Special Education Resolution

Approved April 26, 2005

Whereas MCPS has proposed a Least Restrictive Environment Placement Initiative to better address the needs of the special education population; and

Whereas this initiative is an important and necessary step but is not appropriate for responding to the needs of all children within special education; be it therefore

RESOLVED that MCCPTA urges MCPS to broaden the scope of its strategic plan for special education to provide more and various alternatives in the Least Restrictive Environment placement for those students who will not be otherwise able to derive educational benefit from an LRE placement, and be it further

RESOLVED that MCPS shall specifically broaden the continuum of services in the least restrictive environment available to students in special education by exploring and providing a full continuum of services and placement choices with a full range of options within and be it further

RESOLVED that MCCPTA urges MCPS to consider implementation of a choice based model that requires consideration of multiple alternatives so that special education students may exercise more control over their educational options.