Carte Cap4

8/12/2019 Carte Cap4

1/12

Alberta Learning, Alberta, Canada THE JOURNEY

23

Under Albertas School Act, children who aregifted and talented are considered students withspecial needs because they require specialprogramming and accommodations to meet theirexceptional learning needs. Funding for studentswho are gifted and talented is included in the perstudent grant that is intended for all students. It isthe responsibility of each local school jurisdictionto identify and determine the special needs ofstudents and then provide appropriate educationalprogramming to meet those needs.

It is important that parents be involved andinformed partners in their childs education.Being an involved member of your childs learningteam means: participating in decisions that affect your

childs education giving your written and informed consent for

any specialized assessments knowing your childs teachers and keeping

them informed about important information

that could affect your childs learning working with school staff to develop and

implement appropriate programming for yourchild

receiving information on your childs learningand progress from teachers

discussing decisions that you do not think willbest serve your childs learning needs.

Being an informed member of your childslearning team means knowing: your district and schools philosophy and

beliefs about programming for children whoare gifted

what enrichment and programming options areavailable for children who are gifted, both inthe school and in the community at large

how children are identified and selected forgifted education

everything that you can about both yourchilds gifts and talents, and his or her specificlearning needs.

Your childs teacher can be a good starting pointfor learning more about gifted education.Information sessions offered by school districts, aswell as one-on-one meetings with classroomteachers or resource personnel, can also provide awealth of information about gifted education andavailable programming options.

Other parents with children who are gifted canoften provide information about strategies thathave worked for their children. Professionals cansometimes link up parents with common concerns.Through various organizations, there are alsoparents who can informally mentor others facingsimilar challenges. Although not all strategies willwork for all students, knowing what has workedfor others may be helpful as you consider optionsand make decisions about your own childseducation.


2/12

CHAPTER 4

Journey through School

THE JOURNEY Alberta Learning, Alberta, Canada

Parents need information to assist them in makingdecisions about their childrens programming.Here are some sample questions that might behelpful for finding out more about your childscurrent or potential school placement andprogramming.

What is the schools mission or focusstatement and accompanying goals, and howdo staff and administrators reflect these goalsin their daily practice?

How do the schools goals and missionstatement highlight the importance ofacademic disciplinesmathematics, languagearts, history, science and second languages?

How do the schools goals and missionstatement highlight the importance ofcharacter, citizenship and academicachievement?

Are there opportunities for students to advanceat their own pace through the academicprograms?

How does the school honour its high achievingstudents?

How does the school honour students whocontribute to the betterment of the schoolcommunity?

If a high school, does the school provideAdvanced Placement or InternationalBaccalaureate courses?

Are there readily available textbooks that are

sufficiently demanding for students with highability?

How does the school provide opportunities forenrichment?

What courses are available in the arts?

Does the school facilitate opportunities forstudents to take courses from othereducational institutions such as local collegesor universities?

If a child has a learning disability, whatresources and services are available forassessment, diagnosis and programming?

How does the school program encourageindividual accountability?

How does the school create and maintain asafe and caring environment that supportslearning?

How does the school provide in-servicetraining and education to its staff? What is theprofessional development focus for theupcoming school year?

How are expectations in each subject areacommunicated to students?

How does the school encourage the activeinvolvement of parents in supporting theirchildrens academic achievement?

In what ways are parents involved in theschool?

How does the school or district provideopportunities for parents to learn more aboutgifted education?

How is the school using technology to helpstudents learn?

Students who are gifted require differentiatedinstruction to improve their opportunities to learn.Differentiated instruction includes the thoughtfulmanipulation of four key learning elements,including content, process, product andenvironment. These four elements are interrelatedand affect one another.


3/12

CHAPTER 4



25

All students in Alberta follow a standard

curriculum. To become familiar with what yourchild is learning in school, see the Curriculum Handbooks for Parents available for each gradelevel. They can be purchased from the LearningResources Centre or downloaded at no chargefrom the Alberta Learning Web site atwww.learning.gov.ab.ca/parents/handbooks/.

Children who demonstrate that they already knowsome content, or can learn required content inmuch less time than their classmates, will benefitfrom content differentiation. There are a numberof ways content can be differentiated. Forexample, children can use more advanced textsand resource materials that go beyond the specificlearner outcomes in the curriculum and introducenew concepts or explore the topic in more depthand breadth.

