Special Education

The provision of appropriate learning environments and experiences for exceptional students and for students who have special education needs is based on the following beliefs held by the London District Catholic School Board. We believe that….

• All students educated in our schools have an opportunity to learn to live, thrive and to contribute as valued and respected Catholics in any society
• All students have a right to participate fully in opportunities for learning and growth appropriate to their needs and gifts
• It is our responsibility as Catholic educators and parents/caregivers to provide the opportunity for all students to share in the school experience together with their siblings and friends
• An attitude of welcome acceptance, and indeed, celebration of individual differences and unique gifts is to be encouraged and supported among pupils, parents, and staff of this Catholic school board

 

The commitment of the Board to these beliefs is expressed by the way students with special education needs are welcomed and provided for in our school communities. The Board, therefore, delegates to the Director, in consultation with the *Special Education Advisory Committee, responsibility for developing regulations and procedures to promote:

• Effective and ongoing communication among parents/caregivers and school/system staff based on a relationship of trust and mutual respect
• Shared responsibility among teachers, parents, students, school, and system staff to enhance the participation of students with special education needs in the life of the school
• Recognition that the Ontario Curriculum is designed for all students; and that programs must reflect the abilities, needs, interests and learning styles of students of all genders, racial, linguistic, and ethnocultural groups
• The co-ordination and use of system resources, people and material, to provide practical support for school and system staff to meet the unique needs and gifts of all students
• Full access to community resources for students, staff, and parents
• The development of partnerships within our communities to enrich the educational experience of all students and promote the connecting of students to community supports and opportunities
• The concept that classroom settings with age-appropriate peers is the optimum learning environment for students to experience community. Together, all students learn communication skills, socialization, independence and the value of self and others as contributing members of society

A special education program is a type of school program that is altered to help students who need extra support. It is based on regular progress check-ins and ongoing changes to make sure supports and services are meeting the student's needs. This program includes a plan called an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP has specific goals and lists the special help the student will get.

Special education services are the tools and people needed to help students in a special education program. This can include learning environments, people, and special equipment and programs.

The Board offers three types of resources to help students:
1. School-Based Resources: These are the people and tools at the school. People could include the Principal or Vice-Principal, Classroom Teacher, Student Program Support Teacher, Early Childhood Educator, and Educational Assistant. Tools could include technology or equipment.
2. System-Based Resources: These are the people and tools that support the whole school system. People could include Administration, Coordinators, Consultants, System Teachers, Behaviour Analysts, Behaviour Intervention Assistants, Psychology Services Staff, Social Workers, Speech/Language Pathologists, and other support staff. Tools could include consultation or assessment from professional services or access to materials borrowed from the board.
3. Community-Based Resources: These are the people and tools from outside the school. They
include the Ministry of Education, other related Ministries, community agencies, treatment
facilities, SEAC member associations, and other community resources

An IPRC, or Identification Placement and Review Committee, identifies which students need special education supports and services to help them. There is a rule called Regulation 181/98 that says all school boards must have a process for IPRCs. 

Before Holding an IPRC	During the IPRC	After an IPRC
Communication between home and school should be ongoing. School staff, board staff, parents, and students (16 years and older) should share information about the student’s strengths, needs, and progress.   The principal, parents/ caregivers, or the student (if they are16 or older) can ask for an IPRC meeting.	The IPRC Chair will lead the discussion to review important information and make the decisions about: • Whether the student is exceptional • What the student’s exceptionality is • What placement will best meet the student’s strengths and needs	If the IPRC decision is to identify the student as exceptional, an IEP must be created within 30 school days. If the student already has an IEP, that plan will be updated after the meeting. If the IPRC decides the student is not exceptional, the school will continue to provide appropriate programming.

The IPRC, or Identification Placement and Review Committee, has three main jobs:

 

Identify*
The IPRC decides if a student should be identified as exceptional. They look at different information and talk about it. This can include assessments, school records, and observations from parents and teachers. They also choose the right category of exceptionality for the student.

 

Place (Placement)**
The IPRC decides where the student will get their special education program. This is called placement. It explains where the program will be given and how a special education qualified teacher will be involved. The London District Catholic School Board is inclusive, so most students are placed in regular classes with some extra help. Sometimes, other placements are chosen by the committee. Each secondary school has a special education class with partial integration for students who need different programs.

Review
The IPRC reviews the student's identification and placement at least once a year. Parents can agree to skip the yearly review in some cases. Reviews usually happen at the school. Changes to identification or placement are based on new information and when the student moves from elementary to secondary school. Reviews should not happen until the placement has been in effect for at least three months.
Note: Parents are encouraged to join the yearly review meetings to talk about any changes needed for the student's strengths, needs, identification, and placement.

The Ontario Ministry of Education provides the following Categories of Exceptionality.

