Page 204 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

Draft Part E: The Individual Education Plan (IEP) Information Gathered through Observation
Educators who work directly with the student can supplement the information gathered from written sources and from various consultations with information obtained through direct observation.
Once information from all sources has been gathered, it is reviewed to determine if it is sufficient to enable the team to plan and implement educational programming for the student.
If the information is insufficient, further individual assessments will need to be conducted. Note that educational assessments, especially grade- equivalent achievement scores, must be very current to be useful in the development of an IEP, so it may be necessary to conduct new educational assessments.
Other types of assessments, discussed in greater detail in Part C, may require written parental consent. It is important to help parents understand what each assessment entails – that is, the process their child will go through – as well as the benefits of conducting the assessment and its possible outcomes. Such information will ensure that parents can make an informed decision about whether to consent to an assessment. (See the box below for information on privacy requirements that may be applicable to the information generated by students’ assessments.)
When collecting, using, or releasing personal information about
a student, the principal must ensure that the requirements of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (in the case
of Provincial Schools), the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (in the case of school boards), and any other applicable legislation, as well as the requirements regarding access to student information outlined in The Ontario Student Record (OSR) Guideline (2000), have been met.
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 student’s Ontario Student Record (e.g., from other professionals who work with the student) and about providing information contained in the student’s OSR to other professionals.
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