The Cape Elizabeth School Department shall program for students with disabilities in the least restrictive educational environment that can appropriately address the student’s needs. Toward that end, the Cape Elizabeth School Department shall ensure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with children who are not disabled, and that special education, separate schooling or other removal of students with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

Determinations regarding programming in the least restrictive environment shall be made by the student’s Pupil Evaluation Team (PET) and shall draw upon a multidisciplinary assessment of the student’s needs. The Cape Elizabeth School Department shall make available as appropriate the full continuum of educational placements when making placement determinations.

The Superintendent of Schools, in consultation with the Director of Special Education, may develop and promulgate procedures for implementing this policy, and may from time to time amend those procedures as necessary.

References: 20 U.S.C. § 1412 (a) (5); 34 C.F.R. § 300.550 to .552; Me. Dep’t of Educ. Reg. ch. 101, § 11.1 to 11.3 (Nov. 1999).

ADOPTED: February 9, 1999
REVISED: November 14, 2000
REVIEWED & APPROVED: September 13, 2005