Is Moving Between General and Special Education Classrooms Right for Your Child?

While the goal of "Least Restrictive Environment" (LRE) often defaults to inclusion, moving a child back and forth between General Education and Special Education settings—often called the "pull-out" model—comes with distinct trade-offs. For many students, the constant shifting requires significant mental energy to "code-switch" between the loud, fast-paced environment of a general classroom and the structured quiet of a resource room. This "transition fatigue" can sometimes trigger behavioral issues or overstimulation, rather than preventing them. Additionally, frequent exits can lead to feelings of social isolation or "othering," where students feel their academic achievements are separated from their peers.

However, the benefits of specialized settings cannot be ignored. General education classrooms often move too quickly for students needing intensive intervention, making the "sped room" essential for targeted, small-group instruction that catches students up on foundational skills,. Furthermore, for students with sensory needs, the separate classroom can serve as a necessary pressure valve—a safe space to regulate so they can successfully reintegrate later in the day.

If you suspect the transitions are doing more harm than good, consider asking your IEP team about "push-in" services, where support comes to the child, or consolidating service minutes into larger blocks to minimize the number of daily transitions.

VillageED’s special education services page offers guidance for navigating placement decisions and IEP meetings: https://www.villageed.org/sped-services.