Inclusive Schooling
Handbook

AUGUST 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Student Support Plan and Individual Education Program Guidelines .......................... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................................................. v
ENDORSEMENT.............................................................................................................................................................. v

SECTION 1:................................................................................................................ 1
NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling (2016)................................................... 1
GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING: Supporting the NWT Ministerial Directive
on Inclusive Schooling (2016).......................................................................................... 15

SECTION 2:
Program Support, Roles and Responsibilities in Inclusive Schooling in the NWT........ 47
PART 1: An Introduction................................................................................................. 47
PROGRAM SUPPORT...................................................................................................................................................47
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING...............................................................................................................................................47

PART 2: Roles and Responsibilities.................................................................................. 49
SCHOOL BASED SUPPORTS.........................................................................................................................................49
The School Based Support Team..............................................................................................................................49
The Principal/Assistant Principal(s)...........................................................................................................................49
Program Support Teacher (PST)................................................................................................................................52
Classroom/Subject Teacher......................................................................................................................................54
Support Assistants (SA).............................................................................................................................................56
Parents......................................................................................................................................................................58
Students....................................................................................................................................................................59
Other Teachers..........................................................................................................................................................59
School Counselling Programs Staff...........................................................................................................................60
Outside Agencies/Interagency Teams......................................................................................................................61
Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator................................................................................................................62
Superintendent.........................................................................................................................................................64
Staff of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE)..................................................................................................65

SECTION 3:
Educational Programming Types in the NWT............................................................ 67
PART 1: An Overview of Educational Programming Options in the NWT –Student Support Plans and Individual Education Plans.........................................................67
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................................67
TYPES OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS............................................................................................................................67
EDUCATION PROGRAM PLANNING PROCESS...........................................................................................................69
WHERE ARE STUDENT SUPPORT PLANS AND
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS KEPT?.....................................................................................................................71

PART 2: Student Support Plans....................................................................................... 72
WHAT ARE STUDENT SUPPORT PLANS AND WHO NEEDS ONE?.............................................................................72
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE DOCUMENTED ON A STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN?...................................................74
WHY IS DOCUMENTATION NECESSARY?...................................................................................................................76

INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING HANDBOOKi

THE STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN PROCESS............................................................................................... 76
DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................................... 78
COMPLETING THE SUPPORT PLAN........................................................................................................ 80
IMPLEMENTATION................................................................................................................................. 81
MONITORING......................................................................................................................................... 81
REVIEW AND REPORTING...................................................................................................................... 82

PART 3: Individual Education Programs and Individual Education Plans........................... 83

WHAT IS AN IEP?..........................................................................................................................................................83
EFFECTIVE IEPS............................................................................................................................................................85

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IEPS............................................................................................... 86
Parents......................................................................................................................................................................86
Students....................................................................................................................................................................87
Principal....................................................................................................................................................................87
Classroom Teacher(s)................................................................................................................................................88
Program Support Teacher (PST)................................................................................................................................88
Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator................................................................................................................89
Support Assistant......................................................................................................................................................89
Counselling Staff.......................................................................................................................................................89
Other Professionals/Consultants..............................................................................................................................90
Other Teachers/Colleagues.......................................................................................................................................90
Fellow Students........................................................................................................................................................90

CIRCLES OF SUPPORT............................................................................................................................. 91

WHO NEEDS AN IEP?...................................................................................................................................................92
CONSIDERATIONS FOR WHO NEEDS AN IEP AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL...............................................................93
THE IEP PROCESS.........................................................................................................................................................94
Setting Direction – Establish the IEP Team...............................................................................................................95
Setting Direction – Outline Responsibilities.............................................................................................................95
Setting Direction – Use a Person-Centered Planning Process (e.g. MAPS/PATH)....................................................95
Setting Direction – Clarify Purpose of IEP.................................................................................................................96

GATHERING AND SHARING INFORMATION AND ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES..................................... 96

Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Review student records and current work...............................................................................................................96
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Consult student, parents, and previous teachers.....................................................................................................97
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Observe student and conduct further assessment as necessary.............................................................................98
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Share, summarize and record information and revisit long-term goals...................................................................99
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Establish IEP team consensus re: priorities for the current IEP................................................................................99

DEVELOPING AND WRITING THE IEP..................................................................................................... 99

Developing and Writing the IEP – Identify areas of development, target skills,
and current level of performance for each target skill.............................................................................................99
Developing and Writing the IEP –Develop a SMART annual student outcome for each target skill...........................................................................100
Developing and Writing the IEP –Identify short-term learning objectives for each annual student outcome...........................................................102
Developing and Writing the IEP – Complete the IEP template...............................................................................104
Developing and Writing the IEP – Review and approve the IEP.............................................................................104

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INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING HANDBOOKIMPLEMENTING AND REVIEWING THE IEP......................................................................................... 105
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP –Integrate the IEP with classroom and daily planning..............................................................................................105
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP – Put the IEP into practice...........................................................................107
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP – Review, revise, and report regularly........................................................107
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP –Evaluate student progress in relation to annual student outcomes......................................................................109
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP – Evaluate the IEP at year end....................................................................109

IN CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................... 110

SECTION 4:
Accessing and Using Tienet for SSPS and IEPS............................................................111
PART 1: Using TIENET.....................................................................................................111
ACCESSING TIENET THROUGH POWERSCHOOL/POWERTEACHER......................................................................111
TIENET HOMEPAGE....................................................................................................................................................112

PART 2: TIENET..............................................................................................................114
GENERAL DEMOGRAPHICS.......................................................................................................................................114
PROGRAM INFORMATION........................................................................................................................................ 114
CASE LOADS...............................................................................................................................................................115
SSP ACCOMMS (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)................................................................................................................116
ASSESSMENT HISTORY (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)...................................................................................................116
FOLDER ICON – DOCUMENTS FILE TAB OR PAGE ICON......................................................................................... 117
ATTACHING DOCUMENTS.........................................................................................................................................118
FOLDER ICON – EVENTS............................................................................................................................................120

PART 3: Writing and Managing Student Support Plans.................................................. 123

STARTING A NEW SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS OR MEP..................................................................................123
USING A PREVIOUS YEAR’S INFORMATION ON AN SSP.........................................................................................125
REVISING OR CHANGING THE SSP WITHIN THE YEAR...........................................................................................127
CONTENT OF AN SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS...................................................................................................128
CONTENT OF A SSP WITH MODIFICATIONS/MODIFIED EDUCATION PLAN.........................................................130
ENDING A SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS OR A MEP............................................................................................132

PART 4: Writing and Managing Individual Education Plans............................................ 134
STARTING A NEW IEP ................................................................................................................................................135
USING A PREVIOUS YEAR’S INFORMATION ON AN IEP..........................................................................................136
REVISING OR CHANGING THE IEP WITHIN THE YEAR............................................................................................138
MOVING THROUGHOUT THE IEP DOCUMENT IN TIENET......................................................................................139
CONTENT OF AN IEP..................................................................................................................................................140

