Most students are successful with assessment and instruction in the regular classroom. TDSB is responsive to students who require support beyond those ordinarily received through usual instructional and assessment practices. Students who have behavioural, communication, intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities may require access to additional instructional programs and/or services available through special education.
For students who require modifications from the age-appropriate grade level expectations in a particular course or subject, instruction from teachers with more specialized training or experience in meeting exceptionality specific needs, smaller instructional groupings and supports or services from Professional Support Services personnel, may be formally identified by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee as exceptional pupils.
The Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
Ontario Regulation 181/98 of the Education Act provides information about the Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC). It sets out the procedures involved in identifying a pupil as exceptional, deciding the pupil’s placement and appealing such decisions when the exceptionalities provided by the Ministry of Education and the TDSB criteria set out in this Plan:
- Decide an appropriate placement for the student, giving first consideration to placement in a regular class with appropriate special education programs and services and taking parental preferences into account
- Discuss recommendations for programs and/or services
- Review the identification and placement at least once in each school year
Parent(s)/guardian(s) and students aged sixteen or older, have the right to attend either in-person or virtually, the IPRC meeting and will receive an invitation. In making its decisions, the IPRC will consider a package of information prepared at the sending school by teachers who work with the student, as well as information contributed by anyone attending the meeting. Parent(s)/ guardian(s) receive a copy of the IPRC package in advance, as well as a copy of the TDSB Guide to Special Education for Parent(s)/Guardian(s), which answers frequently asked questions about the IPRC process.
In determining a student’s exceptionality and placement, the IPRC considers the following:
- The student’s documented cognitive profile, learning strengths and areas for growth and/or medical diagnoses that may impact their learning
- The categories of exceptionality defined by the Ministry of Education and the TDSB criteria set out in this Plan
- The placement settings (Regular Class with Indirect Support, Regular Class with Resource Assistance, Regular Class with Withdrawal Support, Special Education Class with Partial Integration or Special Education Class Full Time) and degrees of support required by the student
- Parental preference