The organization of this document

This guide is divided into the following sections:

• Part A: Legislation, Policy, and Funding describes the legislative and policy framework for special education programs and services, including funding for special education.
• Part B: Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans reproduces in full the text portion of the policy document Standards for School Boards' Special Education Plans (2000), which describes the province-wide standards that school boards must meet when developing their special education plans.
• Part C: Early Identification, Assessment, and Transition Planning describes the steps that should be taken to ensure effective program planning for students with special education needs.
• Part D: The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) Process describes the IPRC and appeals processes as set out in Regulation 181/98.
• Part E: The Individual Education Plan (IEP) provides a guide to the development of an IEP, including a transition plan, according to province-wide standards and recent policy/program memoranda.
• Part F: Other Programs and Services focuses on special education programs and services offered by institutions other than school boards and by ministries other than but related to the Ministry of Education.
• Glossary: contains definitions of frequently used terminology in special education.

Special education programs and services in Ontario are constantly evolving in order to ensure that students with special education needs have every opportunity to succeed.