We started the meeting with two presentations that focused on an overview of the historical, legal and research foundations as well as a presentation on the least restrictive environment in LA Unified. You can find the presentation here.
Some items to highlight are:
- Placement in the general education classroom is the first placement option the IEP Team must consider at each annual IEP meeting.
- Students may only be removed from the general education setting, when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
- IEP Teams should conclude their discussion regarding Least Restrictive Environment by reviewing how the placement being considered for the student outweighs any potential harmful effects at this time.
During our Voices from the Field section we heard from the staff at Limerick Elementary School which has an enrollment of 692 students of which 69 are in special education. Data shows that there has been significant growth since 2019. We learned that equity and inclusiveness are part of the school culture. All students benefit from team teaching socially and academically.
Next, our external partners provided an overview of supporting inclusive practices by Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP), an organization that provides statewide technical assistance to educational communities in their pursuit of inclusive and equitable systems through a 3 Tier System.
You can view the recording of the meeting in English here and in Spanish here.
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 5 p.m.