Least Restrictive Environment

To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled. This would include children attending their neighborhood school whenever
possible. The following services describe a range of options in the continuum of services for students with disabilities.

Support within the general education program:

Support outside the general education program:

Accommodations
Changes in course content, teaching
strategies, test presentation, location,
timing, scheduling, student responses,
or environmental structuring that do not
substantially change the standard or
expectation for student performance.

Modifications
Changes in course content, teaching
strategies, standards, test presentation,
location, timing, scheduling,
expectations, student responses, or
environmental structuring that do
substantially change the standards or
level of expectation for student
performance.

DIS Support (integrated)
The provision of itinerant support
services within the general education
class (DHH, VI, etc.).

Specialized Academic Instruction, push in
The provision of specialized academic instruction/support within the general education classroom

DIS pullout
The provision of related service support
services outside of the general
education classroom (speech/language, OT, etc.).

Specialized Academic Services pullout
The provision of specialized academic
services connected to content
curriculum, outside of the general
education classroom for short periods of
time.

Special Day Program
Special education services provided in a
separate classroom environment for the
majority of the school day.

Each student may require a different combination of services and settings and, when appropriate, a student's curriculum can be modified. The goal is to build programs around a student's needs rather than trying to fit the student into the programs. The following is a list of options from the least restrictive to the most restrictive environment:

General education classes:
Whenever appropriate, students with disabilities will be educated in the general education classes. In addition, whenever possible, they will attend the school they would ordinarily attend if they were not in special education.

General education classes with collaborative consultation:
In order for students with disabilities to be appropriately educated in general education classes it may be necessary for their teacher to consult with special education personnel to receive guidance and support.

General education classes with related services:
Related services assist students with disabilities to benefit from their general education program. Some examples of related services are language and speech services, adapted physical education, counseling, and physical and occupational therapy.

General education classes and resource specialist program:
A resource specialist program provides specialized academic instruction and services to students with disabilities assigned to the general education classroom for the majority of the school day. The goal of the resource specialist program is to enable students with disabilities to succeed in the general education environment. The program provides assistance in a variety of ways depending on the needs of a particular student.

General education and special day class:
Depending on their needs, students with disabilities may be educated in general education classes for part of the school day and special day classes for the other part of the school day.

Special day classes:
Special day classes serve students who, because of their disabilities, cannot participate in general education classes for a majority of the school day. These classes are provided on general education sites. As appropriate, students enrolled in special day classes interact with their general education peers through academic, non-academic, and extracurricular activities.

A program in a District within the North Region SELPA (Alameda USD, Albany USD, Berkeley USD, Emery USD, Piedmont USD):
If Albany USD does not have a program that meets the needs of a student, we look first to programs offered by Districts within our Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA).

Non-public schools:
When no appropriate public education program is available, a student with disabilities may be placed in a non-public school under contract with the District.

Home or hospital:
Students with a verified medical or emotional condition that prevents them from attending school may receive services on a temporary basis in the home or a hospital.

State residential schools:
State residential schools provide comprehensive assessment and services for students with visual and/or hearing disabilities.