Avoiding Unwarranted Segregation of Students With Behavioral Needs: Lessons Learned

Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 requires that state and local agencies refrain from the discrimination of individuals with disabilities by providing them with services in the most integrated setting appropriate. Despite this mandate, state and local education agencies across the country engage in practices that could be characterized as providing unwarranted segregation and unequal education practices. One such example is a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Services. The Department of Justice issued guidelines for appropriate program modifications, including proper evaluation procedures, appropriate entrance and exit standards, effective behavioral and mental health education services, and equal education and extracurricular opportunities. Implications for practitioners, in light of these suggested guidelines, are detailed