Ministry Policy Site
Policy Document: Special Education
Issued August 23, 2006. Effective July 1, 2006. Revised policy
This page sets forth the Ministry policy entitled "Special Education".
POLICY STATEMENT
All students should have equitable access to learning opportunities for achievement, and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs.
RATIONALE
Special education programs and services enable students with special needs to have equitable access to learning and opportunities to pursue and achieve the goals of their educational programs.
LEGISLATION/ REGULATIONS
Relevant sections of the School Act with respect to special education include: Appeals 11 (2) If a decision of an employee of a board significantly affects the education, health or safety of a student, the parent of the student or the student may, within a reasonable time from the date that the parent or student was informed of the decision, appeal that decision to the board. The following minister’s orders or regulations apply to special needs: Special Needs Students Order M150/89: Individual Education Plan Order M638/95: Student Progress Report Order M191/94:
This Minister’s order (or regulation) defines students with special needs, describes the obligation of Boards of Education to consult with parents in the placement of students with special needs and describes policy regarding integration.
sets out the requirements for Boards of Education to design and implement individual education plans for students with special needs.
describes reporting requirements for students who have special needs.
POLICY
Inclusion British Columbia promotes an inclusive education system in which students with special needs are fully participating members of a community of learners. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs. The practice of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with full integration in regular classrooms, and goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion of interaction with others. Placement A Board of Education must ensure that a principal offers to consult with a parent of a child who has special needs regarding the student’s placement in an educational program. A Board of Education must provide a student who has special needs with an educational program in a classroom where the student is integrated with other students who do not have special needs, unless the educational needs of the student with special needs or other students indicate that the educational program for the student with special needs should be provided otherwise. The emphasis on educating students with special needs in neighbourhood school classrooms with their age and grade peers, however, does not preclude the appropriate use of resource rooms, self-contained classes, community based settings or specialized settings. Students with special needs may be placed in settings other than a neighbourhood school classroom with age and grade peers. This should only be done when the Board of Education has made all reasonable efforts to integrate the student, and it is clear that a combination of education in such classes and supplementary support cannot meet their educational or social needs, or when there is clear evidence that partial or full placement in another setting is the only option after considering their educational needs or the educational needs of others. Planning A Board of Education must ensure that an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is designed for a student with special needs as soon as practical after the board identifies the student as having special needs. The only instances in which an IEP is not required are when: A Board of Education must ensure that the IEP is reviewed at least once each school year, and where necessary, is revised or cancelled. A Board of Education must offer the parent of the student, and where appropriate, the student the opportunity to be consulted about the student’s educational program, when requested to do so. A Board of Education must offer each student who has special needs learning activities in accordance with the IEP designed for that student. When services are so specialized that they cannot be replicated in every school, they should be available from the district level, or else school districts should arrange to obtain them from community or other sources. Evaluation and reporting Standards for all students, including students with special needs, are developed with high but appropriate expectations for student achievement. Students with special needs are expected to achieve some, most, or all provincial curriculum outcomes with special support. The written comments must contain a statement about the progress of the student in relation to the goals in his or her IEP. Where appropriate, written comments should describe ways to enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning in relation to expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for the course or subject and grade, and should describe the time period required to enable the student to demonstrate such learning. A letter grade (the typical manner for reporting student progress in grades 4 through 12) may only be assigned for a student with special needs where that student is able to demonstrate his or her learning in relation to expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for the course or subject and grade. Where a professional support person other than the classroom teacher is responsible for providing some portion of the student's educational program, that person should provide written reports on the student's progress for inclusion with the report of the classroom teacher. Accountability The ministry audits enrolment of students with special needs services to ensure fair distribution of available resources among school districts. The ministry regularly reviews the achievement of students, including those with special needs, by monitoring results such as graduation rates, performance on provincial assessments and transitions. In addition, the School Act requires School Planning Councils in each school to develop annual plans that address achievement of all students. The Act also requires Boards of Education to submit Accountability Contracts to the Minister each year. The Ministry periodically reviews district goals, structures, practices and other matters through the district review process. The ministry audits enrolment of students with special needs services to ensure fair distribution of available resources among school districts. School districts are responsible for the planning and delivery of services for all students, including those with special education needs. Appeals As per Section 11 of the School Act, all Boards of Education must have appeal procedures to help resolve disputes. The ministry expects that the appeal procedures will be based on principles of administrative fairness, which include the right of students and parents/guardians: to be heard by the Board of Education; to be consulted in decisions affecting them; and to an impartial Board of Education decision based on relevant information. Other relevant policies pertaining to students with special needs:
Unless a student with special needs is able to demonstrate his or her learning in relation to expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for the course or subject and grade, the student's progress report(s) must contain written comments describing:
PROCEDURES
An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a documented plan developed for a student with special needs that describes individualized goals, adaptations, modifications, the services to be provided, and includes measures for tracking achievement. An IEP must have one or more of the following: An IEP should also include the following:
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