PART 5: Reports............................................................................................................ 146
STANDARD REPORTS.................................................................................................................................................146
Bulk Print ................................................................................................................................................................146
Unfinalized Documents...........................................................................................................................................146
School Plus..............................................................................................................................................................146
Public Student Reports...........................................................................................................................................146
Public Document Reports.......................................................................................................................................147
ADVANCED REPORTS.................................................................................................................................................148
Number of SSP by Category....................................................................................................................................148
Program Count (ECE) Current Year.........................................................................................................................148
Program Report (Board Wide)/Program Report Territorial Wide..........................................................................148
Student Support Plans Board Wide/School Wide..................................................................................................148
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING HANDBOOK

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PART 6: Pitfalls and Procedures for SSPs and IEPs......................................................... 149

PITFALLS.....................................................................................................................................................................149
PROCEDURES AND BUSINESS RULES FOR TIENET..................................................................................................151

SECTION 5: SA Handbook....................................................................................... 155
SECTION 6: The Toolbox......................................................................................... 159(T1) Sources of Information re: Student’s Strengths and Challenges.............................. 160(T2) Teacher Checklist – Student’s Strengths and Challenges..........................................162(T3) Questions to Consider in Selecting Strategies......................................................... 164(T4) Reviewing Effectiveness of Accommodations or Support Strategies........................ 165(T5) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix................................................................................. 166(T5-B) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix Illustrated Example................................................167(T6) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 1................................................................. 168(T7) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 2................................................................. 169(T8) Documentation of Intervention Instruction Decision Summary...............................170(T9) Problem Solving Team Meeting...............................................................................171(T10) Parent Meeting Sample Agenda............................................................................175(T11) Parent Meeting Minutes........................................................................................176(T12) Pre-Assessment Conditions for Consideration for
Psychological Educational Assessment...........................................................................179(T13) Process for Referral for Psychological Educational Assessment............................. 181(T14) PST Responsibilities in the Psychological Education Assessment Process.............. 184(T15) Considerations for Prioritizing Students fora Psychological Educational Assessment....................................................................... 185(P1) Suggestions for Parents Participating in the Student Support Plan Process............. 187(P2) Sample Questions for Parents to Ask During the SSP Process................................. 188(P3) Suggestions for Parents Participating in the IEP Process......................................... 189

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INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING HANDBOOKStudent Support Plan and Individual
Education Program Guidelines
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Material and content of these guidelines and the toolbox have been adapted from the 2006
Student Support Plan guidelines and the provincial publications under the sharing agreement of
the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol.

ENDORSEMENT
These guidelines are to be used with the approved software for management of Student Support
Plans as authorized by Education, Culture and Employment of the GNWT. This currently is thesoftware for students with special needs that is maintained on the GNWT student information
system. At the time of writing, the SIS was PowerSchool/PowerTeacher and the government
approved student’s special needs software. (Currently called Tienet.)

INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING HANDBOOKv

NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)
1. PURPOSE
This Directive on Inclusive Schooling provides direction to education bodies from the Ministerof Education, Culture and Employment to ensure that schools in the Northwest Territories are
implementing inclusive schooling as defined in this directive, and mandated by Section 7(1) of
the Education Act (1996).

2. DIRECTIVE STATEMENT
In accordance with this directive, education bodies must welcome students within a common
learning environment in the community in which the student resides and provide support
through School-Based Support Teams to enable teachers to meet the diverse needs of students,
including those who experience significant barriers to learning.

3. DIRECTIVE OBJECTIVES
1. To ensure that all students have access to quality education programs within a common
learning environment in the community in which the student resides.

2. To ensure that education bodies have direction on how to administer inclusive schoolingsupports and programming.

3. To ensure educators are provided with in-servicing to deliver inclusive schooling supports
and programming.
4. To ensure financial accountability for inclusive schooling funding.

5. To ensure monitoring, evaluation and reporting of inclusive schooling supports andprogramming.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

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4. INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING VISION
To ensure access to quality education for all students by effectively meeting their diverse needs
in a way that is responsive, accepting, respectful and supportive.

5. PRINCIPLES
Inclusive schooling in the Northwest Territories:
yy Recognizes that every student can learn.

yy Is individualized – educational programs and decisions focus on the individual student’s
strengths and needs, and are based upon the student’s best interests.
yy Ensures access to appropriate learning opportunities by utilizing evidence- based
instructional and support strategies to remove barriers to learning.

yy Enables all students to participate within a common learning environment shared
amongst age-peers in the community in which the student resides.

yy Is delivered within an accessible physical environment where all students and school
personnel feel welcome, safe and valued.

yy Is respectful of student and staff diversity in regards to their race, colour, ancestry,
nationality, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status, family affiliation, political belief,
political association, social condition and a conviction that is subject to a pardon or record
suspension. (NWT Human Rights Act, Section 5 (1) 2014)

yy Is characterized by collaboration: parents, affected student (where appropriate), school
principals, classroom teachers, program support teachers, support assistants, and otherprofessionals collaborate to make decisions related to the educational needs of individual
students.
yy Promotes the involvement of parents/guardians in their child’s education.

yy Establishes and maintains a professional learning program to ensure that educational staff
have the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective instruction to a diverse student
population.
yy Promotes partnerships between schools and their communities, operating effectively
through a range of school-wide supports and community programs and services available
to all students.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

6. APPLICATIONThis directive applies to all Education Bodies. The Northwest Territories Education Act (S.N.W.T.
1995, c.28, as amended) under section 7(1) and 7(2) states that every student is entitled to haveaccess to the education program in a regular instructional setting in a school in the community
in which they live, and that an education body shall provide the support services needed toensure that students have access to the education program.

7. AUTHORITY
Authority for this directive on inclusive schooling is derived from the Northwest Territories
Education Act (S.N.W.T. 1995, c.28, as amended). Specifically the Minister responsible for the
Education Act has the authority under section 7(2) to provide direction to education bodies on
inclusive schooling.

8. DEFINITIONS
Accommodation: measures that allow students to best gain access to and achieve successwith expected learning outcomes, including those who experience obstacles to learningand those who require enriched opportunities for learning. Accommodations may include
changing the teaching process, learning environment, time demands, assistance, evaluation
and/or the ways in which a student demonstrates learning. Accommodations are recorded
on a Student Support Plan yet do not represent changes to the expected learning outcomes asstated in curricular documents.
Common learning environment: an inclusive environment where instruction is designed to
be delivered to students of mixed ability and with their peer group in the community school,
while being responsive to their individual needs as a learner, and used for the majority of thestudents’ regular instruction hours.

Differentiated Instruction: a best practice in education that recognizes and supports
individual differences in learning, wherein teachers actively plan and teach in order to address
the diverse learning needs of their students. It is based on the understanding that students
will attain learning outcomes by varying routes, at differing paces, while requiring a variety
of supports. Aspects of teaching and learning that may be differentiated include: content,
product/demonstration of mastery, instruction, assessment, task, grouping, resources, and/or process. Curricular objectives remain constant, while the teaching practices are flexible anddesigned to match student learning needs.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

3

Education body: a District Education Authority (DEA), a Divisional Education Council (DEC)or a commission scolaire francophone (CSF), or all of them as the case may be.

