According to data published by the Indiana Department of Education, for Indiana students between 2013 and 2023, chronic absenteeism (students who miss more than 10 school days in a year) has roughly doubled since pre-pandemic for approximately 10 to 20% of students.
One of the core principles of special education law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, is to provide free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, or LRE. But what does LRE mean?
Education law is changing in ways that create an uncertain legal landscape for educators and families. Federal decisions and guidance at times conflict with state policy priorities. This places educators in unique and often high-tension positions where they are called to mind the needs of students while staying compliant with the law.