Examining Factors Relating to Special Education Inclusion and Least Restrictive Environment Policy in New Jersey.

This article focuses on district-level variation and contextual factors influencing the implementation of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) policy for students with disabilities (SWDs) in New Jersey, the state with the lowest inclusion rate nationally. Using publicly available data from the 2022–2023 school year, the study found substantial spatial variation in the percentage of SWDs spending 80% or more of their school day in general education settings, with neighboring districts often showing markedly different inclusion rates. Key factors associated with lower inclusion rates included higher proportions of students of color, greater childhood poverty, increased racial segregation between Black and White students, higher percentages of SWDs, and greater numbers of parentally placed SWDs in private schools; conversely, higher per-pupil expenditure was linked to higher inclusion. The findings highlight the complexity of local implementation of LRE policy and suggest that targeted funding and context-sensitive support may be necessary to address disparities in inclusive education across districts.