Page 162 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

Draft Part E: The Individual Education Plan (IEP)
The IEP should reflect the connection between the relevant assessment data and the student’s learning strengths and needs. Therefore, for the summary statement of each report’s findings (noted in the box above), a comment such as “See the OSR” is not adequate. The following are examples of appropriate summary statements:
✧ “Report provides a diagnosis of learning disabilities.”
✧ “Report affirms average cognitive functioning.”
✧ “Information indicates a mild to moderate hearing loss.”
✧ “Report finds significant area of need in expressive language skills.”
✧ “Report provides a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.”
• Elementary school program exemptions or secondary school compulsory course substitutions
Decisions relating to program exemptions (elementary) and course substitutions (secondary) are to be recorded in the IEP. The educational rationale for such decisions must be stated.
3. The Student’s Strengths and Needs
A clear understanding of the student’s strengths and needs is fundamental to the development of an effective special education program and the provision of appropriate accommodations and services to facilitate
the student’s learning. A description of the student’s strengths and needs must be recorded in the IEP.
For students who have been identified as exceptional by an IPRC,
a description of strengths and needs will have been provided in the committee’s statement of decision. The description in the IEP must be based on and consistent with the description contained in the IPRC’s statement, but may elaborate on it to reflect the results of any further assessments conducted or observations made of the student.
In the case of students who have not yet been identified as exceptional, descriptions of strengths and needs must be developed on the basis of appropriate educational, health, and/or psychological assessments, and on the basis of observations of the student.
The descriptions of the student’s strengths and needs must be clear and specific. The student’s learning expectations (see section 4.3) and special education strategies, accommodations, resources, and other
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