What is Tiers

This chapter focuses on the least restrictive environment (LRE), as it is one of the most controversial and litigated topics in the field of special education because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act does not provide any guidelines on how this requirement needs to be met. Since the Supreme Court of the United States will not hear a case about LRE, this chapter also presents several circuit court cases that have attempted to interpret the law using an assessment they developed. In addition, the chapter reviews several continuum models that attempt to ease the burden for schools and their districts as they contemplate the best educational placement for a student with exceptionalities. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the future trends for special education and LRE.