Module 7: Placement & Least Restrictive Environment

*They say your child is “doing well.”

Then they start talking about placement.**

You walk into an ARD/IEP meeting already uneasy — and when placement comes up, everything tightens.

Maybe you’re being told your child should stay in general education “for socialization,” even though they’re clearly struggling and need more intensive support.

Or maybe it’s the opposite.

Your child has regulation or behavior challenges, and suddenly the school is talking about a specialized or alternative campus — even though you know, in your bones, that with the right supports, your child could succeed in their current school.

The language is polished.

The tone is calm.

But the decision feels rushed — and not truly individualized.

Module 7 was written for this moment.

**Placement is not a compromise.

It’s a data-driven decision — or it’s wrong.**

Placement is one of the most critical and emotionally charged decisions in special education.

Yet parents are often:

• Pressured to accept a placement that doesn’t match the data
• Told a setting is “appropriate” without explanation
• Presented with inclusion or removal as the only option

Module 7 helps you understand what placement decisions are legally required to be based on — and what they cannot be based on.

What Module 7 helps you understand (without the legal fog)

In Module 7: Placement & Least Restrictive Environment, you’ll learn:

✔ What Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) actually means — and why it’s not “general ed at all costs”

✔ How IEP data must drive placement decisions after Endrew F.

✔ Why placement must be discussed after goals, evaluations, and services

✔ The full continuum of placement options — not just the ones the school mentions

✔ How to spot pre-determination when placement is decided before the meeting

✔ Why schools cannot base placement on behavior alone, staffing, or budget

You’ll also learn how regulation, behavior, and sensory needs should be addressed through supports and services first— not automatic removal.

This module is especially helpful if:

• You’re being told inclusion is required, even though your child is not making meaningful progress
• The school is pushing an alternative campus or self-contained setting without exhausting supports
• Your child struggles with regulation, but calms with structure, routine, and accommodations
• You want your child to socialize and receive appropriate instruction — not one at the expense of the other

If you’re questioning whether placement is being chosen for your child — or for the system — you’re asking the right questions.

Why Module 7 matters

Placement shapes everything:

• Instruction
• Regulation
• Peer interaction
• Long-term outcomes

IDEA requires placement to be individualized, data-driven, and based on the child’s IEP — not convenience or assumptions.

Module 7 gives you the clarity to see whether that standard is being met.

What usually happens next

For some parents, Module 7 provides the language and confidence to push back — calmly, clearly, and effectively.

For others, it becomes the point where they realize:

“I need someone in the room who understands both the law and my child.”

Either way, you’ll walk into your next ARD/IEP meeting informed — not intimidated.

👉 Download Module 7 and understand what placement should really be based on.