SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 78 (FRASER-CASCADE)
POLICY NO: 7020
DATE: 2001-12-11 REVISED: 2004-04-27
SUBJECT: INCLUSION OF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
===============================================================================
The School Act
states “a board shall make available an educational program to all persons of
school age resident in its district.”
School District No. 78 (Fraser-Cascade) is therefore committed to
providing an educational program for all school age students in the district
and recognizes that many students have special learning needs. School District No. 78 is also committed to
equitable access to appropriate educational programs for all students and
believes in the inclusion of all learners.
SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 78 (FRASER-CASCADE)
REGULATIONS NO: 7020 R
DATE: 2001-12-11 REVISED: 2004-04-27
SUBJECT: INCLUSION OF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
===============================================================================
The goal of special education in School District No. 78
(Fraser-Cascade) is to provide a continuum of programs and services designed to
meet the unique needs and abilities of all students with special needs. Accordingly, all students will be offered
opportunities appropriate to their individual learning needs, consistent with
the Ministry of Education’s Policy, Procedures and Guidelines for Special
Education (1995).
2. Schools are expected to utilize a School-based Special Education Team to identify, assess, place and review the programs of special needs students. The composition of the team may vary, but should include the principal, classroom teacher, learning assistance teacher, special education staff, and other school or district staff who have information about the special needs student. Representatives of other Ministries or helping professions will also be asked to attend where appropriate. Parents/Guardians are invited to meet with team members and to participate in the identification, assessment, placement and review process.
Included in this process are the following steps:
-
accumulation of
information on the student’s educational history, including evidence of
classroom-based strategies and assessment, as well as evidence of
criterion-referenced assessment;
-
additional
educational or psychological testing if required;
-
consultation between
school personnel and parents/guardians to determine educational programming
and/or placement;
-
development of a
formal individual education plan (IEP) will be developed on an annual basis
with the opportunity for parental/guardian input; and
-
a periodic review of
student progress to ensure the continued effectiveness of the placement, to
recommend program modification or termination of the placement, or to monitor
student progress following termination.
Page 2 7020 R
3. Though planning occurs collaboratively, principals should ensure that all students with special needs who work with a number of personnel are assigned case managers to coordinate the development, documentation and implementation of their IEP’s.
4. Parental/Guardian
notification and consultation must occur prior to the in-school placement of a
student on a program that is modified within the classroom or that occurs in an
alternate setting outside his or her regular class placement.
5. Placement in alternate educational programs (HARP, McCaffrey, ACE, DASP, and Homebound) should be made by a district placement committee, consisting of appropriate outside agencies and district staff, and should occur only:
-
after all reasonable
efforts to integrate the student have been made and it is clear that his or her
educational or social goals cannot be met; or
-
when there is clear
evidence that partial or full placement in another setting is the only option
after considering the student’s educational needs or the educational needs of
others;