The York Region District School Board is committed to providing the most appropriate educational opportunities for all students. For students with special needs we are committed to:
- providing programs and services wherever possible in home schools;
- providing a range of placements.
Ways in which SEAC Provides Advice on Range of Placements
The YRDSB Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) responsibilities include making recommendations to the Board in respect of any matter affecting the establishment, development and delivery of special education programs and services for exceptional pupils of the board. SEAC members also support families by acting as a link to community agencies.
Criteria for Placement Consideration
A continuum of special education programs and services is available within each community of schools to meet identified student needs. Programs and services provide learning conditions to maximize student learning potential. Wherever possible, the needs of exceptional students are met in their home school. When a recommendation is made to call an IPRC meeting, there is an understanding that significant interventions have been made in the classroom program. In making its recommendation, the IPRC considers the student’s strengths, needs, and whether such a placement is consistent with parent(s)/guardian(s) preferences (Regulation 181/98).
A range of placements is available for all exceptionalities. The degree of student need and the intensity of support required will guide the IPRC as it makes placement decisions. Preference is given to keeping the student at his/her home school with appropriate program and service supports. If the IPRC decides that a special education placement is required, it will first consider if placement in a regular class with appropriate accommodations and modifications meets the student’s needs and whether such a placement is consistent with parent(s)/guardian(s) preferences. In cases where the IPRC decides that the student should be placed in a partially integrated or fully self-contained class, the reason for that decision will be given on the Statement of Decision.
When a student’s needs change to the extent that the student’s achievement indicates the need for less intensive support/placement or that the student requires more intensive supports, then an IPRC will be convened to discuss and decide any changes to the student’s placement.
The York Region District School Board remains committed to the principle that all students are included in the regular classroom as much as possible. The following placements are available to meet the needs of exceptional students who are school age, as identified by the IPRC according to Regulation 298 (31) which has to do with class size.
- A regular class with indirect support where the student is placed in a regular class for the entire day and the classroom teacher receives specialized consultative services;
- support is provided by the classroom teacher in consultation with the Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT);
- accommodations are monitored by the classroom teacher, supported by the Special Education Resource Teacher;
- an Individual Education Plan, as required by the legislation, is developed by the special education staff, in consultation with the classroom teacher and parent(s)/guardian(s);
- the Special Education Resource Teacher in consultation and the classroom teacher monitor the student’s progress and make program adjustments;
- ongoing consultation among the teachers, parent(s)/guardian(s) and student is integral to the student’s progress; and
- regional support staff may serve as a resource to school staff.
- a regular class with Resource Assistance where the student is placed in a regular class for most or all of the day and receives specialized instruction, individually or in a small group, within the regular classroom from a qualified Special Education Resource Teacher;
- an Individual Education Plan, as required by the legislation, is developed by the special education staff in collaboration with the classroom teacher and in consultation with the student and parent(s)/guardian(s);
- the Special Education Resource Teacher in consultation with the classroom teacher is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating and reporting on the special education portion of the program;
- intensive resource support is provided in the regular classroom by special education staff as defined in the student’s Individual Education Plan;
- instructional interventions, modifications and/or accommodations are also provided and continually assessed and evaluated by the classroom teacher, and/or the special education teacher;
- ongoing consultation among the teachers, parent(s)/guardian(s) and student is integral to the student’s progress; and
- regional support staff may serve as a resource to school staff.
- a regular class with Withdrawal Assistance where the student is placed in a regular class and receives instruction from a Special Education Resource Teacher outside the classroom, for less than 50% of the school day;
- In elementary school, students may be provided Withdrawal Assistance in the Student Support Centre, or with a SERT as scheduled in the school timetable.
- In secondary school, students are provided Withdrawal Assistance through the Learning Strategies course
- an Individual Education Plan, as required by the legislation, is developed by the special education staff, in consultation with the classroom teacher, student and parent(s)/guardian(s);
- special education personnel are responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating and reporting on the special education portion of the program;
- support is provided to the student by special education personnel (i.e. educational assistant (EA), SERT, regional support staff; PT/OT) as defined by the Individual Education Plan;
- instructional interventions, modifications and/or accommodations are also provided and continually assessed and evaluated by the classroom teacher and/or supported by the special education personnel;
- ongoing consultation among the teachers, parent(s)/guardians and student is integral to the student’s progress; and
- regional support staff may serve as a resource to school staff.
- a special education class with Partial Integration where the student is placed by the IPRC in a special education class in which the student-teacher ratio conforms to Regulation 298, section 31, for at least 50% of the school day, and may be integrated with a regular class for at least one instructional period daily;
- In elementary school this support may be provided in a Community Class
- Students currently in the Student Support Centre will continue to have this placement available to them.
