COPAA has released a new LRE Fact Sheet to protect and advance the civil rights of students with disabilities at a moment when those rights are increasingly under threat. The right to learn alongside nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate is a cornerstone of IDEA—and a core civil rights protection Congress intended when it declared that “special education can become a service… rather than a place where such children are sent.”

As efforts to oppose Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives grow, so do attempts to weaken the LRE mandate, promote segregation, and erode inclusion under the guise of “choice” or “safety.” These efforts are designed to limit civil rights protections and undermine the promise of IDEA. Advocates for education equity must continue to learn, advocate , and connect to defend LRE and ensure students with disabilities receive the inclusive, ambitious education they deserve. 

Read the Fact Sheet here

What You Can Do:

• Protect Congress’s Intent — Uphold IDEA’s requirement that students be educated in the general education classroom to the maximum extent possible.
• Oppose Efforts to Weaken LRE — Challenge proposals that redefine LRE, promote segregation, or weaponize anti‑DEI rhetoric to erode civil rights.
• Advance Full Federal Funding — Demand that the federal government meet its long‑promised 40% funding commitment to prevent inequitable and unnecessarily restrictive placements.
• Train Advocates, Attorneys, and Parents — Build the skills needed to identify unlawful practices, negotiate appropriate supports, ensure inclusive IEPs, and hold districts accountable.

The LRE mandate is a civil rights mandate. Protecting it protects students. Strengthening it advances equity.