices have been deemed in violation of a student’s constitutional rights. As a result, IDEA now requires that the educational program that is developed by the IEP team provide the child with opportunities in the least restrictive environment (LRE). LRE is the most normal setting that is possible for the student. The team should take several things into consideration when making this determination. First, they must compare the benefits in the regular class and the benefits in the special class. The U.S. Court of Appeals determined that the appropriateness of placement in the regular classroom is not dependent on the student’s ability to learn the same things the other students learn in the regular classroom. The benefit of social interaction should also be taken into account. Second, consideration should be given to the potentially beneficial or harmful effects that placement in the regular classroom may have on the students involved. Finally, cost should be considered when determining the appropriateness of student placement.

The importance of education for all children, especially for those with disability and with limited social and economic opportunities, is indisputable. Indeed, the special education system allowed children with disability increased access to public education. Apart from that, the special education system has provided for them an effective framework for their education, and for the institutions involved to identify children with disability sooner. In turn, this promotes greater inclusion of children with disability alongside their nondisabled peers. In spite of these advances however, many obstacles remain, including delays in providing services for children with disability, as well as regulatory and

Children with special needs are slightly different from non-disabled kids, but they’re should not be a barrier between non-disabled children and children with disabilities. Special needs covers a wide range. Some children with physical disabilities use wheelchair, or cane while other children with learning disabilities such as, autism, or emotional disorder. Children with special needs are like all children they want to make friends. Non-disability children want respect, love, good education and job of their dream. Children with special needs can do the same things non-disabled kid do, but it can take them longer. It requires additional explanation or attention. Parents of children with special needs usually feel isolated and uncertain about their child 's future. Schools can help them find support that children are not alone and help is available. Teachers should meet with parents in order to get to know the children better, the specific of their children. Special teachers may come into the class to work one-on-one with the student, for individualized attention. Change begins with an honest examination of understandings, knowledge and belief. Children with special needs should spend more time with non-disabled kids. Children with special needs should study more at public school to learn from

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, students with disabilities should be placed in a “least restrictive environment.” One of the main ideas of this act was to improve the learning experiences of students with disabilities by giving them learning opportunities outside of a special education classroom. The number of students with disabilities being placed in their general education classrooms is increasing more and more each year. The U.S Department of Education’s 27th annual report to Congress on the implementation of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2005) indicates that the number of students with disabilities in general education classrooms has risen to almost 50 percent. This is about a 17 percent increase from the 1997 U.S