The process is how children make sense ofconcepts, generalizations and learner outcomes. It

is how the teacher adapts the instructional strategyand what type of learning strategies the childrenuse. Differentiated process focuses on such thingsas higher order thinking skills, open-ended andproblem-solving tasks and learning at morecomplex levels. Process can be differentiated in avariety of ways, including creating opportunitiesfor meaningful research. Curriculum compacting,questioning techniques, independent projects, andacceleration are all effective strategies fordifferentiating process.

Curriculum compacting : This strategy eithereliminates learning activities for skills andinformation that has been previously masteredor streamlines work to match the studentsability. The advantage of this strategy is thatstudents can use the class time freed up bycompacting to pursue enrichment activitiesthat align with their individual learning needsand interests.

Questioning techniques : Questions that drawon advanced levels of information requireleaps of understanding and challenge studentsthinking. Open-ended questions invite criticaland creative thinking, and nurture thedevelopment of students capacities to frametheir own questions.

Independent projects : Independent projects letstudents identify issues or topics of interest,plan an investigation and synthesize thefindings. Projects offer enrichment andmeaningful study for students who candemonstrate mastery with required work.

Acceleration : Acceleration means permitting

students to master content material at a fasterpace. This can be achieved in a variety ofways such as identifying appropriate startingpoints based on pretesting, streamlining theregular curriculum to eliminate repetition ofpreviously learned materials, and takingadvanced subject matter courses.

The products of learning are the ways in whichstudents explore and demonstrate theirunderstanding of content and process. Studentswho are gifted often need to produce whatDr. Joseph Renzulli calls real-life products forreal audiences. These go beyond the typicalresearch paper or report to alternatives thatdevelop individual students talents and curiositiesand can be shared and used by others.

For example, conventional writing assignmentsmay not be the best way for some students to showtheir learning. Often their brains think quickerthan their hands can write. An action product,such as a PowerPoint slide show or a performance,can be a better learning experience.


4/12

CHAPTER 4



The environment refers to the actual physical and

social setting where learning takes place, as wellas the conditions under which a child is working.The learning environment can be differentiated bychanging the actual place where students work,altering the teachers expectations, allowingflexible time limits, providing opportunities forin-depth research and giving studentsopportunities to work with mentors.

For some students, this enrichment can beprovided in a regular classroom. To do thiseffectively, teachers need to offer content that is

broader in concept, deeper in understanding andrelevant to the students needs and abilities.Independent study projects are often used becausethey can allow students to explore content areas inmore depth. Enrichment replaces or extends theregular curriculum with activities that foster higherlevel thinking skills and problem solving.Enrichment may mean taking field trips, doingspecial projects or working with mentors orprofessionals in areas of interest.

Some children who are gifted receive

individualized programming in the regularclassroom in such a way that it addresses theirlearning needs without drawing undue attention todifferences. Many instructional strategies andlearning activities used with students who aregifted are effective to use with all students. Forexample, activities such as debates, which involvestudents in creative and challenging learning, maybe connected directly to curriculum outcomes in avariety of subjects.

Other learning settings could include thefollowing. All settings may not be available in alldistricts. Some children will benefit fromprogramming that uses a combination of one ormore of these approaches. Cluster grouping : small groups of students

receive advanced instruction in reading,mathematics and other content, or work onalternate assignments.

Pull-out classes : separate classes focused onspecial areas of emphasis for students withsimilar interests or abilities.

Out-of-grade placement : students are placedwith a higher grade for certain subjects such aslanguage arts, mathematics and/or science.

Online or distance education courses :students can access electronic classrooms viathe computer, using e-mail, conferencing anddirect linkage with teachers.

Seminars and special projects : projects mayinclude interdisciplinary studies and specialinterest groups.

Mentorships/Apprenticeships : students workwith a resource teacher, media specialist,parent volunteer or community member towork on a project, develop skills in a specificfield and build career awareness.

International Baccalaureate (IB) : providesacademic programs that are internationallydeveloped and recognized for academicrigour.

Advanced Placement courses (AP) : seniorhigh school courses that follow the prescribedAP program and allow students to earncollege/university credit through testing.

Full-time classes or schooling-within-schools : students receive instruction full-time in specialclasses for students who are gifted, housed inlocal schools or district sites.

Schools for the gifted : serving students fromseveral local schools, or a charter or private

school dedicated to the gifted.

College courses/dual enrollment : studentstake higher-level courses at a college oruniversity while attending high school.

Home schooling : parents serve as teachersand children learn at home.