- In secondary school, this support is provided in a Community Class
- support is provided to the student by special education personnel as defined by the Individual Education Plan;
- an Individual Education Plan, as required by the legislation, is developed by the Special Education Resource Teacher, in consultation with the classroom teacher, appropriate support staff and parent(s)/guardian(s);
- the Special Education Resource Teacher is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating and reporting on the special education portion of the program;
- during integration, instructional interventions, modifications and/or accommodations are also provided and continually assessed by the classroom teacher and supported by the special education personnel;
- ongoing consultation among the teachers, parent(s)/guardian(s), student and support staff is integral to the student’s progress; and
- regional support staff may serve as a resource to school staff.
- a full time special education class where the student-teacher ratio conforms to Regulation 298, section 31, for the entire school day;
- the exceptional student receives all of the program (100%) in a special education setting;
- support is provided to the student by special education personnel as defined by the Individual Education Plan;
- students are included in the academic and social life within the school community;
- an Individual Education Plan, as required by the legislation, is developed by the Special Education Resource Teacher, in consultation with the appropriate support staff and parent(s)/guardian(s);
- the Special Education Resource Teacher is responsible for developing, implementing, assessing and evaluating the special education program and reporting on the student’s progress;
- ongoing consultation among the teachers, parent(s)/guardian(s), student and support staff is integral to the student’s progress;
- when appropriate, through the IPRC, exceptional students attend provincial demonstration schools operated by the Ministry of Education and Training;
- The Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf
- Trillium Demonstration School
- W. Ross Macdonald School
- students are considered for admittance according to criteria set by the provincial demonstration schools;
- parent(s)/guardian(s) are provided information through their school principal and the Parent(s) Guide;
- placements for York Region students in provincial schools are usually residential; and
- transportation is provided by the Board and arranged by the Student Services Coordinator.
If a Provincial School Placement is considered, please contact the Administrator for Blind Low Vision Services or Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services or your Student Services Coordinator.
Alternate Placements for students whose needs cannot be met through an IPRC placement, application can be made for admittance to Education and Community Partnership Programs Centres
- a student with complex social, emotional and/or medical needs requires the programs and services of accredited government approved Education and Community Partnership Programs centres;
- a student is admitted to a day treatment program through the agency’s admissions process;
- the York Region Central Intake for Day Treatment Services Committee supports access to services and appropriate fit between client need and service available;
- parent(s)/guardian(s) involvement is critical both to acceptance into the program and to sustaining student success in the program;
- collaboration is essential among staff of the school, the centre and the Student Services Coordinators;
- support for the student focuses primarily on therapeutic and/or security needs;
- staff members work on a collaborative, interdisciplinary team either within an agency facility or in a classroom leased to the agency;
- flexible and individualized programs are developed that address both the treatment and education needs of each student;
- re-entry/transition planning is an integral component of the program; and
- a Program Support Teacher, Principal of York Academy and Education and Community Partnership Programs provides support for the education staff in the centres and acts as a liaison between the agency day treatment service providers and the York Region District School Board.
Short Term Home Instruction
- A Superintendent, through Regulation 298.3 (3) and The York Region District School Board procedure (NP335.0 Home Instruction) may reduce the length of the school day and/or provide home instruction as an interim service for students with intensive needs when it is in the student’s best interest; and
A student is placed in their home setting with up to four hours of instruction per week while awaiting transfer to a York Region placement, treatment facility or support from other agencies or community services.
Range of Placement Options for Each Category of Exceptionality
A range of placement options is available to students of all exceptionalities. Within each category of exceptionality, there are some specific considerations as follows:
The majority of students with an identification of Behaviour are placed in a regular class with Indirect Support, Resource Assistance or Withdrawal Assistance.
Autism
In accordance with PPM 140, Incorporating Methods of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) into Programs for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the York Region District School Board offers students with ASD special education programs using ABA methods that follow the principles underlying Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) programming;
- the program must be individualized
- positive reinforcement must be utilized
- data must be collected and analyzed and
- transfer, or generalization of skills should be emphasized;
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing are supported by Specialist Teachers of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing who are certified teachers of the Deaf. These teachers support students in all placements. In addition, preschool aged students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (ages 2 - 5 years) may be supported in a home or daycare setting by a Specialist Teacher of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
Learning Disabilities
For students with Learning Disabilities and Language Impairments, partially integrated placements at the secondary level are typically only available for grades 9 and 10.
For students who are identified as Gifted, the full range of placement options is available from grades 4 to 10. Designated schools within each Community Education Centre offer gifted programs. Students in the primary division (Kindergarten to Grade 3) who meet the YRDSB gifted criteria have their needs met in regular class placement with Indirect Support.
Students in the Blind Low Vision exceptionality are supported within the range of placement options by Specialist Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments who are certified to teach students with visual impairments.
Students with a combination of learning or other disorders, impairments, or physical disabilities that are of such a nature as to require, for educational achievement, the services of one or more teachers holding qualifications in special education and the provision of support services appropriate for such disorders, impairments, or disabilities may be supported in a partially or fully integrated placement.