Education program: the program of education from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 basedon the curriculum established by the Minister. Students may follow a Regular Education
Program (with or without accommodations), a Modified Education Program, or an Individual
Education Program.
Enrichment: extending the learning outcomes to ensure that students are appropriately
challenged; a form of accommodation.

Homebound students: those who are required to stay home and not attend school at therequest of a medical doctor.
Inclusive Schooling: students access the education program, and required supports, in acommon learning environment in the student’s home community.

Individualized Education Program/Plan (IEP): An individualized Education Program isstudent-specific program outlined in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This plan is
a comprehensive written education plan with annual student outcomes and shorter-term
objectives, determined through a collaborative process, driven by the strengths and needsof the student; it may or may not include learning outcomes articulated in NWT curricula. A
student on an IEP usually requires supports, accommodations, facilities, resources and/or
equipment required beyond those required by his/her peers.
Instructional Strategies: techniques teachers use to help students become independent,
strategic learners. These instructional strategies become learning strategies when students
independently select the appropriate ones and use them effectively to accomplish tasks ormeet goals.

Modified Education Program: A Modified Education Program is developed for students who
are documented as working significantly above or below grade level in one or more subjects,
yet retains the learning outcomes articulated in NWT curricula. The curricular learning
outcomes are selected from the working grade level and used to guide instruction for the
Modified Program. The Modified Program is based on student strengths, needs and interestsand may include modified individualized learning goals, instructional methods, methodsof practice and evaluation procedures, consistent with the principles of differentiatedinstruction. The Modified Program is recorded in a Student Support Plan (SSP).
Other professionals: include related service providers such as Occupational Therapists,
Speech-Language Pathologists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Addictions and Mental
Health Counsellors, Educational Psychologists, and Paediatricians.

Program Support Teacher (PST): an experienced and skilled teacher who provides direct
collaborative support to classroom teachers as they develop instructional strategies to meetthe needs of students.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

Regular Education Program: A Regular Education Program is determined by the learning
outcomes articulated in NWT curricula for a specific grade level.

School-based Support Team (SBST): a team co-led by the school administrator and Program
Support Teacher(s) that provides support to classroom teachers with instructional issues,
strategy development and problem-solving. The team coordinates the utilization of school
personnel and other resources to support teachers and students. The school-based team mayseek the assistance of other professionals or community supports, as appropriate.
Student Support Plan (SSP): a record of supports for learning which documents
accommodations or modifications required for a student to best experience successwith their programing. The SSP may change at any time to best reflect student needs andsuccesses. Different kinds of Student Support Plans exist: Regular Education Program withAccommodations for Difficulty (JK-12); Regular Education Program with Accommodations
for Enrichment (JK-12), Modified Education Program – Below Grade Level (JK-9); Modified
Education Program – Above Grade Level (JK-9).

Support Assistant (SA): an individual working in the school to support classroom teachers inmeeting the instructional and personal needs of students.
Supports: additional service, strategy or resource provided to enhance student learning or
help an individual student overcome barriers to learning. Supports are services beyond those
provided to all students as part of the overall school program.
Temporary residency: student residing in treatment centres/group homes operated by the
NWT Department of Health and Social Services (HSS).
yy
yy
yy
yy

Youth Justice facilities operated by the NWT Department of Justice.
Medical/long-term care facilities operated by HSS.
Medical or treatment facilities outside of the NWT approved by HSS.
A temporary foster placement.

*The Northwest Territories Education Act (S.N.W.T. 1995, c.28, as amended) under
section 7(3)SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)5

9. PROVISION OF SUPPORTThe Department of Education, Culture and Employment, working through education bodies andschools, will establish and maintain systematic supports for instruction so all students are able
to access an educational program within a common learning environment in the community inwhich the student resides.

9.1 COMMON LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Education bodies are required to ensure that the common learning environment:

yy Enables each student to fully participate in a learning environment that is designed forall students and is shared with peers in their home community.
yy Applies student-centred instructional practices and learning principles.

yy Is responsive to individual learning needs by implementing required supports in atimely manner.

9.2 SUPPORTS FOR INCLUSION
ECE and Education bodies must establish, maintain and systematically monitor supports
for inclusion, including policy, funding, monitoring, evaluation and capacity-building
strategies.
9.2.1 Education bodies are required to direct principals to:yy Ensure that a student’s instruction is primarily provided by the classroom/subject
teacher, within the common learning environment.

yy Ensure homogeneous groupings of students with similar needs are flexible andtemporary, and their utilization is based on on-going assessment of student needs
and successes.
*When it is determined that a homogeneous group is needed for instruction,		 the plan for the group must include clear targets and short-term goals, as wellas pre-identified strategies with defined, on-going assessment methodologies to		 monitor success.
yy Ensure support assistants and classroom teachers are aware of and respect theguidelines and standards of practice for support assistants.
yy Support teachers and support assistants in the use of flexible instructional
strategies.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

yy Allocate resources to maximize assistance to classroom teachers to enable them tosupport the learning of all their students.
yy Ensure that all students have access to appropriate curricular activities.

yy Ensure a fair process for equitable access to extra-curricular and school-sponsoredactivities within available resources.
yy Identify accessibility issues to ensure facilities meet student needs.

9.3 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
Inclusive schooling in the NWT ensures that students have access to the necessary support
services to access education within the community in which they reside. Education bodies
are required to support the development, implementation and monitoring of a Student
Support Plan (SSP) or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students who require themby directing principals to:yy Ensure that the teacher develops a Student Support Plan (SSP) that identifies
accommodations and/or modifications to the learning goals and instructional
strategies needed to enable student success.

yy Ensure that the teacher, supported by the School-based Support Team and in
consultation with the parents/guardians, develops an Individual Education Plan
(IEP) that identifies individual student learning goals, instructional strategies andaccommodations needed to enable student success.

yy Ensure that in developing the SSP or IEP, the identification of student strengths andchallenges includes such things as information on interests and aspirations, readinessto learn, learning preferences and other relevant factors.
yy Ensure parents, and students when appropriate, have the opportunity for meaningful
involvement in planning, problem solving and decision-making related to a student’s
learning goals and instructional strategies and necessary supports to achieve them.
yy Ensure the teacher is supported by relevant members of the School-based Support
Team.
yy Provide access to technological supports when appropriate and where needed toovercome barriers to learning.
yy Ensure classroom teachers know how to utilize ECE approved software for thedevelopment and storage of electronic educational program plans, as per theguidelines.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)79.3.1 Education bodies are required to support the identification, development
and monitoring of educational plans by directing classroom teachers to:
yy Participate within the School-based Support Team to develop or utilize a number of
informal to formal assessment strategies across time periods and situations to:





Determine students’ strengths and challenges;
Assess performance in relation to NWT curricular outcomes;
Make changes to instruction and assessment as required;
Identify whether there is the need for an SSP or IEP.

yy Notify the School-based Support Team when students experience persistentlearning difficulties in spite of the use of responsive teaching strategies intended
to meet assessed learner needs and interests or, when a student needs significant
enrichment. The School-based Support Team will act upon that information
utilizing available resources.

yy Develop, implement and update the learning goals and instructional strategies
whenever significant changes or accommodations are required, in collaboration
with the School-based Support Team.

yy Receive, review and update the SSP or IEP when a student transitions fromanother grade and/or school - as well as regularly throughout the school year - inconsultation with parents, the student, members of the School-based Support Team,appropriate regional staff, including other professionals as required.
yy Develop lesson plans and instructional strategies that reflect the requirements of
the SSP or IEP.
yy Monitor and evaluate, on an on-going basis, the effectiveness of the instructional
strategies and accommodations identified and make modifications to the plan asneeded.
yy Follow relevant guidelines issued by ECE on individual planning for students,
including SSPs and IEPs.

