1. What Parents Need to Know
Special Education
What Parents Need to Know
Wendy Roberts– Vice-Principal, Special Education
Area A and B
January 12, TDSB Ward 3 Council Meeting
Trustee Pamela Gough
Toronto District School Board

2. WELCOME Agenda SEAC The Special Education Plan
Types of Exceptionalities
In-school Support Team(IST) and School Support Team(SST)
Individual Education Plans (IEP)
Accommodations vs. Modifications
The Identification, Placement and Review Process (IPRC)

3. SEAC SEAC = Special Education Advisory Committee
Information accessible through public TDSB
and follow the links
Click on any of the Education Panels: Early Years, Elementary or High School
Click on Special Education and this will lead to SEAC Home Page

4. SEAC : An advisory committee legislated by the Ministry of Education
Appointed by the Board of Education, to assist the board in understanding the special needs of exceptional children and youth
Advises the board in matters that apply to the delivery of special education services and programs
SEAC holds monthly meetings in the Boardroom at 5050 Yonge Street, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.
For more about SEAC, visit SEAC FAQ page through TDSB website.

5. The Special Education Plan
Each school board is required to maintain a Special Education Plan
Outlines the direction for special education services in the TDSB
Reviewed annually, amended from time to time to meet the current needs of the TDSB’s exceptional pupils and any amendment(s) are submitted to the Ministry for review each year. (Regulation 306 – amended)
Available at tdsb.on.ca on the public website
Click on any of the Panels: Early Years, Elementary or High School and follow link to Special Education

6. Special Education Plan
Encompasses a student-focused vision
Recognizes the unique characteristics and linguistic, cultural, and racial diversity of Toronto schools and communities
Outlines Special Education resources and services directed to schools to provide challenging, enriching learning opportunities for students with a wide range of abilities and learning needs.

7. 4 Types of Exceptionalities
Behaviour
2. Communication (Learning Disability, Autism, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Speech Impairment, Language Impairment)
3. Intellectual (Giftedness, Mild Intellectual Disability, Developmental Disability)
4. Physical (Blind and Low Vision, Physical Disability)

8. Ministry of Education Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013)

9. Learning for All: Our Shared Beliefs
All students can succeed
Each student has his or her own unique patterns of learning – strengths, needs and patterns of readiness
Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research tempered by experience
Teachers assume ownership of all students in their classes
Special education is not a destination

10. Three Effective Approaches
Instruction that both responds to the characteristics of a diverse group of students and is precisely tailored to the unique strengths and needs of each student can be achieved using the principles and guidelines associated with three instructional approaches:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL),
Differentiated instruction, and
The Tiered approach to prevention and intervention.

12. “Every school must have a procedure in place to identify the level of development, learning abilities and needs of every child to ensure educational programs are designed to accommodate those needs and to facilitate the child’s growth and development.”

13. IST and SST Processes The In School Support Team (IST)
School Support Team (SST)

14. TDSB Special Education Plan
Incorporated in the Plan is the IST (In-School Support Team/SST (School Support Team) process:
Through this process a “tiered approach” is applied
Offers an opportunity for open discussion in the local school of a student’s strengths and needs in order to collaboratively develop, review, monitor, and evaluate coordinated action plans
Provides a consistent process to address the needs of our students

15. Tiered Approach
For a
FEW
students who require Intensive Support
Assessment and Instructional approaches for SOME students
Assessment and Instructional approaches for ALL students

16. How Does The Process Begin?
The student experiences challenges (e.g., learning, social/emotional, attendance)
Teacher and parent communicate to discuss concerns
Secondary student (or parent of secondary student) may connect with Special Education or Guidance to discuss concerns
Administrator may communicate with parent

17. How Does The Process Begin?
Teacher:
Uses a variety of strategies in the classroom
Confers with colleagues and In-School Special Education staff
Communicates with parents
May refer to the In-school Support Team (IST)

18. Role of an In-school Support Team (IST)
At an IST, school based staff (teacher, administration, special education teacher(s), support staff, student success team) meet to:
present and analyze student’s strengths and needs
problem solve
share in-school expertise
make decisions regarding next steps, which may include initiating an IEP
document recommendations and follow-up on Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
The majority of student needs can be met in the local school with the use of universal design for learning, a tiered approach and differentiated instruction
parental permission in not required as only in-school staff participate

19. IST SST
Once school staff have exhausted all of the strategies the IST has recommended they may seek further support from TDSB support staff, community agencies, and/or other professionals. Student is referred to a School Support Team.

