IPRC Guide For Parents

IPRC: Identification, Placement and Review Committee

IPRC Guide For Parents

Introduction

The Education Act requires that school boards provide, or purchase from another board, special education programs and services for their exceptional pupils. The purpose of this parents' guide is to provide you with information about the Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), and to set out for you the procedures involved in identifying a pupil as "exceptional" deciding the pupil's placement, or appealing such decisions if you do not agree with the IPRC.

If, after reading this guide, you require more information, please see the board contact list provided in this document.

Note:

• If you wish to receive this parent's guide in Braille, a large print, or an audio-cassette format, please contact the Board at the address or telephone number shown on the last page of this guide.
• When used in this guide, the word "parent" includes guardian.

What is an IPRC?

Regulation 181/98 requires that all school boards set up IPRC's. An IPRC is composed of at least 3 persons, one of whom must be a Principal or Supervisory Officer of the Board.

What is the role of the IPRC?

The IPRC will:

• decide whether or not your child should be identified as exceptional;
• identify the areas of your child's exceptionality, according to the categories and definitions of exceptionalities provided by the Ministry of Education and Training
• decide an appropriate placement for your child (*a list of placement options offered by the Board is included in this booklet); and
• review the identification and placement at least once in each school year

Who is identified as an exceptional pupil?

The Education Act defines an exceptional pupil as "a pupil whose behavioural, communicational, intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities are such that he or she is considered to need placement in a special education program ... "Students are identified according to the categories and definitions of exceptionalities provided by the Ministry of Education and Training.

What is a Special Education Program?

A Special Education program is defined in the Education Act as an educational program that:

• is based on and modified by the results of continuous assessment and evaluation; and
• includes a plan (called an Individual Education Plan or IEP) containing specific objectives and an outline of special education services that meet the needs of the exceptional pupil.

What are Special Education Services?

Special education services are defined in the Education Act as the facilities and resources, including support personnel and equipment, necessary for developing and implementing a special education program.

What is an IEP?

The IEP must be developed for your child, in consultation with you. It must include:

• specific educational expectations;
• an outline of the special education program and services that will be received;
• a statement about the methods by which your child's progress will be reviewed; and
• for students 14 years and older (except those identified as exceptional solely on the basis of giftedness), a plan for transition to appropriate post secondary school activities, such as work, further education, and community living

The IEP must be completed within 30 days after your child has been placed in the program, and the principal must ensure that you receive a copy of it.

How is the IPRC meeting requested?

The principal of your child's school:

• must request an IPRC meeting for your child, upon receiving your written request;
• may, with written notice to you, refer your child to an IPRC when the principal and the child's teacher or teachers believe that your child may benefit from a special education program.

Within 15 days of receiving your request, or giving you notice, the principal must provide you with a copy of this guide and a written statement of approximately when the IPRC will meet.

May parents attend the IPRC meeting?

Regulation 181/98 entitles parents and pupils 16 years of age or older:

• to be present at and participate in all committee discussions about your child; and
• to be present when the committee's identification and placement decision is made

Who else may attend an IPRC meeting?

• the Principal of your child's school;
• other resource people such as your child's teacher, special education staff, board support staff, or the representative of an agency, who may provide further information or clarification;
• your representative - that is, a person who may support you or speak on behalf of you or your child; and
• an interpreter, if one is required (you can request the services of an interpreter through the Principal of your child's school).

Who may request that others attend?

Either you or the Principal of your child's school may make a request for the attendance of others at the IPRC meeting.

What information will parents receive about the IPRC meeting?

At least 10 days in advance of the meeting, the Chair of the IPRC will provide you with written notification of the meeting and an invitation to attend themeeting as an important partner in considering your child's placement. This letter will notify you of the date, time, and place of the meeting, and it will ask you to indicate whether you will attend.

to make the scheduled meeting to make the scheduled meeting?

If you are unable to make the scheduled meeting, you may:

• contact the School Principal to arrange an alternative date or time; or
• let the School Principal know you will not be attending, and as soon as possible after the meeting, the Principal will forward to you, for your consideration and signature, the IPRC's written statement noting the decision of identification and placement and any recommendations regarding Special Education Programs and Services.

What happens at an IPRC meeting?

