Chapter 3: Placement of Young Students With Exceptionalities: To Include or Not to Include

The wealth of any nation exists within the strength and education of its young children. An investment in the high-quality education of students, is an investment in the future security and prosperity of the country and the entire global community. The United States of America professes to provide this high-quality education of all of the children who attend its publicschool systems. This includes students from all racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and also includes students who have been identified as having exceptional learning needs (ELNs).

It is common knowledge that the most vulnerable students deserve the same rights and education as all other students. Unfortunately, for much of the modern educational era, many students in need of a highest-quality education receive services that are subpar (Guo, Sawyer, Justice, & Kader-avek, 2013; Pelatti, Dynia, Logan, Justice, & Kaderavek, 2016). Although the causes of such educational disparity are multifaceted, some fault is in part due to the educational environment in which students with ELN are educated. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the placement process of young students. In addition, it focuses on how the potential for young children with exceptionalities can be maximized in all settings.