Summary
of the special education plan
This fact sheet is intended to serve as a summary of
information. The special education plan is a valuable resource for
parents. It explains the special education policies, programs and
services currently provided by the Peel District School Board. The
plan is very detailed and specific. It acts like a road map to
guide you through the special education process. For more details
on specific aspects of the special education plan, please check
the appropriate section of the full document.
Setting the
standards
Our special education plan must follow the provincial standards
established by the Ontario Ministry of Education. These standards
are designed to respect and support the learning abilities of all
children. The special education plan describes the many ways that
we try to meet the learning needs of our students.
The Peel board offers a wide range of special education
programs, services and resources. The special education plan will
help you to understand what these programs are, how they are
delivered to your child and where you can go to get advice or
support.
Making changes
Every year, we review the special education plan. Changes to
educational policies, funding or resources can affect our special
education programs. We check the plan regularly to make sure that
it reflects our current policies and continues to meet the needs
of our exceptional students.
Parents and other members of our community are included in this
review process. Your input helps us to plan and improve our
programs. The Peel board welcomes your suggestions and comments.
We invite you to participate in the important decisions that guide
the future of our special education services.
Our values
The Peel board believes that all children can learn. Many
studies have proven that children develop and learn at different
rates. We know that some of our students may not reach their full
learning potential without special education support.
The special education plan outlines the philosophy and
principles that guide our special education programs. These
principles help us make good decisions about our services and our
students.
Roles and
responsibilities
The plan also explains the roles and responsibilities involved
in providing special education services to elementary and
secondary schools. Responsibility for special education begins
with the Ontario Ministry of Education. The school board, the
school and the teachers all have roles to play in the process. You
and your child have responsibilities, too. We achieve the best
results when we all work together as a team.
Getting an early
start
We know that children are more successful at school when we
give them the learning support they need. That's why we start the
identification process early. We try to recognize or 'identify'
children with special learning needs as soon as we can. The
special education plan explains how we measure and track your
child's academic, physical, social, intellectual and emotional
development. That information helps us to understand your child's
abilities and potential..
Identification: A step-by-step
process
We are very careful to match your child's learning needs with
the right special education program. The special education plan
describes the 'assessment tools' we use to collect useful
information about your child. The more we know about your child's
development, the better we can support his or her learning
needs.
ISRC and IPRC
Once we know that your child needs special education services,
we monitor his or her learning progress regularly. An In-School
Review Committee (called an ISRC) works with teachers and other
support staff to develop a special education program for your
child. We usually combine this program with your child's regular
school and classroom activities.
If your child needs more learning support, the school principal
may ask an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (called
an IPRC) to review your child's case. Parents are invited to
participate in this meeting. The IPRC may identify your child as
'exceptional'. Once your child has been identified, the IPRC will
recommend a special education program to help your child learn
more effectively.
The special education plan explains how the ISRC and the IPRC
process works. It defines all the terms and categories used to
identify exceptional students. It also explains how to appeal the
IPRC decisions, if you don't agree with your child's
identification or placement.
Plans, programs and
resources
Because every child has different strengths and needs, we offer
a wide variety of special education programs. We usually start by
supporting your child in a regular classroom. We have several
other methods of providing special education support and services.
One of these programs may be better suited to your child's
abilities.
The special education plan provides a detailed description of
the many placement and program options available through the Peel
board. It helps you to understand the decisions that are made
about your child's learning program and placement. It also
explains the various levels of support that are available to you
and your child, outside of the classroom.
Individual Education Plan
(IEP)
Every exceptional student must have an Individual Education
Plan (called an IEP). The IEP is a very important document. It
sets program goals for your child and describes the strategies
which will be used to help your child learn. We encourage parent
involvement. A sample IEP is included in the special education
plan, to help you understand how we guide and measure your child's
learning progress.
Special Education Advisory
Committee (SEAC)
Communicating with parents is a necessary part of the special
education process. We are required to keep you involved in every
stage of the decision-making process. Your opinions are important
to us because you know your child best. By sharing information, we
can work together to improve your child's learning ability.
The Peel board has also established a Special Education
Advisory Committee, known as SEAC. SEAC is the main path of
communication between the public and the Board. This committee has
a crucial role to play in shaping the delivery and development of
our special education services.
As a parent, you can make a presentation to SEAC about special
education issues that interest you. Through SEAC, we listen to
your suggestions for program improvements. We also use SEAC to
share information about upcoming changes or reviews of our special
education services. The committee meets every month and the
meetings are open to the public.
The special education plan explains how SEAC operates and who
may be a member of this important committee. By reading the plan,
you will learn more about SEAC's role and responsibilities. You
will also understand how SEAC can support your needs as the parent
of an exceptional student.
A vital
resource
CXThe special education plan is a valuable document, filled
with important information. It has a broad scope and covers more
areas than we can list in this short summary.
It is the place to go to find information about transportation,
equipment, health resources and specialized schools. It will give
you details about staffing, program locations, long term planning
and the results of annual service reviews.
The special education plan is the foundation of our special
education program and a vital resource for everyone involved in
our programs.
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