 

Behavioural: Behaviour

Communication: Autism, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Language Impairment, Learning Disability, Speech Impairment

Intellectual: Developmental Disability, Giftedness, Mild Intellectual Disability

Physical: Physical, Blind & Low Vision

Multiple: Two or more exceptionalities

The Ontario Ministry of Education provides definitions of classroom placement options.  The chart below displays the Ministry definition and what each placement looks like at the LDCSB.

Ministry Placement Definitions	What that Placement Looks Like at the LDCSB
A regular class with Indirect Service The student is placed in a regular class for the entire day, and the teacher(s) receives specialized consultative services	This placement is for students in grade K-12 who receive all instruction and assessment from their classroom teacher. The classroom teacher is supported by the special education teacher who provides strategies, materials and consultation
A regular class with resource assistance The student is placed in a regular class for most or all of the day and receives specialized instruction, individually or in a small group, within the regular classroom from a qualified special education teacher	This placement is for students in grade K-8 who get most or all their instruction and assessment from their classroom teacher. They also get some individual or small group teaching by the special education trained teacher while remaining in their classroom. The classroom teacher is supported by the special education teacher
A regular class with withdrawal assistance The student is placed in the regular class and receives instruction outside of the classroom for less than 50% of the school day, from a qualified special education teacher. Note: This placement requires consultation with System Team	This placement is for students in grade 9-12 who receive most or all instruction and assessment from their course/subject teacher. They may also get some individual or small group teaching by the special education trained teacher outside of the classroom where their course takes place. Students in this placement would get instruction by a special education qualified teacher for less than 50% of the day
A special education class with partial integration The student is placed by the IPRC in a special education class where the student-teacher ratio conforms to the standards in O. Reg. 298, section 31, for at least 50% of the school day, but is integrated with a regular class for at least one instructional period daily. Note: This placement requires consultation with System Team	This placement is for students in grade 9-12 who receive at least 50% their instruction and assessment from a special education qualified teacher. At the LDCSB, each secondary school has a classroom with a special education qualified teacher. Students participate in alternate and individualized learning activities within the School to Community Pathways Program aimed at: • Developing literacy and numeracy skills • Developing personal care and self-help skills • Developing communication and social skills • Developing leisure and job skills Students are integrated into classrooms outside of the special education classroom and included in learning opportunities with their same age peers as appropriate
A special education class full time The student is placed by the IPRC in a special education class, where the student-teacher ratio conforms to the standards in O. Reg. 298, section 31, for the entire school day. Note: This placement requires consultation with the School Superintendent prior to IPRC Meeting	This placement is for students in grade 9-12 who get 100% of their instruction and assessment from a special education qualified teacher within the School to Community Pathways Program. Programming includes: • Developing literacy and numeracy skills • Developing personal care and self-help skills • Developing communication and social skills • Developing leisure and job skills Students are supported to participate in social interaction opportunities with their same age peers as appropriate
Placement Recommendations may reflect applications for admission to programs outside of the board such as; • a Provincial School for students who are Deaf, Blind, or Deafblind, or a Demonstration School for students who have severe learning disabilities (see list of schools at the end of this document) • a facility that provides the necessary care or treatment appropriate to the student's condition.

There are 5 stages in the Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Process.

 

Stage 1 - Requesting an IPRC
An IPRC (Identification Placement and Review Committee) meeting can be requested by:
• The principal, if they think it is needed to help support your child based on the information they have.
• A parent or caregiver, who can ask for an IPRC meeting to talk about the placement and special needs of their child. If a parent makes the request in writing, the principal will respond within 15 days and give a copy of the Parent Guide to Special Education. The IPRC meeting will be scheduled at a time that works for both the parent/caregiver and the principal.

 

Stage 2 - Invitation Letter Sent to Parent/Caregiver
An IPRC (Identification Placement and Review Committee) Letter of Invitation will be sent to parents or caregivers at least 10 days before the meeting. The invitation will include information from earlier talks about your child's strengths and needs. It will also have the date, time, and place of the meeting. There will be a form to send back to confirm that the parents or guardians and the student (if they are 16 or older) will attend.

 

Stage 3 – The IPRC Meeting
People who attend the meeting include.

 

School Team Members:
The principal will lead the IPRC (Identification Placement and Review Committee) meeting. Two other staff members, usually the classroom teacher and the Student Program Support Teacher, will also be part of the committee. Other school or board staff may also attend.
Parent/Caregiver and Additional Attendees:
• Parents or caregivers
• Students who are 16 years old or older
• A representative from an agency who can give more information to the committee
• A representative or advocate chosen by the parents, caregivers, or student (16 years or older), who can help with the discussion or represent the parents
• An interpreter or translator if needed (you can ask the school principal for this service)

 

Stage 4 - Recording the Decisions Made at the Meeting
During the meeting, the committee will fill out a summary document called an IPRC Statement of
Decision (SOD). This document will include the student's educational strengths and needs, confirm that the student is exceptional, and state the category of exceptionality and placement.
If the parents, caregivers, or student (16 years or older) agree with the IPRC's decisions about
identification and placement, they will be asked to sign the Statement of Decision (SOD). This can be done at the meeting or taken home and returned later.