9.3.2 Special Circumstances

Education bodies are required to:yy Provide education programs for students in temporary residency situations.

yy Provide educational programs for homebound students.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

9.4 SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT TEAM
Education bodies are required to ensure each school has an established andoperationalized School-based Support Team.
9.4.1 Purpose

The primary role of the School-based Support Team is to strengthen the school’s capacity
to enable student learning. Education bodies are required to ensure each school has anestablished School-based Support team that will:

yy Operate under the leadership of the principal to assist classroom teachers with
developing and implementing instructional and/or management strategies, Student
Support Plans or Individualized Education Plans, and to coordinate support
resources for students.
yy Develop strategies to support classroom teachers in meeting students’ needs andto reduce barriers to students’ success in learning; solve specific problems; address
systemic issues as well as those that are teacher or student specific; and maintaindocumentation, as per the reporting requirements.

9.4.2 Membershipyy Core membership includes the school principal and/or vice principal, programsupport teacher(s) (PST) and other staff including counsellors, guidance staff andothers whose focus is providing support to teachers and students. Core members
will meet on a regular basis, typically once per week.

yy Participation in the School-based Support Team is determined by the Principal and
PST and may include: classroom teachers, support assistants, parents, students,
superintendent, Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator, other regional staff,
members of the Inclusive Schooling Territorial Support Team, other related service
providers, and professionals from other government departments, as needed andappropriate, within compliance of Access to Information and Protection of Privacy(ATTIPP).

9.5 SPECIALIZED INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING STAFF
Education bodies receive conditional funding for the following types of Specialized
Inclusive Schooling Staff. As part of the annual budget development, ECE will provide
Education Bodies with funding and position information for Specialized Inclusive
Schooling Staff. Education Bodies are responsible for implementation and management ofSpecialized Inclusive Schooling Staff and for reporting on Specialized Inclusive Schooling
Staff as part of the overall accountability provisions related to this Directive.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)99.5.1 Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator (RISC)
RISCs provide administrative and programming leadership at the regional level to support
inclusive schooling based staff (Program Support Teachers and Support Assistants)
support classroom teachers in meeting the needs of students.
Specifically, the RISC:

yy Works closely with the superintendent and/or comptroller to ensure the funding
provided for inclusive schooling is effectively used and consistent with the Directive
and associated guidelines established by ECE.
yy Liaison and collaborate with staff at ECE and with other RISCs to build a strong
network to develop and support inclusive schooling practices in the NWT withspecific focus on professional learning and capacity building initiatives.

yy Work directly with school principals and PSTs to ensure that school staff know anduse effective inclusive schooling practices that support students.

yy Ensure that required program reporting is completed on time and submitted to thesuperintendent.

9.5.2 Program Support Teacher (PST)The PST is an experienced and skilled teacher who provides direct collaborative support
to classroom teachers as they develop and use instructional strategies to meet the needs ofstudents.
Specifically, the PSTs:

yy Focus on developing and supporting the implementation of instructional strategies;
problem-solving; coaching; mentoring; co-teaching; and modelling promising
practices.

yy Will spend not less than 60% of their time engaged in activities that directly
support classroom teachers, as outlined in the Guideline for Inclusive Schooling:
Supporting the NWT Directive on Inclusive Schooling.

yy Work closely with the school principal to operate the School-based Support Team.
yy Provide school-based information and data to the RISC as required.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

9.5.3 Support Assistant (SA)Support Assistants work in the school to support teachers in meeting the needs ofstudents.
Specifically, the SAs:

yy Are assigned to support the teacher by the principal/School-based Support Team tomeet identified student needs as described in the SSP or IEP.
yy Works collaboratively with the classroom teacher to implement the SSP or IEP.

9.6 GENERAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
9.6.1 Minister of Education Culture and Employment
yy Responsible for leadership and guidance on the directive and how inclusive
schooling must be administered by education bodies in the NWT.

9.6.2 Department of Education, Culture and Employment

yy Responsible for providing Education Bodies with information on the key
components of the inclusive schooling program and associated funding.

yy Responsible for providing support and coordination for professional learning andcapacity building and for specialized resources in cooperation with the Education
Bodies.
yy Responsible for the overall accountability of inclusive schooling in the NWT.

yy Responsible for monitoring and evaluation of inclusive schooling in the NWT.
yy Responsible to give feedback and recommendations to education bodies on
inclusive schooling in the NWT.

9.6.3 Education Bodies

yy Responsible for following this directive on inclusive schooling.

yy Responsible for administration of inclusive schooling programs.

yy Responsible for financial accountability and reporting on inclusive schooling.

yy Responsible for monitoring inclusive schooling and completing evaluation reports
to be submitted to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in anagreed format.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)11

9.6.4 Superintendents
yy Responsible for following this directive on inclusive schooling.

yy Responsible to ensure that education bodies are following this directive on inclusive
schooling.
yy Responsible to ensure that inclusive schooling funding is being used by education
bodies in a financially accountable manner.
yy Responsible to ensure that education bodies produce monitoring and evaluation
reports on inclusive schooling.

yy Responsible for submitting financial and program reporting, as well as monitoringand evaluation reports to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment inan agreed format.

10. APPEALSParents/Guardians and/or students may disagree with an educational decision and proceed
under sections 39 or 42 of the Education Act. In cases of appeal, education bodies are requiredto:yy Adhere to procedures articulated in the Education Act (1996) “Resolution and Appeal ofDecisions Affecting Students” sections 38 through 43, andyy Education Appeal Regulations (1997)

11. ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING
11.1

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

11.1.1 Funding provided to education bodies for inclusive schooling must be used for		 the sole purpose of supporting students and teachers in accordance with this 				 directive on inclusive schooling.
11.1.2		 Education bodies must maintain appropriate detailed financial records of how
		 inclusive schooling funding has been spent and for what purpose.

11.1.3		 Education bodies must provide the Department of Education, Culture and 				 Employment audited financial records showing how inclusive schooling funding
		 was spent on a yearly basis, as per financial reporting regulations.

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SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)

11.2 MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING
11.2.1 Education bodies must monitor how inclusive schooling is implemented and is		 in adherence with the Directive, and will provide data to the Department of 				 Education, Culture and Employment in a format prescribed by the Department.

yy Education bodies will complete reviews of inclusive schooling practices inindividual schools using the indicators and timelines established through the IS
Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability Plan. The review results will be used toplan for on-going school improvement.

