Parent and Caregiver Guide to Special Education Process

The Greater Essex County District School Board is committed to ensuring students with special needs receive the support they need to succeed. Learn about our tiered process and the collaborative steps we take with families for best support.

The tiered process​

When a student is not meeting with success in school, the following procedures briefly outline the steps taken to identify difficulties and gain assistance. Generally, Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions and supports are provided by the student's classroom teacher. Collaboration can happen with the parent and school team which may include the principal, classroom teacher, Learning Support Teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist, Psychological Services, Social Work, Behaviour Team, Student Success Teacher, Guidance Counsellor and Special Education Coordinator.​

Our three-tiered approach:

  • Promotes early intervention for those “in risk”
  • Increases the intensity of instructional interventions

The Individual Education Plan (IEP)

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is created for each student who has been identified as exceptional by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) meeting. The IEP outlines the goals and expectations that the classroom teacher or school team has set for the student as well as additional supports that are needed to help achieve those goals and expectations.​

Parent guide to the IEP

View our Parent Guide to the IEP to learn about our IEP process. The GECDSB is committed to partnering with families and caregivers in developing plans that will help their children succeed in school.  

How is an IEP prepared?

The IEP is prepared within 30 school days of the date of the student's placement. The IEP goals and expectations are reported on in your child's report card at each reporting period and adjusted when necessary throughout the year.

In some situations, students will have a non-identified IEP. In this scenario, an IPRC Meeting has not occurred but the school team, along with parents have determined an IEP is necessary for the student. 

The Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)

​The GECDSB follows the established Ontario Ministry of Education Ministry of Education regulation process that identifies students as exceptional.

View our Parent Guide to the IPRC to learn more about the IPRC process.

Process leading up to IPRC

Leading up to the IPRC, the steps include:

  • Teacher completes on-going assessment of the student's strengths and needs
  • Family discusses with the teacher the next steps and adjustments in the regular class
  • Consultation with Special Education Services to review your child's profile
  • If student meets the Ministry defined criteria for an exceptionality, an IPRC meeting may be called by the Principal or the parent/guardian

The IPRC meeting

During the IPRC meeting, the steps include:

  • The IPRC Committee determines if a student is exceptional based on criteria set out by the Ministry of Education
  • Student strengths and needs are determined from assessment data presented at the meeting
  • IPRC documentation includes student information, current school, strengths and need statements, current assessment data and dates, and the student's placement (i.e. regular class or special education class)
  • The regular class placement is always considered as the first option
  • The parent has the right to disagree with either or both exceptionality or placement. See the Parent Guide to the IPRC.

Following the IPRC meeting

After the IPRC meeting, the steps include:

  • Accommodations and/or modifications are made to the curriculum to allow student to succeed
  • An IEP will be created from the strengths and needs statements from the IPRC, which may include accommodations and/or modifications
  • An annual IPRC meeting is held to review both the student's exceptionality and placement