20. Role of a School Support Team (SST)
Present and analyze student’s strengths and needs
Consider a range of interventions and supports
Assign staff responsibilities and set time lines
Monitor recommended interventions
Document recommendations and follow-up on Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

21. Role of a School Support Team (SST)
May recommend development of IEPs for some students
May recommend a referral to Professional Support Services (e.g., Psychology, Social Work, Speech and Language) or CCAC (Community Care Access Centre
May recommend external community agency involvement
May recommend referral to Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)

22. Members of School Support Team (SST)
Multidisciplinary team consisting of:
School staff – teacher, principal, special education teacher, guidance, Secondary- Student Success teacher, Focus on Success teacher, Guidance teacher
Special Education Department – Consultant or Coordinator
Professional Support Services – Psychologist, OT/PT, Social Worker/Attendance Counsellor, Speech and Language Pathologist, Child and Youth Services (secondary)
Parents are invited and encouraged to attend and may bring someone with them
Other agencies or school staff may attend as invited

23. Parent Permission for Professional Support Services
To comply with the Personal Health Information and Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection and Privacy Act a parent/guardian or student over 16 must give written or documented oral permission to discuss a student’s need with a member of Professional Support Services who is in attendance.

24. Parent Invitation to SST
Circle
Yes / No - I give permission for
my child to be discussed at the SST meeting
Yes / No - I give permission for Professional Support Services staff to read my child’s Ontario School Record (OSR)
Yes / No - I will attend the SST meeting

25. Outcomes of IST/SST Process
The IST/SST process may stop at any point when the interventions implemented have met the student’s needs and an IEP has not been initiated
An IEP may be initiated, developed, implemented and monitored on a regular basis
Not all situations lead to an IEP

27. INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN - IEP
A written plan describing the special education program and/or services provided to students who:
Are experiencing significant difficulty meeting the curriculum expectations for their grade level
Are unable to access the Provincial Curriculum
Have social/emotional needs interfering with their learning

28. THE IEP - REGULATION 181/98
IEPs are required for students deemed exceptional
IEPs may be developed for students who are not exceptional but who require a special education program/service
IST or SST determines need for non-exceptional students
The principal is responsible for the implementation of the IEP. While we strive to have open communication and collaboration to support the development of the IEP, parental permission is not a requirement.

29. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IEP IST or SST recommendation
Parent and student consultation
Developed collaboratively by parent, student, teachers, principal, special education staff, professional support services personnel, community agency staff, as appropriate

30. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IEP (continued)
One teacher coordinates the development of the IEP for the team
Working document - to be updated as student’s needs and strengths change
Completion within 30 school days of placement in a program

31. CONTENTS OF THE IEP
A specific road map, tailored to your child’s academic, and social/emotional strengths and needs. This includes:
Assessment data and findings
Areas of strength and need
Program goals
Current level(s) of achievement
Program exemptions and substitutions
Program accommodations or modifications or alternative curriculum

32. The IEP
Accommodations vs Modifications

33. ACCOMMODATIONS
Teaching strategies, supports and/or services required for the student to access the curriculum and demonstrate learning
the provincial learning expectations for the grade level are not altered
IEP box is not checked on the Provincial Progress Report and Provincial Report Card

34. Instructional Accommodations – adjustments in teaching strategies required to enable the student to learn and progress through the curriculum
Environmental Accommodations - changes or supports in the physical environment of the classroom or the school
Assessment Accommodations – adjustments in assessment activities and methods to enable the student to demonstrate learning

35. MODIFICATIONS
Changes made to the subject or course to meet student needs include:
Expectations from a different grade level
Significant changes (increase or decrease) to the number and/or complexity of the learning expectations
Where the program is modified, IEP box must be checked on the Provincial Progress Report and Report Card and include the appropriate statement:
“This letter grade/percentage mark is based on achievement of the expectations in the IEP, that vary from the Grade __ expectations ...”