11.2.2 The Department will monitor and evaluate inclusive schooling to ensure that 				 it is functioning according to this Directive and accompanying Monitoring, 				 Evaluation and Accountability Plan.

SECTION 1: NWT MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING (2016)13

GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING:
Supporting the NWT Ministerial Directive
on Inclusive Schooling (2016)

Part 1: Inclusive Schooling – the Context
BEGINNING THE CONVERSATIONThe Ministerial Directive on Inclusive
Schooling (2016) represents a renewed
focus on providing quality inclusive
education to the diverse student populationof the Northwest Territories. The Directive
highlights the Department of Education,
Culture and Employment (ECE)‘s continued
commitment to equity and opportunity ineach of the NWT communities, and reflects
common values shared amongst citizens of
the NWT.

Section 7(1) of the NWT Education Act (1996)
is entitled Inclusive Schooling and states that,“Every student is entitled to have access to theeducation program in a regular instructionalsetting, in their home community”. Students
are welcomed within regular classroom
settings with their age peers, and areprovided with educational programs andsupports, as needed.

success within this comprehensive learning
environment, some students will need extra
support to enhance their learning. This
support might be minimal or intensive, shortor long term. In order for ALL our students
to experience success in our schools, theirteachers clearly also need support.
In these Guidelines, the key elements of the
Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling(2016) are highlighted to assist school staff
and regional/district education personnel to
implement and operationalize the policy.

In order for ALL students to achieve

Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

Supporting the
SECTIONNWT Ministerial
1: GUIDELINES
Directive
FOR INCLUSIVEon Inclusive
SCHOOLING
Schooling

15

PURPOSE
This guideline will describe some of the school and classroom practices that will makeInclusive Schooling a reality in NWT schools. They are based on more than 20 years of practicalexperience here in the Northwest Territories, as well as on research on best practice andevidence of what works and what does not.

Most of what follows has long been part of our practice. NWT educators have produced valuable
resources that remain important in the details of professional practice. They remain operative
and will be regularly updated to provide useful direction to regional/district staff and school
based educators. These documents include:
yy Dealing with Child Abuse: A Handbook
for School Personnel: Frequently Asked
Questions (2012)yy Northwest Territories Individual
Education Plans: Guidelines forDevelopment & Implementation (2010)
and Teacher Resource Kit (2006)

yy Northwest Territories Program Support
Guide: Programming for Student
Success (Revised January 2008)

yy Support Assistant Handbook(Draft 2016)

yy Honouring the Spirit of Our Children:
A Framework for School Counselling
Programs of the Northwest Territories(2004)

yy Northwest Territories Student Support
Plans: Guidelines for Development andTeacher Resource Kit (2006)
yy Support Assistant Competency
Profile (2008)

What is new is the focus being brought to this policy. We need to examine the knowledge andpractices of teachers, the support provided them by principals and program support teachers,
the leadership provided by regional Inclusive Schooling coordinators, superintendents andother regional/district staff, and the investment we need to make in enhancing the capacity of
NWT educators to fulfill the promise of inclusive education.

Annually, the Government of the Northwest Territories allocates a substantive amount offunds for the Inclusive Schooling program, based on the size of the student population. That
investment is necessary to accommodate the wide diversity of needs NWT students bring totheir classrooms every day. To meet those demands, these investments must result in programs,
processes and personnel that work effectively to support teachers and ensure student success.
Effective practice and program accountability are essential.
The renewed Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling (2016) provides specificaccountability requirements for schools and regions/districts. These are needed to ensure that
individuals function according to their job descriptions and that regular systemic program
reviews (at school, region/district and territorial levels) are carried out. Effective monitoringand evaluation of Inclusive Schooling in this manner will contribute to program improvement
and increased student success.

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SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

Inclusive Schooling benefits individuals, families, communities and the Territory. Towards
this end, the Directive was created to maximize opportunities for equitable access to quality
education for all learners by effectively meeting the diverse needs of all students in a way that is
responsive, accepting, respectful and supportive.

All students are welcomed within regular classroom settings with their age peers, and areprovided with educational programs and additional supports as needed. This does not meanthat students would never access other age groups for specific purposes, such as a Grade 4
student being a leader in a Grade 1 physical education class, if this met with his/her Individual
Education Plan (IEP) goals. Application of these guidelines requires contextualization specific to
the individual. The student’s goals and needs must drive programming considerations.
Inclusive instruction takes place in a common learning environment where the instruction isdesigned for delivery to students of mixed abilities, with their peer group, in the community
school, while remaining responsive to their individual needs as learners. Supports are
introduced, as required, and are documented on the Student Support Plan or in the Individual
Education Plan.

In practical terms, inclusive education creates opportunities for students to develop theirindividual strengths and gifts, create positive peer relationships, foster a sense of belonging andrespect for others, and generate an appreciation of diversity.
Finally, it is by reducing learning barriers and actively engaging families and the larger
community in education that the goals of education for all students can best be realized.
Inclusive Schooling is dependent on several important practices:yy Creating an inclusive school climate andenvironment;

yy Supporting teachers as well as students;
yy Planning support for individual
students;

yy Creating effective instructional
programs (classroom practices) toaccommodate diverse student needs;
yy Creating and using a school-based
support team;yy Defining and operationalizing individual
support roles – program support
teachers, principals, support assistants
and other school and regional/district
staff;
yy Working with partners beyond theschool; andyy Ensuring individual and systemic
program accountability throughmonitoring and evaluation.

You are invited to use these Guidelines as the basis for critical reflection of your own
professional practice.

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

17

Strengths-Based
Programming
Research-Based
Programming

21st Century Learning

Problem-Solving Teams

Data-Based Decision Making
Collaborave
Planning Schedules

Flexible, Responsive
Supports & Resources

PolicyCommunicaon

VISIONLEADERSHIPFOR ALL STUDENTS

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SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

Part 2: Supporting Teachers and Students
A COLLABORATIVE MODEL OF INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING
Inclusive Schooling is defined bycollaboration; parents, principals,
teachers, program support teachers,
peers, and other professionals collaborate
to make decisions related to theeducational needs of individual students.
Collaboration means working together toproduce results. In Inclusive Schooling thismeans using the strengths of the Schoolbased Support Team members to best meetthe needs of the students. In a collaborative
process, team members are guided by aquery from a teacher, and seek to support
that teacher in meeting the needs of thestudents. The team members are invested
in the success of the teacher and student
and actively seek to provide on-the-groundsupport. All members in this process areequals at the table, and each member brings
their own unique perspective.

Consultation means meeting withindividuals, often experts, in order to discuss
a situation and seek advice. In Inclusive
Schooling, consultation is used, when needed,
as a way to get new ideas or strategies to best
meet student needs. In a consultation, theexperts are not responsible for implementing
strategies. They may or may not know thestudent, the community or the school. In
their role, they provide advice and may
provide follow up consultation, if desired. It isessential that the School-based Support Teamevaluate the advice of experts and implement
within the context of their known realities.

