The Principal's Role in the IPRC and IEP Process
"Regulation 181/98 requires that all school boards establish one or more Identification, Placement and Review Committees (IPRCs). The IPRC meets and decides if a student should be identified as an exceptional pupil and, if so, the placement that will best meet the student's needs. An IPRC is composed of at least 3 persons, one of whom must be a principal or supervisory officer of the board. " -Special Education: A Guide for Educators, p. D4, October 2001.
The IPRC will:
- invite parents and student (16 years or older) to attend the meeting;
- review relevant information about the student;
- describe the student's strengths and needs;
- decide whether or not the student should be identified as an exceptional pupil;
- identify area(s) of the student's exceptionality(ies), according to the categories and definitions of exceptionality provided by the Ministry of Education;
- decide appropriate placement for the student
- provide reasons for placement if deciding for placement in a special class;
- discuss proposals for special education programs and services if the parent or the student age 16 or over requests it;
- review the identification and placement at least once in each school year
-Special Education: A Guide for Educators, p. D4, 2001
The IPRC
Upon Request Written Request
Upon written request from the parents, the principal must follow the board's procedure in arranging for the IPRC meeting.
Within 15 days of receiving the request for an IPRC, the principal must follow the board procedures in arranging for the IPRC meeting. This cannot be denied.
The principal must (within the 15 days);
- acknowledge the parent's request
- provide the parent with a copy of the board's Parent's Guide to Special Education
- provide the parents with a written statement indicating approximately when the IPRC will meet.
The IPRC Process
Prior to the Meeting
Please open your device and find the OPC Handbook's section pertaining to the IPRC process
You may reference that for the rest of the slides.
At least 10 days prior to the meeting, the chair must send the parent written notification of the meeting. The letter will advise the parent of the;
- date, time and place of the meeting
- ask the parent to indicate whether he or she will attend
- Parents should be given an outline of the agenda
- Answer any questions
Parents should be encouraged to attend-every effort being made to accommodate the schedule of the parent.
What should be placed in the OSR at this point?
The IEP
Principal's Procedure
A Collaborative Approach
The Role of the Principal
Delays and Attendance
The Individual Education Plan is developed for each student who has been identified as an exceptional pupil by an IPRC or has parental consent.
Reg. 181/98, Sec. 6 (2)-(8) and 8.
The principal assigns to one teacher primary responsibility for coordinating the development, implementation and monitoring of the student's IEP.
A team approach enables all who have an interest in and responsibility for meeting the student's needs to:
- develop a thorough understanding of the student's strengths, interests and needs
- share information and observations about the student's behaviour and learning
- reach consensus about educational expectations for the student's learning at school/home/community
- reach consensus about the type and level of support required from related support services personnel
- contribute to decisions about integrating support services into the classroom.
If there is a delay in the IPRC meeting, supports must be given to the child attending school in the interim. (Education Act: Section 9)
Attendance
In addition to the 3 people that constitute an IPRC, the following people may attend;
- the principal;
- resource personnel, spec. ed. staff, student's teacher, board support staff, psychologists or other professionals who may be needed to provide further information or clarification.
- a representative of the parents or student 16 years or older
- an interpreter
- other individuals whose presence is requested by the parents or the principal
The Teacher will;
The Meeting
- Gather information
- Set the direction
- Develop the IEP
- Implement the IEP
- Consent from parents-collaborative process
- Review and Update the IEP
Principals and teachers should consult with their board's freedom-of-information coordinators about the steps required to obtain access to personal information about the student that is not contained in the OSR and about providing information contained in the student's OSR to other professionals.
-Special Education: A Guide for Educators, p. E9, 2001.
It is the responsibility of IPRC members to set an informal and welcoming tone for the meeting.
The chair should;
- introduce all in attendance;
- explain the purpose of the meeting;
- ensure that all participants feel their contributions are valued.
The IPRC committee will;
- consider an educational assessment
- obtain, subject to the provisions of the Health Care Consent Act, 1996, and consider a health or psychological assessment, if necessary
- interview the student, with the parent's permission
- consider any information about the student submitted by the parent
Following the meeting
A written IPRC statement of decision and consent form will be developed.
The statement
The written statement will;
- state whether the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional;
- where the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional, include: the categories and definitions of any exceptionalities identified, the IPRC's description of the student's strengths and needs, the IPRC's placement decision, the IPRC's recommendations regarding a special education program and special education services
- give reasons for placing the student in a special education class, where that is the IPRC's decision.
When making a placement decision on a referral under section 14, the committee shall, before considering an option of placement in a special education class, consider whether placement in a regular class, with appropriate special education services;
a) would meet the pupil's needs; and
b)is consistent with parental preferences.
If the parent disagrees with the IPRC decision, he or she may;
- within 30 days of receipt of the IPRC file a notice of appeal with the secretary of the board;
- within 15 days, file a notice of appeal with a secretary of the board.
If the parent accepts by signing the IPRC, the board shall implement a placement decision made by a committee under this Part as soon as possible and provide written notice of implementation to the parent.
Review
A review IPRC meeting must take place once every year.A parent may write to dispense with the review for the year. Similarily, a parent may request a review of an IPRC at any point within the year (after 3 months in the program)
Reg. 181/98, s.21
An Appeal
Special Education Tribunal
A parent has the right to appeal, after exhausting all rights of appeal under the regulations, to a Special Education Tribunal for a hearing. Mediation may be used prior to the hearing as an alternate means of dispute resolution.
Education Act 57; 3, 4, 5
Reg 181/98, Sec 31.1
If a parent disagrees with the IPRC decisions they must;
- give written notification within 30 days
- the special education board will hear the appeal
- the chair of the appeal board will arrange a meeting within 30 days
- the appeal board will receive the material reviewed by the IPRC and make recommendations
- the school board will decide what actions they will take with respect to the recommendations
Resources
Special Education: A Guide for Educators
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/guide/specedhandbooke.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education: Special Education
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/speced.html