Page 42 - The Individual Education Plan (IEP) - A Resource Guide, 2004

and must be permitted by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). Possible accommodations include adjustments in scheduling, changes in setting, the use of assistive devices, and adjustments to the pres- entation and response formats used in the tests. Information on permitted accommodations can be found in the following EQAO documents: Guide for Accommodations, Special Provisions, Deferrals, and Exemptions (OSSLT); Steps and Teacher’s Scripts (Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics); and Administration Guide for Teachers and Principals (Grade 3 and 6 Assessments of Reading, Writ- ing, and Mathematics). The wording used in the IEP to describe accommoda- tions for provincial assessments should be consistent with the wording used in the EQAO documents.
In rare cases, a student may require an exemption from a provincial assess- ment. An exemption may be considered by the principal if, even given the full range of permitted accommodations, the student would not be able to provide evidence of learning under the circumstances of the assessment. The IEP must indicate that an exemption is planned for part or all of a par- ticular provincial assessment, and must include an explanatory statement that outlines the reasons for the decision, quoting exemption criteria from the EQAO documents.
Develop a Transition Plan, If Required
Some exceptional students may experience difficulty in making the transi- tion from secondary school to postsecondary education, work, and/or com- munity living. A detailed and coordinated transition plan, with implementation beginning well before the anticipated move, will help pre- pare these students and assist them in making a smoother transition.
Regulation 181/98 requires that a transition plan be developed as part of the IEP for exceptional students who are 14 years of age or older, unless they are identified solely as gifted. Although schools are encouraged to prepare transition plans to assist students with a variety of possible transitions (from one grade level or course to another, from one school or school board to another), the transition plan required by the regulation relates to the stu- dent’s transition to postsecondary activities such as work, further education, and community living.
A transition plan must address goals, actions required to meet the goals, names of individuals responsible for the required actions, and timelines. The principal is responsible for ensuring coordination and development of the transition plan, but not for all the assigned tasks listed within it. Linkages to postsecondary institutions, outside agencies, and community partners are required to help students gain access to postsecondary options. A transition plan is expected to be a long-range plan that will be reviewed annually, when a new IEP is developed. Special consideration should be given to planning for the student’s skill development in areas that will prepare him or her for entry into, and participation in, planned postsecondary endeavours.
Regulation 181/98, subsec-
tion 6(4), requires that, where the pupil is 14 years of age or older, the individual education plan must also include a plan for transition to appropriate postsecondary school activities, such as work, further education, and community living. Subsec- tion 6(5) states that subsection 6(4) does not apply in respect of a pupil identified as excep- tional solely on the basis of giftedness.
Regulation 181/98, subsec-
tion 6(7), requires the principal, in developing a transition plan, to consult with such community agencies and postsecondary educational institutions as he or she considers appropriate.
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The Individual Education Plan (IEP): A Resource Guide