5/12

CHAPTER 4



27

Each student identified as having special needsmust have an individualized program plan (IPP).This includes students who are identified as giftedand talented according to Alberta Learningcriteria. Identified gifted and talented studentsreceive a special education code for districts to usewhen reporting to Alberta Learning.

Generally, students registered in alternative arts orathletics programs, or academic programs, such asthe International Baccalaureate Program, are notcoded as gifted and talented unless they meetAlberta Learnings and the school districtsspecific criteria. If a child does not receive aspecial education code, it is not mandatory todevelop an IPP for that child. However, someschool districts may choose to develop an IPP fora student who does not receive a code, ifprogramming for that student is significantlydifferent from other students in the classroom.

An IPP is a written commitment of intent by thelearning team to ensure appropriate planning forstudents with special needs. An IPP is: a collaborative team effort involving the

student, parents, teachers and resourcepersonnelthe individuals involved maychange over time, depending on the needs ofthe student

developed to address the specific educationalneeds of individual learners

a planning document that helps monitor andevaluate a students education programmingand progress

a process and document that evolves overtime.

Programming for students with special needsbuilds on the provincial curriculumtheknowledge, skills and attitudes that a student isexpected to learn in a subject area. However, thecontent may need to be modified or the learningactivities and instruction adjusted to meet anindividual students ability level and exceptionallearning needs.

Developing an IPP involves six interrelated stages:1. Identifying needs2. Setting the direction3. Creating a plan4. Implementing the IPP5. Reviewing and revising6. Transition planning.

These steps may occur in different sequences or beworked on simultaneously depending on theindividual needs of students. As parents andmembers of the learning team, you can be activelyinvolved in all stages of the IPP process.

Step 1: Identifying needsYou are a source of valuable information in theinitial stages of developing and setting thedirection of the IPP.

You can provide information about your child inareas such as the following: personality traits strengths and needs family and educational history that impacts the

childs present learning situation interests, talents and desires aspirations and goals for your child assistance that your family can provide at

home to reinforce and extend skills andconcepts information about community involvement,

such as music lessons, that could support andenrich your childs learning.

Alberta Learning requires that the followingessential information be included in the IPP: assessment data current level of performance and achievement identification of strengths and areas of need measurable goals and objectives procedures for evaluating student progress identification of coordinated support services

required, including health-related services relevant medical information required classroom accommodations, such as

changes to instructional strategies, assessmentprocedures, materials, resources, facilities orequipment


6/12

CHAPTER 4



transition plans formal review of progress at regularly

scheduled reporting periods year-end summary.

Step 2: Setting the directionEstablishing priorities helps the learning teamfocus on what is critical for your child to learn thisschool year. The team establishes these prioritiesbased on all the information that has been gatheredto date and the availability of resources.

To determine the most important learning goals,the team considers: priority areas to focus on possibilities for using this new skill or

knowledge in other areas and settings related areas of strength how this need affects overall learning and

achievement transferability to other subject areas how the skills and knowledge relate to your

childs future career goals.

Step 3: Creating a planAs part of the IPP team, you can offer ideas andinformation in the creation of long-term goals foryour child. These goals are usually what the child

might accomplish in a specific area in adetermined period of time, usually one schoolyear. It is important that the team identify what ismanageable for the child. This is where a parentsperspective can be especially helpful.

Long-term goals are broad statements aboutachievement, such as: complete Grade 8 math program with at least a

90 percent average by end of the first term engage in five formal debate activities to hone

logical thinking skills, including comparing finding assumptions interpreting evidence

design and present a science fair project toextend and reinforce creative and criticalthinking skills.

Short-term objectives are small measurable stepsthat will lead from the childs present performanceto the long-term goal. For example, short-termobjectives for the last long-term goal above couldinclude: science fair project

proposal mutually agreed upon by studentand teacher by October 1

develop a scoring guide to assess project byOctober 15

project ready for fair by November 30 project plan and final product meet

Awesome level of scoring guide.

Understanding the long-term goals and short-termobjectives of your childs program plan will help

you decide how to best support your child athome.

Step 4: Implementing the IPPIn this phase of the process, the learning teamreviews the content of the IPP and how progresswill be measured. Teachers then put theinstructional and assessment strategies intopractice, and adjust short-term objectives asneeded. Look for ways your family can supportthe IPP goals at home.

Step 5: Reviewing and revisingReview meetings are opportunities to discuss yourchilds program and consider possible revisions.The year-end review is especially important as theteam reviews the education plan and adds writtenrecommendations to the IPP. This is particularlytrue for children moving from one school toanother or making any kind of transition.

