Special Education Policy Documents

Various ministry policy documents contain policy statements affecting special education and exceptional pupils.

• Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning and Implementation - 2000 describes new, province-wide standards that school boards must meet when developing, implementing and monitoring Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

• Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans - 2000 describes the new province-wide standards that school boards must meet when developing their special education plans.

• Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12 - 1999 is the principal policy document for secondary school education in Ontario. Throughout this document, guidance is provided on special education at the secondary school level.

• Program Planning and Assessment, The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 - 2000 includes guidance for secondary school teachers on implementing the new secondary school curriculum for exceptional pupils.

• Choices Into Action - 1999 is the new guidance and career education program policy for Ontario. The provision of guidance and career education to exceptional pupils is addressed at appropriate locations throughout the document.

• Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 1-8 - 1998 (Adobe Acrobat file, 132 KB) includes instructions for reporting the achievement of exceptional pupils whose Individual Education Plans document accommodations or modifications to the student’s learning expectations.

Funding policy documents are discussed on the page Funding for Special Education. Note that the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has responsibility for provincial testing at the Grade 3, 6, and 9 levels, and for the provincial secondary school literacy test. EQAO provides guidance to school boards concerning the inclusion of exceptional pupils in provincial testing and on appropriate accommodations that may be made for these students during the tests.