IEP Workshop

Kathryn Everest
YRDSB SEAC Representative – AO – YRC

Cenza Newton
YCDSB SEAC Representative – AO - YRC
An IEP is ...
• a written plan describing the special education program and/or
services required by a student based on the assessment of the
student’s strengths and needs that differ from the expectations of
the Ontario curriculum
• a record of individual accommodations
• a working document reviewed and updated at least once during
each reporting period that identifies:
– curriculum expectations that are modified from the grade level
expectations in a particular subject or course AND/OR
– alternative expectations in program areas not represented in Ontario
curriculum
• an accountability tool to be used in conjunction with the Provincial
Report Card with a clear connection to the Ontario Curriculum
• an ongoing record that ensures continuity of programming (term
to term and year to year)
What is an IEP? Really?
• The reality – it varies:
– For some – an important, carefully considered component of a
student’s special education program
– For some – it is a mandatory process which has nothing to do
with anything
– And for many it is something in between
Developing an IEP
• IEP is developed collaboratively
• Parent/student consultation is a key element in the development of
IEPs
• Principals are required to ensure that parents are consulted
• Consultation happens in a variety of ways:
– meetings
– consultation form
– interview
– telephone
• IEP brochure for parents
• Consultation log must be kept
– used to record parent/student consultations that occurred during the
development phase as well as on any significant changes that occur
throughout the year
IEP team
Team consists of:
• special education teacher, parents, classroom teacher
and student
• could also include other teachers, special education
staff, educational assistant, support staff, principal
IEP Vocabulary
• Accommodation: The term accommodations is used to refer to the special teaching
and assessment strategies, human supports, and/or individualized equipment
required to enable a student to learn and to demonstrate learning. Accommodations
do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the grade. Accommodated only
(AC) is the term used on the IEP form to identify subjects or courses from the Ontario
curriculum in which the student requires accommodations alone in order to work
towards achieving the regular grade expectations. (English translation – something
put in place so that a student can access the curriculum. e.g. an audiobook, extended
time, having a scribe. The student does the same work, just differently)
– Instructional accommodations – adjustments in teaching strategies required to enable the
student to learn and to progress through the curriculum
– Environmental accommodations – changes or supports in the physical environment of the
classroom and/or the school
– Assessment accommodations – adjustments in assessment activities methods required to
enable the student to demonstrate learning

• Modification: Modifications are changes made in the age-appropriate grade-level

expectations for a subject or course in order to meet a student’s learning needs. (This
affects whether a credit can be granted)
IEP Vocabulary
• Alternative Expectation: Alternative expectations are developed to help students
acquire knowledge and skills that are not represented in the Ontario curriculum.
Because they are not part of a subject or course outlined in the provincial curriculum
documents, alternative expectations are considered to constitute alternative
programs or alternative courses (secondary school courses). Examples of alternative
programs include: speech remediation, social skills, orientation/mobility training, and
personal care programs. For the vast majority of students, these programs would be
given in addition to modified or regular grade-level expectations from the Ontario
curriculum. Alternative programs are provided in both the elementary and the
secondary school panels.
IEP Components
Every Individual Education Plan must include the following elements:
– demographic information (including relevant medical/health information);
– date of last IPRC;
– student's exceptionality;
– student's placement per IPRCs Statement of Decision;
– student's current grade placement;
– student's strengths and needs (including relevant assessment data);
– instructional strategies/accommodations/resources (including special education and related
services provided to the student);
– where modifications are required:
– annual program goals for each program area;
– methods for reviewing the student's progress;
– student's current level of achievement in each program area;
– learning expectations for each program area;
– regular updates, showing dates, results and recommendations;
– transition plan for students 14 years of age and older;
– a safety plan when there is a concern for the safety of the student or others; and
– parent consultation form.
Individual Education Planning is an ongoing process of setting goals, identifying steps for achieving these
goals and monitoring the student's progress.
IEP – Section by Section
IEP

Ask yourself “how are my child’s

This is a CRITICAL section. strengths being leveraged”? How are
Resist “blah, blah, blah”!! my child’s needs being addressed?
Exercise
• So, what do you want?
IEP
IEP: Assessment Data
IEP: General Classroom Accommodations
 Annual Program Goals
Make it How will we
specific and know we’ve
something achieved it or
you can how will we
achieve in a know our
year methods aren’t
working?
What should
the student How will the
be able to expectations be
do? taught?

Ensure that Be suspicious

this is of “laundry
something lists”.
you care Expectations
about! should map to
resources
logically
Transition Plan
Transition Planning should be its
own workshop – so we cannot cover
it tonight. Suffice to say if you child
is in high school without one – get
this started right away. Go to
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/gener
al/elemsec/speced/transiti/transition.
pdf
for more information.
For YRDSB students, also see
http://www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/pdfs/w/s
chools/speced/SpecEdPlan-E-
TransitionPlanning.pdf
IEP – Tracking is done through the
Report Card
 Resources

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemse http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemse
c/speced/guide/resource/iepresguid.pdf c/speced/transiti/transition.pdf
Addendum
• Safety Plan – Overview J’s doc
• Medical Plan
Summary
• It should read like a story and tie together.
• You should see how strengths will be used and weaknesses will be
supported
• The I is for INDIVIDUAL. Make sure it meets YOUR child’s NEEDS
(as identified).
• Are all areas accounted for? Social skills, daily living
(independence) as well as academic
• Do you agree with the focus of the IEP? Are they working on skills
that are not that important to you or won’t be important in the future?
Remember:
• There are limited resources (time, etc.) and if teaching your child a
skill is very time consuming, make sure we are choosing what we
teach and how we teach it well. Make it count.