You can also contact the school to request areview of the IPP at any time if you have concernsabout your childs progress or if your child is

experiencing significant changes in achievement,attitude or behaviour. The IPP can be adjusted orchanged at any time throughout the school year, asthe team deems necessary.


7/12

CHAPTER 4



29

Before the meeting Discuss the positive elements in the IPP with

your child. Find out about your childs involvement and

role in the meeting. Decide if your child willbenefit from participating in part or all of themeeting.

Review the comments from your childs lastreport card, and goals and objectives from thelast IPP. What progress have you seen? Note

any areas of concern. Ask your child questions such as the

following. What do you like best about school? What are some changes that would help you

learn better at school? What goals do you have for yourself?(If your child attends the meeting, he or shemay be able to give this input directly.)

If appropriate, gather samples of work yourchild has done at home.

Be prepared. Write a list of questions andconcerns that you want to discuss. Prioritizeyour concerns.

At the meeting Ask questions to ensure that you have a clear

and accurate understanding of your childsprogress and program.

Ask if there are any new assessments, reportsor observations.

Ask about your childs strengths, interests,areas of growth, areas of need and friendships.

Share your present and future goals for yourchild.

Discuss any specific concerns you have aboutyour child.

Discuss whether or not the IPP needs toaddress specific social or emotional needs ofyour child.

Share any home conditions that may impact onyour childs performance or behaviour atschool, and any recent documents or medicalupdates.

Share samples of your childs work completedat home, if you think this can contribute to abetter understanding of your child. Teachersusually have samples of student work to share,but if not, ask to see samples.

At the close of the meeting Establish mutually agreed upon goals and

strategies for your child. Find out how you can support your child at

home. Take notes on recommendations and

timelines, such as additional programming orassessments. Verbally summarize your understanding and

interpretation of the decisions made, actions tobe taken, timelines, and roles andresponsibilities of each participant.

Give feedback to the people working withyour child in areas where you noted positiveeffort, growth or change. People who feelvalued and recognized are encouraged tocontinue their efforts.

Sign the IPP to indicate your agreement with

the plan. Should you disagree with the IPPand not wish to sign it, the school willdocument the reasons for your decision youhave given and what actions are taken toresolve the issue. For additional informationon resolving differences, see page 32 .

Ask for a copy of the IPP to refer to at home. Decide on the next meeting date.

After the meeting Give your child feedback from the meeting. Discuss what needs to happen in order to

reach the IPP goals. Discuss what your childsrole is and also how the teachers and yourfamily will support the plan.

To review the effectiveness of your childs IPP,consider the following questions. Does the IPP focus on the individual needs of

my child?


8/12

CHAPTER 4



How does the IPP build on my childsstrengths?

Does the IPP focus on key goals for my child? Does the IPP use more than one source of

assessment data to determine strengths andneeds? If there are several teachers responsible for my

childs education program, are thereprocedures for all of them to have access tothe IPP so they can use it to plan instruction,monitor progress, and contribute to evaluatingand changing goals and objectives?

Does the IPP use a number of strategies tomeasure and communicate my childsprogress?

Is progress on IPP goals monitored

frequently? If objectives are met, are newones set? If my child is not demonstratingprogress, does the team review the programand make changes?

Step 6: Transition planningTransition planning involves identifying the kindsof skills that need to be in place for students to besuccessful in future placements and settings, anddeveloping a plan of action to ensure studentsacquire these skills and attitudes. It may alsoinclude specific plans for moving between

education placements and programs.

One of the keys to supporting your childs journeythrough school is establishing positive workingrelationships with your childs teachers and otherschool staff. There are a number of ways you canhelp to achieve this goal.

The first step in establishing effective homeschool partnerships is to get to know staff early inthe school year and ensure there is ongoingcommunication. Make an appointment with theteacher to drop by the classroom before or afterschool to introduce yourself. You can also do thisby telephone or e-mail. If you want to talk withthe teacher, call the school and find out the best

time to do this. Welcome parentteacherconferences as important opportunities toexchange information and work together. Whenchildren observe parents and teachers workingcollaboratively and treating each other withrespect, it sends a powerful message about thevalue of partnerships and cooperation.

Part of working as a team means keeping teachersinformed about important information that couldaffect your childs learning. Sharing relevantinformation can have a positive effect on yourchilds learning experience because it allowsteachers to tailor learning opportunities and dealknowledgeably with sensitive issues.

