Special Education in Ontario

1 DR AF T. Special Education in Ontario Kindergarten to Grade 12. Policy and Resource Guide 2017. The Ontario Public Service endeavours to demonstrate leadership with respect to accessibility in Ontario . Our goal is to ensure that Ontario government services, products, and facilities are accessible to all our employees and to all members of the public we serve. This document, or the information that it contains, is available, on request, in alternative formats. Please forward all requests for alternative formats to ServiceOntario at 1-800-668-9938 (TTY: 1-800-268-7095). Une publication quivalente est disponible en fran ais sous le titre suivant : ducation de l'enfance en difficult en Ontario de la maternelle et du jardin d'enfants la 12e ann e : Guide de politiques et de ressources, 2017. This publication is available on the Ministry of Education 's website, at Contents Introduction 1. Background 2. The Purpose of This Guide 3. Intended Audience 3. The Role of the Ministry 4. The Organization of This Document 6.

2 Part A: Legislation, Policy, and Funding A1. Introduction A1. Legislation and Policy/Program Memoranda Pertaining to Students with Special Education Needs A2. The Education Act A2. Regulations A4. Policy/Program Memoranda A6. A Summary of Requirements of School Boards under the Education Act and the Regulations A8. Roles and Responsibilities in Special Education A10. Categories of Exceptionalities A14. Advisory Committees on Special Education A17. Other Legislation Relevant to the Education of Students with Special Education Needs A18. Key Ministry Policy and Resource Documents Pertaining to Students with Special Education Needs A20. Education Funding A23. Funding for Special Education A24. Appendix A-1: The Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education : Representation A26. iii Part B: Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans B1. Introduction B1. The Board's Consultation Process B3. Special Education Programs and Services B4. The Board's General Model for Special Education B4.

3 Roles and Responsibilities B5. Early Identification Procedures and Intervention Strategies B5. The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC). Process and Appeals B7. Educational and Other Assessments B8. Specialized Health Support Services in School Settings B9. Categories and Definitions of Exceptionalities B10. Special Education Placements Provided by the Board B10. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) B11. Provincial and Demonstration Schools in Ontario B12. Special Education Staff B13. Staff Development B13. Equipment B14. Accessibility of School Buildings B15. Transportation B15. The Board's Special Education Advisory Committee B16. Coordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies B18. Submission and Availability of School Board Plans B19. Appendix B-1: Specialized Health Support Services B20. Appendix B-2: Special Education Staff B21. Appendix B-3: Ministry of Education Regional Offices B24. iv Part C: Early Identification, Assessment, and Transition Planning C1.

4 Introduction C1. Early Intervention and Special Needs Services C2. Planning Entry to School C5. Early Identification at School C5. English Language Learners C7. Assessing Student Learning C9. The Continuous Assessment Process C9. An Integrated Process of Assessment and Instruction C10. Assessment for and as Learning C11. Assessment of Learning, Evaluation, and Reporting of Student Achievement C16. The Individual Educational Assessment for the IPRC C17. Provincial Assessments C18. Professional Assessments C18. Health Assessment C19. Speech and Language Assessment C19. Psychological Assessment C20. The In-School Team and Out-of-School Resources C22. Stages in the In-School Team Process C23. Stage 1: Classroom Screening and Intervention C23. Stage 2: Referral to the In-School Team C24. Stage 3: Follow-Up Meetings of the In-School Team C25. Stage 4: Referral to an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) C25. Transition Planning C26. Introduction C26. Entry to School C29.

5 School-to-School Transition C30. Transition from Elementary to Secondary School C31. Transitions from School to Work, Postsecondary Education , and Community Living C32. Transition to School Following a Prolonged Medical Absence C33. v Transitions to and/or from Educational Programs in Care and/or Treatment, Custody, and Correctional (CTCC) Facilities C33. Integrated (Tri-ministry) Transition Planning for Young People with Developmental Disabilities C34. Integrating Planning Processes C35. The Individual Education Plan (IEP) and the Transition Plan C35. The All About Me Portfolio and the Individual Pathways Plan (IPP) C36. Work Experience and Cooperative Education Learning Plans C37. Health and Safety Support Plans C37. Part D: The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) Process D1. Introduction D1. The Identification and Placement of Exceptional Students D2. The IPRC D2. The Role of an IPRC D2. Requesting an IPRC Meeting D3. Considerations Related to Students Who Are Moving from a Demonstration School to a School of a Board D3.

