Alternative Educational Settings

• The General Education Classroom with Few or No Supportive Services: Students placed in this setting are educated in the general education classroom with few or no support services. The regular classroom teacher has the primary responsibility for designing and delivering instruction to the student and must adapt the instructional program to the needs of the student.

• The General Education Classroom with Collaborative Teacher Assistance: Students placed in this setting are educated in the general education classroom with collaborative services or assistance from a variety of support personnel, depending on both the teachers’ and the student’s needs.

• The General Education Classroom with Itinerant Teacher Assistance: Students placed in this setting are educated in the general education classroom and also receive supportive services from itinerant teachers.

• The General Education Classroom with Resource Room Support: Students placed in this setting are educated in the general education classroom for most of the day, with resource room support. The resource room teacher provides students with individualized remedial instruction in specific skills (in a separate resource room within the school) and helps the regular classroom teacher plan and implement instructional adaptations for students.

• The Special Education Classroom with Part-Time Placement in the General Education Classroom: Students placed in this setting receive instruction primarily in a special education classroom (within a regular school building), with part-time placement in the general education classroom. The special education teacher has the primary responsibility for designing and delivering instruction. 

• Full-Time Special Education Classroom: Students placed in this setting are educated in a full-time special education classroom within a regular school building. Contact with non-disabled peers takes place in a social, rather than an instructional context.

• Placement in a Special Day School: Students placed in this setting are educated in a separate facility or special day school. This type of setting is normally used with students who have more severe special needs and tends to be more restrictive.

• Placement in a Residential School: Students placed in this setting are educated in a separate residential setting designed for students with more severe needs. Students placed in such a setting usually live there and participate in a 24 -hour program.

• Placement in Homebound Programs: Students placed in this setting receive homebound instruction. Students placed in this setting may be recovering from some illness, surgery, or may have been suspended from school.

• Placement in Hospital or Institutional Programs: Students placed in this setting are educated (on a short-term basis) in a hospital or institutional setting, due to a more severe need that requires ongoing medical attention and/or intensive treatment. An itinerant teacher has the primary responsibility for visiting and providing services to students placed in such settings.