Information to share might include: successful learning and behaviour techniques

that you are using at home changes in the home settingsuch as a death,

divorce, unemployment or loss of a petthatmight cause emotional reactions

your childs past school experiences ongoing goals for your child that you are

supporting at home.

Under the Standards for Special Education , theprincipal is responsible for special education

programming in the school. Get to know yourschool principal. He or she can be a source ofinformation and is an important member of yourchilds learning team.

There are many ways you can participate in yourchilds school community, ranging from providinginput to serving on school councils to volunteeringin the school. You need to decide on the degreeand nature of involvement after considering yourskills, interests, family needs, work commitmentsand other obligations.

It is important to provide your input at availableopportunities. Teachers seek parental opinions,comments, feedback and suggestions in manyways. Some ways you can provide input include: writing comments and completing feedback

sheets attached to school newsletters


9/12

CHAPTER 4



31

completing interest and academic inventoriesabout your child

commenting on projects and accomplishments.Participating in parentteacher conferences and

attending school council meetings are alsoopportunities to provide input to the schoolcommunity.

Participating in school councils or serving onschool committees can be opportunities to gainknowledge about educational issues, buildrelationships with other parents and school staff,and work together to ensure that all children in theschool are getting a quality education. Schoolcouncils provide advice to the principal on school-related issues, such as policies, program priorities,budget, special needs, school climate and eventsplanning.

For some parents, volunteering in their childrensschool can be a hands-on way to show theirchildren that they value education and support thework of teachers and other staff. This, in turn, canincrease all childrens learning opportunities.Parent volunteers can also be powerful supportersof the school and public education, and providevaluable links to the wider community.

Volunteers can offer to: share expertise on a particular career, theme,

skill, interest or custom work one-on-one with a child who is

experiencing academic difficulties in aspecific area such as reading

serve as a mentor to an individual child complete administrative tasks at home, such as

preparing materials or phoning other parentsabout field trips and special events

assist in the school library assist in the classroom under the direction of

the teacher.

Know what you want to accomplish and keep your goals in mind, but remember that thereare many routes to your destination . Beprepared to be flexible and to makecompromises along the way.

Work cooperatively . Listen to and considerthe perspectives of others. Most of the peopleyou negotiate with have good intentions, evenif their opinions may differ from yours.

Concentrate on concerns, not emotions. Findareas where you agree and build on those.

Expect courtesy and respect from school staff .Meaningful parent involvement is a core valueof the education system in this province.

Be respectful of those who are working onbehalf of your child . Go out of your way to bepolite and diplomatic and always keep yourchilds needs in the forefront of the discussion.

Be patient and persistent . Change mayhappen slowly; finding the information orassistance you require may be a time-consuming process of trial and error. Keepmoving toward your goals step-by-step.

Be a good communicator . The old adage itsnot what you say but how you say it is so truewhen working with others. Clear and regularcommunication among all members is key tothe success of the learning team.

Ask for clarification if there is anything youare unsure of . You may hear terms you arenot familiar with, such as IPPs (individualizedprogram plans) or outcomes . If at any timeyou are unsure about specific information, ask.To communicate effectively, everyone on theteam must speak and understand the samelanguage.


10/12

CHAPTER 4



Enlist the support of like-minded parents,teachers, administrators and communitymembers . The best advocates work withothers. By working in collaboration withteachers and other parents, seeking familysupport and accessing assistance throughcommunity agencies, you can create win-winsolutions that work for everyone.

Recognize and cherish your accomplishments .Celebrate the positive impact they have onyour childs learning, and emotional and sociallife.

Understand that communication andcollaboration take time . You may be invited

to participate in a variety of meetings over thecourse of the school year. These may includein-school team meetings as well asconsultations with other support personnel, inaddition to regular parentteacher conferences.

Give change a chance . Change takes time.Your child may require a period of adjustmentto a new setting before positive change isevident. Clear, open communication amonglearning team members will go a long way toensuring expectations are reasonable.

Talking to children about experiences at schooland observing their behaviour toward school arekeys to ensuring that they are on the right track. Ifyour child is excited about learning, talks openlyabout his or her classes, and is eager to go toschool, he or she is most likely being appropriatelychallenged and supported.

If you feel your child may not be receiving theright programming, or you have any otherconcerns, talk to your childs teacher. Always tryto resolve issues with the people who are workingwith your child. This means meeting with thelearning team and looking for win-win solutions.