• the chair introduces everyone and explains the purpose of the meeting
• the IPRC will review all available information about your child

They will:

• consider an educational assessment of your child;
• consider, subject to the provisions of the Health Care Consent Act, 1996, a health or psychological assessment of your child conducted by a qualified practitioner if they feel that such an assessment is required to make a correct identification or placement decision;
• interview your child, with your consent if your child is less than 16 years of age, if they feel it would be useful to do so; and
• consider any information that you submit about your child or that your child submits if he or she is 16 years of age or older

The committee may discuss any proposal that has been made about a special education program or special education services for the child. Committee members will discuss any such proposal at your request, or at the request of your child if the child is 16 years of age or older.

You are encouraged to ask questions and join in the discussion.

Following the discussion, after all the information has been presented and considered, the committee will make its decision.

What will the IPRC consider in making its placement decision?

Before the IPRC can consider placing your child in a special education class, it must consider whether placement in a regular class with appropriate special education services will:

• meet your child's needs; and
• be consistent with your preferences

If the committee decides that your child should be placed in a special education class, it must state the reasons for that decision in its written statement of decision

What will the IPRC's written statement of decision include?

The IPRC's written statement of decision will state:

• whether the IPRC has identified your child as exceptional;
• where the IPRC has identified your child as exceptional,
• the catagories and definitions of any exceptionalities, as they are defined by the Ministry of Education & Training;
• the IPRC's description of your child's strengths and needs;
• the IPRC's placement decision; and
• the IPRC's recommendations regarding a special education program and special education services;
• where the IPRC has decided that your child should be placed in a special education class, the reasons for that decision.

What happens after the IPRC has made its decision?

• If you agree with the IPRC decision, you will be asked to indicate, by signing your name, that you agree with the identification and placement decisions made by the IPRC. The statement of decision may be signed at the IPRC meeting or taken/sent home and returned.
• If the IPRC has identified your child as an exceptional pupil and you have agreed with the IPRC identification and placement decision, the Board will promptly notify the principal of the school at which the special education program is to be provided of the need to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for your child.

Once a child has been placed in a special education program, can the placement be reviewed?

• The review IPRC considers the same type of information that was originally considered.
• With your written permission, the IPRC conducting the review will consider the progress your child has made in relation to the IEP.
• The IPRC will review the placement and identification decisions and decide whether they should be continued or whether a different decision should now be made.

What can parents do if they disagree with the IPRC decision?

If you do not agree with either the identification or placement decision made by the IPRC, you may:

• within 15 days of receipt of the decision, request that the IPRC hold a second meeting to discuss your concerns; or
• within 30 days of receipt of the decision, file a notice of appeal with the Director of Education, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

If you do not consent to the IPRC decision and you do not appeal it, the Board will instruct the principal to implement the IPRC decision.

How do I appeal an IPRC decision?
If you disagree with the IPRC's identification of your child as exceptional or with the placement decision of the IPRC, you may within 30 days of receipt of the original decision or within 15 days of receipt of the decision from the second meeting described previously, give written notification of your intention to appeal the decision to the Director of Education, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, 115 W. Mary Street, 2nd Floor.

The notice of appeal must:

• indicate the decision with which you disagree; and
• include a statement that sets out your reasons for disagreeing.

What happens in the appeal process?

The appeal process involves the following steps:
The Board will establish a Special Education Appeal Board to hear your appeal. The Appeal Board will be composed of three persons (one of whom is to be selected by you, the parent) who have no prior knowledge of the matter under appeal.

The Chair of the Appeal Board will arrange a meeting to take place at a convenient time and place, but no later than 30 days after he or she has been selected (unless Parents and Board both provide written consent to a later date).

The Appeal Board will receive the material reviewed by the IPRC and may interview any persons who may be able to contribute information about the matter under appeal.

You, the parent, and your child, if he or she is 16 years old or over, are entitled to be present at, and to participate 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 implemented; or
• disagree with the IPRC and make a recommendation to the Board about your child's identification, placement, or both.

The Appeal Board will report its recommendations in writing, to you and to the School Board, providing the reasons for its recommendations.
Within 30 days of receiving the Appeal Board's written statement, the School Board will decide what action it will take with respect to the recommendations (Boards are not required to follow the Appeal Board recommendations).

You may accept the decision of the School Board, or you may appeal to a Special Education Tribunal. You may request a hearing by writing to the secretary of the Special Education Tribunal. Information about making an application to the tribunal will be included with the Appeal Board's decision.