 

Stage 5 – Next Steps after an IPRC
If the IPRC (Identification Placement and Review Committee) has decided that a child is an exceptional pupil and the parents, caregivers, or student (16 years or older) agree with the decision, the principal will make sure that the school team creates an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the student within 30 school days of the IPRC meeting.

If the IPRC decides that the student is not an exceptional pupil, the school team will continue to provide ongoing support through school-based tiered interventions. A non-identified IEP may be created with help from the system team.

 

If you do not agree with the IPRC (Identification Placement and Review Committee) decision about your child's identification or placement, you can:

• Within 15 days of getting the decision, ask the IPRC to hold another meeting to talk about your
concerns. This can de done by contacting the Principal.
• Within 30 days of getting the decision, file a Notice of Appeal with the Secretary of the Board.

 

If you still do not agree with the decision after the second meeting, you can file a Notice of Appeal within 15 days of getting the decision. If you do not agree with the IPRC decision and do not appeal it, the Board will tell the principal to follow the IPRC decision.

 

If you disagree with the IPRC's decision about your child's identification as exceptional or their
placement, you can, within 30 days of getting the original decision or within 15 days of getting the
decision from the second meeting, send an email to [email protected]  and/or write a letter addressed to:

Assistant Superintendent of Special Education
London District Catholic School Board
5200 Wellington Road South, London ON N6E 3X8

The Notice of Appeal must:
• Say which decision you disagree with and include a statement explaining why you disagree.

The appeal process includes these steps:

• The board will set up a special education appeal board to hear your appeal. The appeal board will have three people who do not know about the matter being appealed. One of these people will be chosen by you, the parent/caregiver.
• The chair of the appeal board will arrange a meeting at a convenient time and place, but no later
than 30 days after being chosen (unless parents and the board agree in writing to a later date).
• The appeal board will look at the material reviewed by the IPRC and may talk to people who can
give more information about the matter being appealed.
• You, the parent/caregiver, and your child (if they are 16 years old or older) can be present at and
take part in all discussions.

 

 

The appeal board must make its recommendation within 3 days of the meeting ending. It may:

• Agree with the IPRC and recommend that the decision be followed.
• Disagree with the IPRC and make a different recommendation to the board about your child's
identification or placement or both.

The appeal board will write its recommendations and give them to you and the school board, explaining the reasons. Within 30 days of getting the appeal board's written statement, the school board will decide what to do with the recommendations (the board does not have to follow the appeal board's recommendation). You can accept the school board's decision, or you can appeal to a Special Education Tribunal. You can ask for a hearing by writing to the secretary of the Special Education Tribunal. Information about how to apply to the tribunal will be included with the appeal board's decision.

Demonstration Schools for English-speaking students with severe learning disabilities, including students with severe learning disabilities and ADHD.
Amethyst School 1090 Highbury Avenue London, ON N5Y 4V9 (519) 453-4408	Sagonaska School 350 Dundas Street West Belleville, ON K8P 1B2 (613) 967-2830	Trillium School 347 Ontario Street South Milton, ON L9T 3X9 (905) 878-8428
Schools for the Deaf
Ernest C. Drury School 255 Ontario Street South Milton, ON L9T 2M5 (905) 878-2851	Robarts School 1090 Highbury Avenue P.O. Box 7360, Station “E” London, ON N5Y 4V9 (519) 453-4400	Sir James Whitney School 350 Dundas Street West Belleville, ON K8P 1B2 (613) 967-2823
School for the Blind and      Deaf-Blind	French-language school for the deaf and Demonstration School for French speaking students with severe learning disabilities, including learning disabilities associated with ADHD.
W. Ross Macdonald School 350 Brant Avenue Brantford, ON N3T 3J9 (519) 759-0730	Centre Jules-Leger 281 rue Lanark Ottawa, ON K1Z 6R8 (613) 761-9300

Many parent associations and organizations are available to provide information and support to parents and caregivers of students with special education needs. Some examples are listed below:

Association for Bright Children of Ontario

Autism Ontario - London Chapter*

Canadian Hearing Society Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) 

Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI)

Children’s Aid Society (CAS)

Community Living London*

Community Services Coordination Network (CSCN)*

Council for Exceptional Children,Chapter 81 

Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario*

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Ontario Network

First Nations Representative (Oneida Nation of the Thames, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Munsee Delaware Nation)

Learning Disabilities Association—London Region*

London Down Syndrome Association*

Easter Seals*

Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders

Oxford Elgin Child and Youth Centre (OECYC)

Parents for Children’s Mental Health (PCMH)

Parent Mentor Service (through TVCC) 

South-West Local Health Integration Network

Vanier Children’s Services

VIEWS for the Visually Impaired

VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children

 

Note: *Currently has a representative on SEAC.