Both collaboration and consultation areused in Inclusive Schooling. Collaboration
is an essential ongoing practice, whereas
consultation only occurs when needed, as
determined by the School-based Support
Team.

Coaching and modeling are criticalcomponents of collaboration within the
School-based Support Team. The Program
Support Teacher is ideally positioned to bestcoach a teacher in the development of new
skills and model implementation of new
strategies. Coaching and modeling both arejob-embedded professional development
strategies that strengthen Inclusive Schooling.

The following model of Inclusive Schooling
service delivery in the NWT outlines roles andresponsibilities for effective implementation.
A key aspect of this model emphasizes
the importance of supporting classroom
teachers to effectively deliver challenging
and appropriate learning experiences for all
students.
Effective learning environments arecomprised of many levels of support:
A. School-based Supports

B. Education System Supports

C. Health & Social Services System
SupportD. Community Supports

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

19

A. SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORTS
The Directive clearly indicates the central role the classroom teacher plays in meeting theneeds of each student in the classroom. The success of the teacher in providing effective
instruction to a diverse group of students is dependent on many factors. No matter how skilled
and experienced the teacher may be, there will always be new situations and circumstanceswhere the teacher needs additional support.
Several schools in the NWT are in communities with a small population and student
enrollment. These schools may have particular challenges. For instance, some may not have a
Program Support Teacher. Every effort must be made to meet the needs of small schools in acreative and equitable manner.
The establishment and operation of a School-based Support Team (SBST) in which eachparticipant plays an effective role is essential to the success of an inclusive school and its
teachers.

The School-Based Support Team consists of the principal/assistant principal(s), the programsupport teacher(s), the support assistant(s) (as appropriate) and other staff including
counselors, mentors, and others. While these may be the core members in larger schools,
actual membership will vary depending on the school and the number of staff members.
However, whatever the size of the community or the school, it is critical that collaboration
occurs in order to problem solve together and best meet student needs. In very small schools,
this might occur through virtual meetings with Regional/District staff or with teachers andadministration from another school.
Whatever the circumstance, making the school program work for a diverse student population
is not always easy, but it is achievable. It requires a great deal of collaborative effort by staff
members to resolve the challenges that inevitably come to the surface in classrooms. Strong
and effective collaborative structures that tap into the knowledge, experience and expertise of
the educators working in the school/district are the primary building blocks for success.
The primary roles of the SBST members should be to support the classroom teacher throughcoaching, co-teaching, co-planning and consultation. They should function as a team with ashared vision, a focus on collaboration, collegial support, joint problem-solving and promising
practices and strategies that result in teacher and student success.
The following provides a discussion of the role of each of the key team players.

20

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

A.1. THE PRINCIPAL (AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL)
The Principal provides needed leadershipfor the effective functioning of the schoolbased team by setting conditions (ex. creative
timetabling) so the program support teacher(PST) can work effectively with classroom
teachers, and by working closely with the
PST to ensure all staff have the opportunity
to collaborate and problem solve within theschool-based collaborative team model.

Photo Credit: Bill Braden

The principal must also ensure that teachers
have access to relevant professional
development opportunities related toinclusive practices, and will monitor andfollow the accountability framework
mandated in the Directive. Facilitating an
inclusive culture in the school and advocating
for community and district support for
programs and services to meet teacher andstudent needs is a critical responsibility of theprincipal.

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

21

A.2. PROGRAM SUPPORT TEACHERThe Program Support Teacher (PST)
provides leadership to the school-based teamto ensure effective inclusive practice whileworking collaboratively with the principal
and other team members. The role of the
PST in an inclusive school must be focusedon supporting and working directly withclassroom teachers. The PST is preferably
an experienced and knowledgeable teacher,
who works well with colleagues, and who
can provide a range of supports to help build
teacher capacity for utilizing effective andappropriate pedagogical strategies.
A Program Support Teacher contributes tothe education of students with diverse needs
by serving as a colleague, role model andcoach for teachers with regards to inclusive
instructional practices. The PST works withall members of the school team to ensure
consistency of understanding and delivery,
and provide support where needed.

22

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLINGThe PST maintains a working knowledge
of NWT curriculum, related research,
exceptionalities, and inclusive instructional
practices (ex. classroom lesson plans/units,
Universal Design for Learning or UDL, andassessment practices) in order to collaborate
with the classroom teacher who holds the
subject matter expertise.

In carrying out this role, the PST will focus on
activities and functions that directly supportclassroom teachers to meet the needs of theirstudents. The Directive provides guidancein this by setting out PST priority time-use
targets:
yy a minimum of 60% of the PST’s timeshould be devoted to teacher support
activities

yy no more than 25% of the PST’s timeshould be spend working directly withstudents (commonly Tier 3 students –those with more complex needs)
yy maximum of 15% of the time used forother functions

Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

THE PROGRAM SUPPORT TEACHER
Priority Time-Use Targets
The goal is to focus on supporting classroom teachers in an active
and sustained manner throughout the school year.

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

23

PRIORITY TIME-USE FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT TEACHERSSUPPORTING TEACHERS (60%)

yy Coaching teachers, modelingdemonstration lessons, co-teachingyy Observing, collecting and analyzing
academic, behaviour & other data forstudent and teacher needs

yy Collaborating with teachers to adapt,revise & modify curriculum materials

yy Organizing and leading School-based
Support Team meetings & follow-up
activities

yy Collaborating and/or co-planningwith teachers and other staff to makedecisions around programming forstudents

yy Communicating and/or meeting withparents in collaboration with teachers
yy Debriefing or reflecting withclassroom teacher and other staff

yy Directing and coordinating input fromconsulting professionals
yy Individual Education Plan (IEP)
development: Coordinating
development of the IEP with the teacher
and School-based Support Teamfollowing IEP Guidelines
yy Creating Learner profiles with theteacher by analyzing student dataand helping them to use it to inform
instruction

STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES (25%)
yy Advocating for students (ex. family
situations, housing, food, addictions,mental health needs )yy Assessing the individual needsof students for direct instruction(intervention) by the Program Support
Teacher

24

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

yy Preparing or directing the
preparation of resources/materials to
support the delivery of interventions

yy Conducting some assessment ofstudents (informal and formal),including observations to assist theteacheryy Student Support Plan development:
Assisting teachers to develop, write,
implement and update the SSP
yy Supporting Support Assistants- scheduling, meeting, directing,supervising, training

yy Supporting & providing systemic staff
development & training for support
assistant, teachers, and applicable
volunteers (job-embedded, in-school,
after-school, PD days, etc.)

yy Supporting the social, emotional,
behavioural needs of students

yy Working directly with students one
to one or in small groups, inside and/or outside of the common learning
environment (direct intervention by
the PST)

PLANNING/ ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES (15%)
yy Collaborating with providers of support
services (ex. speech and language
pathologist, occupation therapist, social
worker, mental health professionals, etc.)

