Students are identified according to the categories and definitions of exceptionalities provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

The IPRC Committee is composed of at least three persons, one of who must be a principal or supervisory officer.  The Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) and classroom teacher are usually, also, part of the committee.

Regulation 181/98 entitles parents:

  • to be present at and participate in all committee discussions about the student; and,
  • to be present when the committee’ identification, and placement decisions are made.

Who Else May Attend an IPRC meeting?

  • other resource people such as the student’s Teaching Assistant, Mental Health Worker, or the representative of an agency, who ma provide further information or clarification;
  • a representative – that is, a person who may support the parent or speak on behalf of the parent or the student; and
  • an interpreter, if one is required.  (The parent/guardian can request the services of an interpreter through the school principal):
  • either the parent/guardian of the student or the school principal ma make a request for the attendance of others at the IPRC meeting.

The Role of the IPRC

The IPRC will:

  • decide whether or not a student should be identified as exceptional;
  • identify the areas of the student’s exceptionality, according to the categories and definitions of exceptionalities provided by the Ministry of Education;
  • decide on appropriate placement for the student, (i.e. regular class; regular class/withdrawal; special class/integration*when appropriate; special school); and,
  • review the identification and placement at least once in each school year.

Requesting an IPRC Meeting

The principal of the school:

  • must hold an IPRC meeting upon receiving a parent’s written request;
  • may, with written notice to the parent, refer the student to an IPRC when the principal and the student’s teacher or teachers believe that the student may benefit from a special education program.

Within 15 days of receiving a request, or giving the parent notice, the principal must provide the parent/guardian with a copy of “A Parent’s Guide to Special Education: and a written statement of approximately when the IPRC will meet.

Information Parents Receive About the IPRC Meeting

At least 10 days in advance of the meeting, the chair of the IPRC will provide the parent/guardian with written notification of the meeting and an invitation to attend the meeting as an important partner in considering the student’s placement.  This letter will indicate the date, time and place of the meeting, and it will ask the parent/guardian to indicate whether he/she will attend.

Before the IPRC meeting occurs, the parent/guardian will receive a written copy of any information about the child that the chair of the IPRC has received.  This may include the results of assessments or a summary of information.

IPRC Meeting Process

  • The chair (principal or supervisor officer) introduces everyone and explains the purpose of the meeting.
  • The IPRC will review all available information about the student;
  • The IPRC will:
    • consider an educational assessment of the student
    • consider, subject to the provision of the Health Care Consent Act, 1996, a health or psychological assessment of the student conducted by a qualified practitioner if they feel that such an assessment is required to make a correct identification or placement decision;
    • interview the student, with parental consent, if it would be useful to do so.
  • Discuss fully the decisions, assessments, and placement choices and encourage questions from parents/guardians.
  • Following the discussion, after all the information has been presented and considered, the committee will make its decision.

If parents are unable to attend the scheduled meeting, they should…..

  • contact the school principal to arrange an alternative date or time; or
  • Let the school principal know that they will not be attending, and as soon as possible after the meeting, the principal will forward, for their consideration and signature, the IPRC’s written statement of decisions, noting the decision of identification and placement and any recommendations regarding special education programs and services.

What the IPRC’s Written Statement of Decision Includes

The IPRC’s written statement of decision will state:

  • Whether the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional;
  • Where the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional,
    • the categories and definitions if any exceptionalities identified, as they are defined by the Ministry of Education;
    • the IPRC’s description of the student’s strengths and needs;
    • the IPRC’s recommendations regarding a special education program and special education services;
    • where the IPRC has decided that the student should be placed in a special education class, the reasons for that decision.

If the parent agrees with the IPRC decision, the parent will be asked to indicate, by signing his/her name, that he/she agrees with the identification and placement decisions made by the IPRC.  The statement of decision may be signed at the IPRC meeting or taken home and returned.

If the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional and the parent has agreed with the IPRC identification and placement decision, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be developed. (Note: some IEP’s are developed without an IPRC meeting or Identification to meet the immediate needs and interventions to support the learning of a child).

Review of Placement

A review IPRC meeting will be held within the school year, unless the school principal receives written notice from the parent/guardian, dispensing with the annual review (refer to Appendix E; Notice to Dispense with an Annual IPRC Review).

The parent may request a review IPRC meeting any time after the student has been in a special education program for three months.

Consideration/Decision of the IPRC Review

  • The review IPRC considers the same type of information that was originally considered;
  • With the parent’s written permission, the IPRC conducting the review, will consider the progress the student has made in relation to the IEP;
  • The IPRC will review the placement and identification decisions and decide whether the should be continued or whether a different decision should now be made.

Disagreeing with the IPRC Decision

If a parent does not agree with either the identification or placement decision by the IPRC, the parent may:

  • Within 15 days if receipt if the decision request that the IPRC hold a second meeting to discuss the parent’s concerns; or
  • Within 30 days of receipt of the decision, file a notice or appeal with:

                              Director of Federal Schools, Kathleen Manderville

                              1772 4th Line Road, P.O. Box 190, Ohsweken, Ontario N0A 1M0

If the parent does not agree with the decision after the second meeting, the parent may file a notice of appeal within 15 days of the parent’s receipt of the decision.

If the parent does not consent to the IPRC decision and does not appeal it, the principal shall implement the IPRC decision.

Appealing an IPRC Decision

If the parent disagrees with the IPRC’s identification of the student as exceptional or with the placement decision of the IPRC, the parent may, within 30 days of receipt of the original decision or within 15 days of receipt of the decision from the second meeting described above, give written notification of his/her intention to appeal the decision to:

                              Director of Federal Schools, Kathleen Manderville

                              1772 4th Line Road, P.O. Box 190, Ohsweken, On N0A 1M0