It shouldn’t be about where they sit, but about where they can succeed: A Pilot Study About Teachers’ Experiences with LRE in a Rural Middle School

Oct 15, 2026

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Inclusive education depends on teachers creating cohesive learning environments, delivering effective instruction, and providing accommodations tied to students’ IEPs. The paper examines how rural and urban resource disparities affect special education implementation, especially adherence to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements. Prior literature reports challenges such as professional isolation, staffing gaps, limited credentials, resistance to change, recruitment and retention struggles, and reduced funding that constrains professional development and support in rural schools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Teachers’ roles in inclusive learning

Resource disparities in rural vs. urban schools

LRE requirements and IDEA context

Historical shift toward inclusion

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation | Volume 13 | Article 7 | | --- | --- | | 2025
It shouldn’t be about where they sit, but about where they can succeed: A Pilot Study About Teachers’Experiences with LRE in a Rural Middle School
Angela D. Norris
University of Northern Colorado Silvia Correa-Torres
Heather Tellier
University of Northern Colorado
Follow this and additional works at: [https://digscholarship.unco.edu/jeri](https://digscholarship.unco.edu/jeri)
Part of the Special Education and Teaching Commons, and the Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons | | Recommended Citation Norris, Angela D.; Correa-Torres, Silvia; and Tellier, Heather (2025) "It shouldn’t be about where they sit, but about where they can succeed: A Pilot Study About Teachers’ Experiences with LRE in a Rural Middle School," Journal of Educational Research and Innovation: Vol. 13, Article 7. Available at: [https://digscholarship.unco.edu/jeri/vol13/iss1/7](https://digscholarship.unco.edu/jeri/vol13/iss1/7) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by UNCOpen. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Educational Research and Innovation by an authorized editor of UNCOpen. For more information, please contact [Nicole.Webber@unco.edu](Nicole.Webber@unco.edu). It shouldn’t be about where they sit, but about where they can succeed: A Pilot Study About Teachers’ Experiences with LRE in a Rural Middle School Angela D. Norris University of Northern Colorado Silvia M. Correa-Torres University of Northern Colorado Heather Tellier University of Northern Colorado Educators are the leading force that drives the inclusive approach, as they are responsible for creating a cohesive learning environment where all students can learn and flourish. Teachers have multiple roles as coaches and cheerleaders, creating engaging learning environments tailored to meet the distinct learning styles of individual students. They are responsible for delivering effective instruction while providing accommodations and modifications for diverse learning needs. They do this to ensure students make adequate academic progress based on their abilities, as detailed in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) . Teachers are the facilitators of both educational and social constructs within the classroom. As such, they should be provided with access to the resources necessary to ensure that every student makes adequate progress by the expectations outlined in their IEP. Disparities in resource allocation between rural and urban school systems could create significant challenges, particularly for rural schools trying to provide equitable education for all students. A review of the literature reveals systemic inequalities that rural schools face in funding, staffing, and access to educational resources, with a focus on how these issues impact the implementation of special education services and adherence to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements. A study conducted by Burton et al. (2013) reveals disparities, including professional isolation, differences between rural and urban teachers, a lack of professional knowledge or credentials, and resistance to change in resource allocations between rural and urban school systems. These disparities often stem from systemic inequities in funding, access to qualified staff, and availability of essential educational tools. Many states and districts have special education terminology and requirements, including LRE, resources, accommodations, and modifications (Francisco et al., 2020) . Rural schools often lack the resources to recruit and retain quality teachers and are frequently forced to accept unqualified teachers to fill positions that require specialized knowledge of LRE practices (Showalter et al., 2017) . Published by UNCOpen, 2025 1 Burton et al. (2013) highlighted stories about rural educators' perceptions, revealing that teachers perce

FAQs

What is the central focus of the pilot study?

The study centers on teachers’ experiences with Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in a rural middle school, linking instructional and support roles to inclusive education outcomes.

Why do rural schools face particular challenges with LRE implementation?

The document highlights systemic inequities in funding, staffing, and access to educational resources, leading to professional isolation, limited specialized knowledge, and difficulties recruiting or retaining qualified teachers.

How does IDEA define students’ placement in the least restrictive environment?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities be educated in the LRE, placing them in general education settings to the maximum extent appropriate.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Aria