36. ALTERNATIVE EXPECTATIONS
Developed to help students acquire knowledge and skills not represented in the Ontario curriculum, (e.g., social skills, orientation/mobility training, motor skills)
For most students, these would be in addition to modified or regular grade-level expectations from the Ontario curriculum
For students with Mild or Developmental Disabilities, these would represent an alternative curriculum (e.g., Functional Academics, Activities of Daily Living, Communication)

37. Transition Plan
PPM 156 – All students with an IEP, whether or not they have been identified as exceptional by an IPRC will have a Transition Plan developed
If the student has no particular need of support during transitions, the plan should state that no actions are required

38. The Transition Plan will include
transition goals
action required to achieve the goals
roles and responsibilities
timelines for implementation and/or completion of each identified actions

39. TRANSITION PLAN (continued)
Transitions may be written to support:
Education – School Entry
Education – Transition within the school (programs/subjects/grades/schools)
Education – Post Secondary
Community – Recreation/Leisure
Managing in the Community – (TTC training, life skills, training beyond school
Community – Links to resources (agencies, services, funding, respite)

40. IEP - PARENT ROLE Participate in the consultation process
Provide up-to-date information
Share knowledge and insights about their child’s strengths, needs, talents and interests
Reinforce child’s learning by providing practice time at home
Maintain open communication with school staff

41. IEP - COMMUNICATION
The decision to develop an IEP rests with the school for non-exceptional students. An IEP is a requirement for students with an exceptionality.
It is a professional obligation to address the learning needs of all students.
An IEP may include things you do not want and may not include things you do want.
It is important to ask questions to understand the school’s perspective

42. EVALUATION & REPORTING TO PARENTS
Student progress is based on the independent demonstration of learning, given the provision of appropriate assessment accommodations
Student progress must be recorded on the Provincial Progress Report and Provincial Report Card
IEP is reviewed and updated at each reporting period

43. I Identification P Placement R Review C Committee
IPRC - Regulation 181/98
I Identification
P Placement
R Review
C Committee

44. Types of IPRCs Original
Annual Review – every year a student’s exceptionality and placement are reviewed by the school.
Parent may request a review at any time after a placement has been in effect for 3 months.
For point #2, explain the 3 levels of IPRCs we have in the TDSB

45. IPRC Membership – Original
The IPRC committee is comprised of at least 3 people:
Principal or Supervisory Officer
Special Education Coordinator
Representative from Psychological Services

46. IPRC Membership – Annual Review
The IPRC committee is comprised of at least 3 people:
Principal or Supervisory Officer
Special Education Coordinator or Consultant
Special Education Teacher
The annual review is usually held at your child’s school.

47. The Role of the IPRC
To determine if a student is exceptional as defined by the Ministry of Education and the TDSB.
To determine the appropriate placement.
Special Education Class
Regular Class

48. How is an IPRC Initiated?
1. The school principal makes a referral through SST.
Parents are notified the referral has been made and the approximate timelines
2. Parents make a written request to the principal.
Principal responds in writing to parent within 15 days of the written request
#2What’s in the letter? – acknowledging receipt of parent request, with approximate meeting date, parent’s guide is included with letter

49. Attendance at IPRC
10 days prior to IPRC date, you will receive written notice of meeting date/time/location, a copy of the IPRC referral package will be shared with parent(s)/guardian(s) at this time
Who attends the meeting?
Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
Student, where appropriate
Parent/family support
School staff (principal/vice-principal, teacher, other staff as appropriate)
An interpreter, when required
-Student attendance – encourage participation

50. What Happens During the Meeting?
Introductions
Purpose of meeting (make a decision: Exceptionality and Placement for student)
Profile of the student is shared (strengths/needs, progress in current placement, IPRC referral package is reviewed)
Full participation of all parties is encouraged
The committee considers parental preference and the students needs regarding placement (regular class or special education class)
A decision is made regarding the student’s exceptionality and placement and recorded on the Statement of Decision.

