What do teachers need to know?
A look at Identification Placement Review Committee (IPRC)
What is an IPRC?
Who is involved in an IPRC?
The Student
The Parent(s)
Committee Members
IPRC Timeline
(Within 15 days of request)
- principal sends parent: acknowledgement of request (if appropriate), parent's guide, and approximate date for IPRC meeting
(At least 10 days before meeting)
- IPRC chair sends parent (and student if 16 or over): notification of IPRC meeting and details of the meeting (date, time, place)
(Before the meeting and as soon as possible after receipt of information)
- IPRc hair sends parent (and student if 16 or over) information about student received by IPRC
After IPRC Decision
-If parent agrees or makes no response (within 30 school days of placement being implemented)
- school completes IEP and parents get a copy
-If parent wishes further discussion (within 15 days of receipt of decision)
- request for second meeting
-If parent disagrees (within 30 days of receipt of initial IPRC decision)
- parent files notice of appeal with secretary of board
If parent disagrees after second IPRC meeting (within 15 days of receipt of decision of second meeting)
- parent files notice of appeal with secretary of board
What happens at an IPRC?
- At least 10 days in advance parents are sent a written notice of the meeting date and a package of information pertaining to details that should be read over.
- If parents are unable to attend, they may request an alternate date or appoint a representative to attend in their place. If the parent chooses not to attend, all of the information will be forwarded to them for review and signature.
- At an IPRC meeting, a chair introduces all of the members, they will review all available information about the student (educational assessment, health or pychological assessments, interview your child, and other documents that you submit about your child), discuss any proposal that is made about a special education program or service, and then make a decision.
- Parents are encouraged to be a part of the conversation; ask questions, raise concerns, add additional information.
What will the written statement of decision include?
- whether the IPRC has identified the student as exceptional
- where the IPRC has identified your child as exceptional: the categories and definitions of any exceptionalities identified; the IPRC's description of the student's strengths and needs; the IPRC's placement decisions; and the IPRC's recommendations regarding a special education program and special education services.
In the Peel District School Board, the IPRC may identify students under the following categories and definitions:
1) Behaviour
2) Communication
- Learning Disabled
- Autistic
- Language Impairment
- Speech Impairment
- Hard of Hearing
3) Intellectual
- Gifted
- Mild Intellectual Disability
- Developmental Disability
4) Physical
- Blind-Low Vision
- Physical Disability
5) Multiple
What happens if the parent does not agree with a decision?
- within 15 days of receipt of the decision, request that the IRPC hold a second meeting to discuss your concerns or
- within 30 days of receipt of the decision, file a notice of appeal
If the parent does not consent to the IPRC decision and they do not appeal it, the board will instruct the principal to implement the IPRC decision.
What does the appeal board do?
The chair of the appeal board will arrange a meeting of the appeal board within 30 school days of being selected as the chair. At this meeting, the appeal board will review the IPRC proceedings, including the statement of decision and all reports, assessments and other documents considered by the IPRC. It will also hear statements and rationale for the IPRC decision from the Peel board and is required to hear from you as the parent.
Within three school days of the appeal board hearing, the appeal board will come to one of the following decisions:
- agree with the IPRC and recommend that its decisions be implemented
- disagree with the IPRC and make a recommendation to the Peel board about your
- child’s identification or placement
The appeal board will send the written statement of its recommendations to the director of education for the Peel board. Within 30 school days of receiving this statement, the school board must consider the recommendations of the appeal board, decide what action to take and send you a letter with details of this plan.
This letter will also include information about what you can do if you are still dissatisfied with the plan, including information about the Special Education Tribunal, which is the next level of appeal.
What is an IPRC mediation?
Before a tribunal hearing is requested, parents and school board officials may wish to discuss the possibility of mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution.
Mediation is not mandatory. If either the parent or the school board rejects mediation, the secretary will proceed to arrange a tribunal hearing. Furthermore, if the mediation is unsuccessful at resolving the dispute, the parent retains the right to proceed with the tribunal hearing. In addition, in cases in which both parties agree to mediation, the secretary will make every effort to ensure that the tribunal hearing is not unduly delayed by a mediation session.
What is the Special Education Tribunal?
Either party can call an expert witness to give a professional opinion on some aspect of the issues under appeal. An expert witness is someone who is trained or has technical expertise in a particular field of knowledge. When parties call expert witnesses they must:
- ensure that the witness’ report, a summary of his/her evidence, and the witness’ resume or summary of qualifications, are provided to the panel and the other party before the hearing
- indicate the witness’s specific recognized area of expertise
- ask questions that are within the witness’s area of expertise
The other party may agree or object to accepting the witness as an expert. The panel will decide whether to accept the witness as an expert.
Once the hearing ends, the panel meets to review the evidence presented during the hearing and applicable law. Only panel members who heard all the evidence will make the decision.
Placement Questions
Do parents have to accept the placement offered?
Parents do not have to accept the placement, but should discuss their concerns with the principal before making a final decision.
What arrangements are made for the new school placement?
Arrangements can begin as soon as the parents have signed the consent form and returned it to their child’s school.
When can the student attend the new class?
The actual start date of the new placement will take into account transportation arrangements and any natural breaks in the school year calendar.
What if the placement is in another school?
The IPRC will give the new school the information on the student. The new school will be notified when the student will begin attending that school.
How will my child get there?
Transportation will be provided within the Peel board guidelines and is typically arranged within two weeks of the signed consent form being received by the school.