For example, if your child is frustrated by the lackof challenge in the current learning situations,meet with his or her teachers to review the currentprogram and discuss potential changes that couldbe made. If your child has mastered the skills in aparticular subject and finds the work boring orrepetitive, a pretest of the unit could help todetermine his or her level of skill; if your childdoes demonstrate mastery of the learningoutcomes currently under study, the teacher mightconsider different options such as acceleratinglearning or arranging for your child to use the timeto do an independent study project.

If you cannot resolve the issue with your childsteacher, the next step is to request a meeting withthe school principal. Let the principal know yourconcerns. Also let the principal know that youhave discussed this issue with the teacher and havenot been able to come to a satisfactory agreement.The teacher should participate in the meeting withthe principal. This will ensure all partners cancontribute information, perspectives and possiblesolutions.

School boards are required to make everyreasonable effort at the school and district level toresolve concerns collaboratively with parents.Despite these efforts, there may be differences ofopinion between parents (or in some cases, anolder student) and the school about the educationof a child with special needs. When this happens,there are a number of strategies for successfullyresolving these differences.

Begin by requesting a meeting with yourchilds teachers . Indicate what the topic willbe. This information allows teachers toschedule an appropriate amount of time, andbe better prepared to answer your questionsand address particular concerns.


11/12

CHAPTER 4



33

Be prepared . Write down questions andconcerns you want to address and bring thislist to the meeting.

Focus your concerns on your childs learningneeds . Decide what is most important andfocus your energy on that.

Consider what you would like the outcome ofthe meeting to be . This will help you focusyour discussion and problem solving.

If possible, involve your child in finding asolution .

Ask questions . Ensure you have a clear

understanding of your childs progress andprogramming by asking as many questions asyou need to.

Take notes, especially with respect torecommendations and timelines . Confirmthose commitments at the end of the meeting.

If you feel that additional information isnecessary, schedule another conference at theconclusion of your meeting .

If you come to an agreement that a certainchange will be made, establish how you willknow if this change is happening and that it isworking . Discuss the outcomes that have beenagreed upon and decide when progress onthese outcomes will be reviewed.

Give teachers and the school time toimplement changes .

If the issue cannot be resolved at the school level,the Alberta School Act , Section 123, states thatschool boards must have a process for appealingschool district decisions that significantly affect achilds education, such as disagreements overidentification of a special need or programplacement. The school principal can provideinformation on the appeal procedure in your

district. Typically, parents and school staff preferto work out agreements collaboratively at theschool level, but in some instances the next step isan appeal at the district level.

Appeal procedures vary from district to district butall procedures should be built on the followingprinciples. The appeal process should be fair, timely and

open. It should ensure that parents and districtstaff know in advance how the appeal processworks, and have reasonable opportunity toprepare and present their case.

The process should have the flexibility toaccommodate different kinds of disputes.

Parents, or students who are 16 or older,

should have the right to appeal at least onelevel above the level of the employee whomade the decision being appealed. Whoeverhears the appeal should be the person who willmake the appeal decision. For example, if aprincipal made the original decision that isunder appeal, a person in a supervisoryposition over the principal should hear theappeal and uphold or overturn the originaldecision made by the principal.

The person who hears the appeal should nothave been involved in the decision beingappealed.

School boards have an obligation to informparents of their right to appeal and must providewritten copies of the districts process. Thedistrict policy should be consistent with theprinciples above, and should describe specificallyhow the process works and how long it takes. Ifthe board itself does not hear the appeal, the policyshould clearly state who will assume thisresponsibility.

If an appeal to the school board is completed andparents disagree with the decision and feel it doesnot meet the learning needs of their child, theymay write to the Minister of Learning and ask fora review of the board decision. School boardshave an obligation to advise parents of their right


12/12

CHAPTER 4



to request that the Minister review the boardsdecision if they are not satisfied with that decision.A student who is 16 years of age or older may alsorequest a review. The Minister of Learning mayreview a board decision on some specific matters,including the special education placement for astudent with special needs.

If the Minister does review the case, the reviewwill only assess the situation for one school year,because that situation may change over time. Forexample, the board may not offer a program in theyear of the review, but may develop an appropriateprogram later. A students learning needs mayalso change so that the program determined to beappropriate at the review may no longer match thestudents learning needs.

There are very few reviews by the Minister eachyear. In most cases, parents and educators preferto resolve differences at the school and districtlevel.

Carte Cap4

Documents

Transcript of Carte Cap4