yy Documenting supports following
the Departmental Directive on theManagement of Information in theStudent Record and Other Records
Pertaining to Students, 1998 and Accessto Information and Protection of Privacy
Act, 2015 (ATIPP Act)yy Prioritizing support needs in theschool for staff development, equipment
and resources, and program support
staff (in consultation with the Schoolbased Support Team)yy Provide professional development at
the school and district level

yy Providing and seeking information
through professional correspondence

yy Engage in personal professional
development - researching instructional
strategies, current pedagogy & a varietyof areas of exceptionality
yy Re-allocating Support Assistants asneeded (ex. time unexpectedly becomes
available, a new student with needs
arrive, staff absences)yy School-based meetings (ex. leadership,
instructional, staff meetings, etc.)

yy Supporting school with unexpected
situations (ex. cover class for a teacher
while alternative arrangements are being
made, help with a sick child, attend to an
emergency situation)yy Transition planning from year to year,
school to school and at key times
yy Other

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

25

A.3. SUPPORT ASSISTANTS
Support Assistants (SA) play a valuable role in assisting teachers to meet the needs of students
to successfully access curriculum and services.
A Support Assistant, under the direct supervision of a qualified teacher assists with:yy carrying out instructional and behavioural plans (SSPs and IEPs);
yy classroom management and student supervision; andyy providing instructional and other supports to students.

The duties of the SA may be many and varied, depending on the particular situation; they donot, however, replace those professional responsibilities of the teacher(s) nor are they limited
to the needs of any one student. While the primary responsibility of SAs may be to work withstudents who have educational challenges, they are also a resource to the whole class. Support
Assistants are used to provide that extra help that only an additional adult in the classroom
can provide to a teacher.
Support Assistant tasks include (but are not limited to) the following:yy Contributing to the educationof students in inclusive schools
and classrooms by implementing
supplemental small-group andindividual instruction;

yy Engaging in instructional monitoring ofstudent work (ex. independent or smallgroup work) identified and planned byteachers and PSTs;
yy Preparing instructional materials foruse by student(s) under the directionof the teacher (ex. materials for braille,
manipulatives for kinaesthetic learners,etc.);

yy Collecting formative assessment data on
student performance and progress, and/or behaviour observation data, based oncollection systems designed by teachersor PSTs;26

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

yy Facilitating peer interactions based on
guidance from the teacher and PST.
They invite students to help eachother. They may also engage in
non-instructional tasks (ex. groupsupervision such as on the playground,
during bus boarding, in the cafeteria,
and/or on field trips) identified byteachers and the PST;
yy Applying current promising practices
and strategies learned throughprofessional development and schoolbased in-service/workshops;

yy Delivering programs preparedby teachers, PSTs and/or otherprofessionals (ex. speech and language
pathologists, occupational therapists)such as life skills training; andyy Providing needed care in order to accessthe education system (ex. toileting,feeding, safety supervision, etc.)

A.4. OTHER SCHOOL-BASED STAFF MEMBERS
Some schools have additional staff members who play a role in supporting instruction. Theirroles vary and depend on the mandate provided by the funding that makes the position
possible. Some of the positions found in schools in the NWT include the following:yy Counsellor

yy Art Therapist

yy Literacy Support Teachers/Coaches

yy Numeracy Support Teachers/Coaches
yy Other support staff

These staff members provide support to the teacher or the student using appropriate strategies
as a member of the School-based Support Team.

Photo Credit: Jaret McNeil

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

27

A.5. THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
While the School-based Support Team and its individual members provide assistance toclassroom teachers, it is the teacher that connects with the student day-to-day in the classroom
and provides the learning opportunities that result in student success. The task of the teacher
in meeting 21st Century learning outcomes with students is not without its challenges.
Collaboration and teamwork are vital to achieve optimal results for students.
Teachers will contribute to the education of all students in inclusive schools and classrooms,
and support the learning needs of all students by:
yy Collaborating with school-based staff tocreate opportunities that facilitate thevalued membership of all students inthe common learning environment (ex.
instructional planning, classroom setup, purposeful student groupings, andmeaningful participation);yy Knowing the first priority to be student
relationship building, followed byfamiliarity with the student’s learning
characteristics, performance levels, andpersonalized learning outcomes;

yy Supervising and directing Support
Assistants to maximize theireffectiveness in supporting
students; andyy Engaging in coaching and co-teaching
opportunities with Program Support
Teachers and other colleagues toaccommodate all students within an
inclusive environment.

yy Applying formative assessment,
universal design for learning,
differentiation, universal strategies(ex. self-regulation) and other learnercentred activities, so that students canpursue and achieve curricular-basedlearning goals;

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SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

Photo Credit: Jaret McNeil

B. EDUCATION SYSTEM SUPPORTS
The Education System external to the individual school plays an important role in supporting
the teacher and school staff in meeting students’ needs. Its role ranges from setting policy andsourcing funding mechanisms, to providing practical assistance for resolving unfamiliar andcomplicated situations, as well as providing opportunities for training and capacity building.
The following provides some detail on the responsibilities of those in these roles.

B.1. REGIONAL INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING COORDINATOR (RISC)
Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinators provide administrative and program leadership for
Inclusive Schooling at the district/regional level, The RISC supports school-based staff. They
may also serve as a liaison between the school and community agencies and other stakeholder
groups. They ensure that appropriate programs are developed and used to meet the learningneeds of students. The RISC works directly with school principals and PSTs to ensure that schoolstaff know and use effective inclusive schooling practices.
One of the major responsibilities of the RISC is to assist with professional learning and capacity
building in individual schools and in the region/district. The RISC collaborates with staff at
ECE and with RISCs from other regions/districts to build a strong network for developing andsupporting inclusive schooling practices in the NWT.
The RISC also works closely with the superintendent and comptroller to ensure the funding
provided for Inclusive Schooling is effectively used and consistent with the objectives of the
Directive. The RISC will collaborate with other region/district staff to ensure that required
program reporting is completed and submitted to the superintendent on time.

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

29

B.2. SUPERINTENDENT
Superintendents contribute to the education of students in inclusive schools and classrooms,
and display leadership and commitment by working directly with school principals andthe school community on any issues that may impact the level of success a school has inresponding to the needs of its students. It is the superintendent’s responsibility to promoteand enhance collaboration between families, educational staff, and community agencies.

The superintendent ensures school principals understand the importance and responsibility ofleading and implementing effective inclusive instructional practices and environments.
To this end, the superintendent directs and monitors school principals and teachers in theirapplication of policies, directives and accountability measures regarding the support ofstudents with diverse needs.

The superintendent works collaboratively in establishing inclusive instructional priorities
with the Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator, as well as with the school/district leader
responsible for curriculum matters, and assists with targeting inclusive learning priorities
that will strengthen the programming and support available at all schools. The superintendentworks collaboratively with the RISC, school principals, and comptroller in determining how
Inclusive Schooling funding will be used to best support the needs of students in the region/
district. The superintendent ensures that all Inclusive Schooling funding is used within thespecifications of the funding guidelines. They report specifics about funding usage to the
Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
The superintendent reports to DEAs on the progress and implementation of policies andguidelines that support inclusive learning practices.

