Adopted by the IASSW Board of Directors on May 4, 1996

The Illinois Association of School Social Workers endorses the position that all students have the right to remain in the least restrictive environment. However, the Association also acknowledges that alternative school placements may be necessary to ensure a more appropriate environment for the student, as well as to ensure the safety of all students.

To prevent students from requiring an alternative placement, all safeguards should be implemented within the regular school environment. This includes prevention programs, including violence prevention and conflict resolution, being implemented in the curriculum as early as Early Childhood Education and continuing through the secondary level.

Pupil Personnel Services (School Social Workers, School Counseling, School Nursing and School Psychology) should also be provided in adequate proportion to assist in addressing issues and concerns of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members, which, left not addressed, may contribute to the need for alternative placements for students. Also, an appropriate climate should be promoted within the regular education environment which will encourage students to want to remain within this environment. That is, the regular education environment should be conducive to learning for students with diverse backgrounds and interests. Positive discipline practices which address the behaviors of all students also need to be implemented in all schools in Illinois.

Alternative placements should not be used as a substitute for appropriate referrals for Special Education evaluations. If the student's behaviors are so disruptive that an alternative placement is considered, and the student is not already receiving Special Education services, the student should be referred for a Case Study Evaluation to see if the student is eligible for Special Educational services. Only when preventive measures and all home school interventions have been attempted, should an alternative placement be considered. Procedures should be developed to monitor the effectiveness of the alternative educational program for each student. The alternative placement should be developmentally as well as educationally appropriate.

To ensure that these placement decisions are made cautiously and professionally, a team approach should be utilized. No placement decision should be made without obtaining and carefully considering input from staff members who know the student.

If the decision is made to place the student in an alternative placement facility, services should be provided to help make a smooth transition and the placement educationally appropriate. This should include a liaison between the home school and the alternative facility who will monitor the student's educational and social-emotional progress. An alternative placement plan should be developed to ensure appropriate services will be provided for each student.

Evaluation of the student progress must be reviewed regularly to ensure that the student is returned to the regular school environment as soon as it is deemed appropriate. This decision should be made by a team of personnel who know the student and who are aware of the type of environment to which the student will be returned. A placement in an alternative setting should not continue any longer than it is deemed to be the least restrictive placement.

Therefore, it is the position of the Illinois Association of School Social Workers that appropriate safeguards should be in place when an alternative school placement is determined to be the least restrictive environment available.

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Updated on: September 22, 2009