Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

Purpose of the Standard

To inform the ministry and the public about the ways in which the board is complying with ministry requirements for implementing IEPs.

Requirements of the Standards

The school board's special education plan must describe the following:

The board's plan for implementing the ministry's standards for IEPs

Any processes for dispute resolution where parents and board staff disagree on significant aspects of the IEP

The board's results of the ministry's review for the previous year, along with the board's plans for a response to these results (where available)

The school board must include a copy of its IEP form in the plan

Individual Education Plans (IEP)

In implementing the Ministry's new standards for the Individual Education Plan, an ongoing board committee was established to put into place a methodology and an IEP template which is responsive to the needs of students and their parents, teacher-friendly and compliant with the standards released from the ministry.

The mandate of the committee is to:

Be familiar with the standards for the IEP

In-service staff regarding the IEP standards

In-service staff regarding the IEP template and software

Reinforce the framework for collaborative development of IEPs

The Individual Education Plan Elementary Template and the Individual Education Plan Secondary Template are “living” templates that are reviewed and revised on an annual basis for their ability to accurately outline educational programs and achievement for students with individual needs and to ensure compliance to Ministry standards. The Ministry IEP feedback to the board has been incorporated in the templates. The IEP committee has had ongoing and extensive consultation with Kathy Schaffer, Education Officer with the Ministry of Education, to further refine the IEP.

Dispute Resolution
The model of service delivery for special education programs and services is based on early and ongoing communication between the home and the school. Plans are developed collaboratively using a consensus-building approach. Parents are encouraged to be proactively and positively involved in the planning of programs and services. Guides have been developed to assist staff, students and parents in communication effectively and working collaboratively. See “Tips for Parents" and "Sample Questions for Parent Goal Setting”.

Programs and services are subject to continuous evaluations. Issues and changing needs are addressed promptly through home-school meetings. In situations where the home and school have difficulty reaching a common understanding, many supports are available to help resolve concerns. The school-based team comprised of the classroom teacher, the Program Resource Teacher and the Principal, represents the most appropriate first resource to help resolve concerns. Members of the Central Office Special Education Team are available to meet with home and school to assist with problem-solving and the development of creative strategies. The involvement of the Superintendent of Special Education would be an additional step in settling disputes.