"Children must be supported and accommodated to be able to access the school curriculum"

This is an ever evolving process as your child grows and as different supports and resources become available to best support student learning. Every child in Ontario has the right to public education. Schools, school boards, educators, students, and parents and caregivers all have rights and responsibilities in the education system.

 

An individual education plan (IEP), if not already in place,  can be initiated before an IPRC (Identification, Placement and Review Committee). Start by contacting your child's teacher.

 

Only an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) can formally decide if your child has an exceptionality. If your child is having difficulties at school, it is usually a good idea to ask for an IPRC. Start by contacting your child’s school principal.

Steps to start the IPRC process

 

 

Here are some helpful resources

 

Community Advocacy & Legal Centre school + education

  • We provide free legal information on school or education problems. 

  • We offer free legal information sessions for the public. 

  • We work with community partners on issues related to school or education problems. Our priorities are to help the parents of identified students get the programs they need at school.

  • We work to create fairer school or education laws and to ensure the laws are justly enforced. We also work to improve parents’ understanding of their children’s education rights.

 

Justice for Children and Youth - Education

At Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY), we provide child-centred legal services that enhance justice and support inclusion for vulnerable children and youth through:

 

Steps to Justice

Steps to Justice, led by CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario) gives comprehensive online information on common legal problems that people experience in family, housing, employment and other areas of law. 

 

Steps to Justice gives reliable and practical information on common legal problems including:

 

ARCH Disability Law Centre

ARCH Disability Law Centre is a specialty legal clinic that practices exclusively in disability 

rights law.

 

Ontario Education Act

What is the Education Act Ontario?

The Education Act is the main piece of legislation, or “statute”, governing public education in Ontario. This legislation provides authority for the creation of all of the main features of the education system.

 

Ontario Human Rights Commission

The opportunity to succeed: Achieving barrier-free education for all  students.

 

Human Rights Legal Support Centre

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) offers human rights legal services to individuals throughout Ontario who have experienced discrimination contrary to Ontario's Human Rights Code. Our services may include legal assistance in filing applications at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), and legal representation at mediations and hearings

 

Hastings Prince Edward District School Board

Student Services – Special Education, Special Needs Support

Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) recognizes that children develop and learn at different rates and offers a range of special education programs and services designed to meet a wide range of children’s needs. Student Services is committed to the following guiding principles:

  • Provide access to education for all students regardless of their special needs pursuant to the provisions of the amendments to the Education Act, 1998
  • Progress towards placement of exceptional students in the least restrictive educational alternative
  • Ensure that programs necessary to meet the needs of exceptional students are developed
  • Establish effective communication with all parents and the community
  • Utilize available resources to support programming needs of exceptional students
  • Encourage the development of the human resources necessary to address the needs of exceptional students in the least restrictive environment
  • Review annually the effectiveness of the provisions made for exceptional students

Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board

Our educational programs are designed to meet the needs of all students. They promote accessibility, honour diversity and respect, and foster the atmosphere of a Catholic School Community. They are based on the results of continuous assessment and evaluation and includes an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which contains an outline of educational services and specific objectives to meet the needs of the exceptional student. Such programming might be provided within a regular class, with indirect, resource and/or withdrawal assistance, or in a special education class.