6 Notice of the IPRC Meeting D4. The Parents' Guide D5. Preparation for the IPRC Meeting D6. A Delayed IPRC Meeting D6. Attending the IPRC Meeting D7. Recording at an IPRC Meeting D7. Prior to the IPRC Meeting D8. The IPRC Meeting D8. The IPRC Placement Decision D9. The IPRC Statement of Decision D11. Parental Consent D12. After the IPRC Decision D12. Agreement with the IPRC Decision D13. Disagreement with the IPRC Decision D13. vi The IPRC Review D16. Request for a Review / Dispensing with the Annual Review D16. Timelines for the IPRC Review D16. Attendance at the IPRC Review D16. The IPRC Review Decision D17. After the IPRC Review Decision D17. The IPRC Appeal D19. Filing a Notice of Appeal D19. Appeal Timeline D19. The School Board Response to Receiving a Notice of Appeal D20. Selection of Appeal Board Members D20. Before the Meeting of the Appeal Board D21. The Appeal Board Meeting D22. After the Appeal Board Meeting D25. After the Appeal Board Decision D26. Special Education Tribunals D32.

7 Appendix D-1: A Sample Parents' Guide to Special Education D34. Part E: The Individual Education Plan (IEP) E1. Introduction E1. Standards for the IEP E2. Compliance with the Standards E2. Requirements under Ontario Regulation 181/98 and Policy/Program Memoranda Nos. 140 and 156 E2. What Is an IEP? E6. The IEP Process E7. Components of the IEP Standards and Effective Practices E10. 1. Reason for Developing an IEP E11. 2. IEP Student Profile E12. 3. The Student's Strengths and Needs E15. 4. The Special Education Program E19. The Student's Current (Baseline) Level of Achievement E20. The Student's Annual Program Goals E24. The Student's Learning Expectations E27. vii 5. Special Education Strategies, Resources, and Other Accommodations E36. Individualized Teaching Strategies and Other Accommodations E36. Human Resources E40. Individualized Equipment E42. 6. Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting E42. Assessment of Student Learning E42. Evaluation and Reporting of Student Achievement E43.

8 7. Provincial Assessments E44. Accommodations for Participation in Provincial Assessments E44. Exemptions from Provincial Assessments E45. 8. Transition Plans E46. 9. Parent/Student Consultation E50. 10. Staff Involvement in Developing the IEP E53. 11. Information Sources E56. 12. Date of Completion of the IEP E58. 13. Implementation and Monitoring E59. 14. Review and Updating E61. Preventing and Resolving Conflicts Regarding IEPs E63. Appendix E-1: Standards for Individual Education Plans (IEPs) E64. Appendix E-2: A Sample IEP Template E66. Appendix E-3: An IEP Checklist E73. Appendix E-4: Roles of Educators and Other Professionals in the Development and Implementation of the IEP E74. viii Part F: Other Programs and Services F1. Introduction F1. School Health Support Services F2. Educational Programs for Students in Government-Approved Care and/or Treatment, Custody, and Correctional (CTCC) Facilities F3. Hospital Boards F4. Programming F5. Provincial Schools and Demonstration Schools F6.

9 Provincial Schools for Students Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision or Are Deafblind F8. Provincial Schools for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing F9. Demonstration Schools for Students Who Have Severe Learning Disabilities F10. Teacher Qualifications F11. Obtaining Additional Qualifications (AQs) in Special Education and for Teaching Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Are Blind or Have Low Vision, or Are Deafblind F12. Appendix F-1: Contact Information for Hospital Boards F13. Appendix F-2: Contact Information for Provincial Schools and Demonstration Schools F14. Appendix F-3: Contact Information for Faculties of Education F15. Glossary G1. ix x Draft Introduction This document supersedes Special Education : A Guide for Educators (2001). It also supersedes the following policy and resource documents that have been released by the Ministry of Education to support educators in the implementation of effective programs and/or services for students with Special Education needs: Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans (2000).

10 Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation (2000). Transition Planning: A Resource Guide (2002). The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide (2004). Note that while this document supersedes the two standards documents Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans and Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation the standards described in both documents remain unchanged and are reflected in this guide. 1. Special Education in Ontario , Kindergarten to Grade 12 Draft Background The Ontario government is committed to enabling all students to reach their potential, and to succeed. With the release of the Ministry of Education document Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario (2014), expectations have been raised both for the Education system and for the development of the potential of Ontario 's children. The ministry recognizes that every student is unique and that each must have opportunities to achieve success according to his or her own interests, abilities, and goals.