Page 95 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

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Part C: Early Identification, Assessment, and Transition Planning
Entry to School
Children arrive at school with different backgrounds and experiences and at different stages of development. It is important to plan early to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. Whether the child is coming from home or has been in child care, a successful transition depends on the ability of all those involved to communicate effectively and to share information about the child.5
If, when a child is registered in the spring for first-time attendance at school in the fall, the parents and board staff agree that the child could benefit from a special education program and/or services, a case conference with the appropriate people could be held. At the conference in the spring, the child’s program and service needs could be discussed, so that the agreed- upon program and/or services could be provided to the child when
he or she starts school. After the child arrives at school, it may also be determined that an IPRC meeting is necessary.
Once a child with special education needs has been registered, the school and parents should continue the process of collecting and reviewing information related to the child’s needs and should communicate regularly about the child’s progress. Early documentation of a child’s strengths, needs, and developmental stage will be useful in establishing records.
Teachers, early childhood educators, members of the community, and families must work together to provide constructive and consistent learning experiences that will build children’s confidence, encourage them to see learning as both enjoyable and useful, and provide a strong foundation for their future intellectual, physical, and social development.
5. Any exchange of information must be in accordance with freedom of information legislation and appropriate regard for confidentiality.
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