51. Types of Exceptionalities
Behaviour
Communication (Learning Disability, Autism, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Speech Impairment, Language Impairment)
Intellectual (Giftedness, Mild Intellectual Disability, Developmental Disability)
Physical (Blind and Low Vision, Physical Disability)

52. Settings Within Regular Class Placements
Indirect Support
Student does not receive direct support from the Special Ed. teacher, classroom teacher is supported by the Special Ed. teacher
Resource Assistance
Student receives support from the Special Ed. teacher within the regular class setting
Withdrawal Assistance
Student receives support outside the regular classroom from the Special Ed. teacher for less than 50% of the school day

53. Settings Within Special Education Class
1. Partial Integration – 50% of the school day in a Special Education Class
At the elementary level this is referred to as the Home School Program (HSP)
2. Full Time – Special Education Class for the entire school day, referred to as Intensive Support Program (ISP)
ISPs consist of student’s with the same exceptionality who require more intensive support

54. Settings Within Special Education Class
Partial Integration
50% of the school day in a Special Education Class
At the elementary level this is referred to as the Home School Program (HSP)
Full Time
Special Education Class for the entire school day, referred to as Intensive Support Program (ISP)
ISPs consist of student’s with the same exceptionality who require more intensive support
When the IPRC committee decides a student should be placed in a special ed class, there must be a reason given

55. IPRC Placement Considerations
Needs of student
Strengths & Needs
Exceptionality
Location
IPRC does not decide specific program location, this is determined outside of the IPRC
Consideration is given to proximity to student’s home and site accessibility.

56. IPRC Decision and Next Steps
The Decision of the IPRC form is reviewed
Parents have the option of signing at the meeting or the Statement of Decision can be taken home for reflection/consultation and then returned to the school
Parents decide to agree/disagree with the decision around exceptionality and placement

57. If you agree with the IPRC Decision:
An offer of placement is made by a Special Education Coordinator
When an offer to an Intensive Support Program is made, a visit to the proposed program is arranged
Parents accept/decline the offer after their visit to the program
Where necessary, transportation is arranged

58. If you disagree with the IPRC Decision
Reconvening
Parent may request a reconvening of the IPRC committee to the principal within 15 days after receiving the statement of decision
The meeting is held as soon as possible and with the same IPRC members
The IPRC will consider any new information and may or may not revise its decision

59. If you disagree with the IPRC Decision
Appeal
An appeal may be filed within 30 days of receipt of the original IPRC decision or 15 days after the reconvening IPRC’s decision
The notice of appeal must indicate
The decision with which you disagree (exceptionality or placement)
A statement setting out your reasons for disagreeing

60. If you disagree with the IPRC Decision
The TDSB will:
Establish a Special Education Appeal Board to hear the appeal
The Appeal Board will:
Be composed of 3 people who have no prior knowledge of the matter under appeal (one of whom is selected by the parents/guardians)
Review the material previously reviewed by the IPRC
Report its recommendations in writing to the Parents/Guardians and the school board
More information regarding this process can be found in the Guide to Special Education for Parents/Guardians (provided)

61. Handouts Provided TDSB Parent Guide
IPRC: Areas of Exceptionality and Types of Placement
Pamphlets
SEAC- Special Education Advisory Committee
Inclusion in the TDSB
IEP- Individual Education Plan
IST/SST
Blind and Low Vision
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
IPRC- Identification, Placement and Review Committee
SEPRC- Special education Program Recommendation Committee

62. Questions ???? Thank you