Part B, Section 300.115 of IDEA outlines the continuum of educational placements that public agencies must have available to students receiving special education services. These include instruction in a general education classroom, specialized classes, specialized schools, home instruction, and instruction in residential facilities. In addition, public schools must have available supplementary services such as a resource room or itinerant instruction for students in general education classrooms (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(5). This continuum of placement options is available to students receiving special education services so that students with varying needs have access to appropriate placements at no cost to parents. However, school districts often do not have the variety of placement options available. When this is the case, the district must find the appropriate placement by any means required.
For more, see our article Placement Options and the Least Restrictive Environment.