30

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLINGB.3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND EMPLOYMENT(ECE) STAFF
The staff of ECE provides leadership for educational practice in the NWT. They have
responsibility for curriculum and instructional programs, and for monitoring and evaluating
student and school success in the Territory as a whole. Under the leadership of the Minister,
they establish priorities, initiate improvement efforts and provide system support to regions
and schools, as circumstances require. They play a vital role in providing information to seniorpolicy makers in ECE on systemic issues and new challenges that emerge in Territorial schools.

The staff of ECE monitors implementation of the Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schoolingincluding school reviews of inclusive practice. They collaborate with educational bodies tofoster consistency and equity within the implementation and application of the Directive. Senior
officials keep abreast of current inclusive education trends and promising practices and are
responsible for offering training opportunities related to Inclusive Schooling.
The staff member most directly involved with assisting in the implementation of the Directive is
the Coordinator of Inclusive Schooling and Student Support who works with ECE colleagues andthe Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinators to ensure that the key elements of the Directive
are understood and implemented, that a plan for on-going professional learning and capacity
building is in place and effectively operating, and that proactive program monitoring andevaluation processes are in place to ensure that the goals of Inclusive Schooling are being met.

Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

31

C. HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEM SUPPORTS
The involvement and support of professionals working in the Health & Social Services systems
can be critical to school success for some students. Some professionals may be involved withschools on a systemic basis and others on a case-by-case basis. ECE is committed to working
with the Department of Health and Social Services to facilitate integration of education, healthand social services delivery to support student success in the classroom.
Health and Social Services system supports may include the following:

C.1. HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY (HSSA) 			
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
yy Audiology

yy Mental Health Counsellingyy Occupational Therapy

yy Physician Specialists (Paediatrics,
Psychiatry)

yy Physiotherapy

yy Primary care medical services(physician, nurse practitioner orcommunity health nurse)
yy Social work

yy Speech-Language Pathology

HSSA professional services contribute to the education of students within schools andclassrooms by providing supports that are relevant, necessary, and linked to one or more
aspect of a student's educational program. As well, HSSA professional services collaborate
with school team members to determine when supports should be continued, modified,scaled down, or discontinued based on relevant student data.
HSSA professional services are delivered in a number of ways:
yy Collaboration with school teammembers to transfer knowledge,
information and skills associatedwith their field to others, whichfits within inclusive educational
contexts;

yy Assessment and intervention
services aimed at supporting
student participation in the regularclassroom environment. These
services may be provided on site or
virtually (ex. TeleSpeech); and32

SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

yy Consultative services regarding
specific classroom strategies oradaptive and assistive equipment
specific to a student’s needs.

C.2. HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY (HSSA)DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
Within the Health and Social Services System, there are teams which provide medical
diagnostic and support services to children with complex medical conditions:yy Stanton Territorial Health Authority (STHA) Child Development Team (CDT)yy CDT Diagnostic Assessment Clinic – Diagnostic assessment services are available
for NWT children from birth to 16 years of age with complex conditions. CDT teammembers assess the child and then meet to review the findings and determine adiagnosis, if possible. The team also meets with the family to develop an individual
Intervention Plan for each child based on the family’s goal for their child.
The Territorial Diagnostic Assessment Clinic refers children to their regional
Rehabilitation Services providers and will provide consultation about assessment
results and recommendations, as needed.

yy Child Development Team (CDT) Intervention Team - The CDT team provides medical
and therapeutic intervention for children living within the catchment area of the Stanton
Territorial Health Authority's Rehabilitation Departments which includes the Dehcho,
Tłı̨cho˛, and Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. Services are provided foreach child based on the Diagnostic/ Assessment Clinic findings and the Intervention
Plan.
Team members, families and community service providers work together to achieve
the identified goals. Case conferences are coordinated at least annually to monitor andrevise the Intervention Plan.

yy Members of the Stanton Child Development Team include:






The child and family in question
Paediatrician
Speech Language Pathologist
Occupational Therapist
Physiotherapist

 Audiologist
 Education professionals
 Child Development Team Coordinator

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33

yy STHA FASD Family and Community Support Programyy FASD Diagnostic Clinic – This program will assess, and when appropriate,
diagnose FASD in children up to 17 years of age who reside in the Northwest
Territories, with school age children as the priority age group.

yy Family and Community Support – An FASD Family Liaison meets and provides
ongoing information and support to community support teams including families,
schools and community-based programs to facilitate understanding of FASD
Diagnostic Clinic assessment results, identify resources and supports, and provide
information and training.

yy Members of the FASD Diagnostic Team include: Paediatrician
 Audiologist
 Psychologist
 Social Worker
 Speech Language Pathologist
 Family Liaison
 Child Development Team Coordinator Occupational Therapist

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SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

Photo Credit: GNWT/ECE

D. COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
D.1. ABORIGINAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP BAND 		COUNCIL PARTNER PROGRAMS
Local community leadership plays a key role in supporting education programs in individual
communities in all regions. Each community offers unique programs and supports to help
serve their students and support their schools, such as:

D.2. POSSIBLE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
yy Language and Cultural Programs

yy Recreation programs

yy School supply programs

yy Addiction services

yy Student tutoring programs

yy Counselling services

D.3. COMMUNITY & NATIONAL AGENCIESThe future of the North, as it is everywhere, is dependent upon the youth in ourcommunities. Thus, it is not only the schools that have the responsibility for nurturing anddeveloping productive, informed, healthy and active citizens; the larger community as well
plays a vital role. Non-governmental organizations offer important programming that is
helpful to student with specific needs. One important example is respite support.
Some communities in the NWT benefit from organizations that work closely witheducators and families. These include, but are not limited to, agencies such as:
yy NWT Disabilities Council

yy Learning Disabilities Association

yy Centre for Northern Families

yy Human Rights Commission(www.nwthumanrights.ca)

yy NWT Literacy Council

yy Yellowknife Association forCommunity Living (YACL)

yy Canadian National Institute for theBlind (CNIB)

yy YWCA – NT (www.ywcanwt.ca)yy Assistance Dogs in Canada(http://www.dogguides.com)

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There are also organizations and agencies that provide information helpful to Inclusive
Schooling at the national level. These include, but are not limited to, agencies such as:
yy Inclusive Education Canada (IEC –www.inclusiveeducation.ca )yy Canadian Research Centre on
Inclusive Education - Western
University (http://www.
inclusiveeducationresearch.ca )yy People First of Canada(www.peoplefirstofcanada.ca)
yy Canadian Association forCommunity Living(CACL - http://www.cacl.ca )yy Council of Canadians with
Disabilities (www.ccdonline.ca)
yy Canadian Hard of Hearing
Association (www.chha.ca)
yy Active Living Alliance(www.ala.ca)

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SECTION 1: GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING

yy Disability Tax Credit(www.cra.gc.ca)

yy Canadian National Institute for
the Blind-Alberta/NWT(www.cnib.ca/en/alberta)
yy MS Society Alberta/NWT(www.mssociety.ca/alberta)

yy Assistance Dogs in Canada(http://www.dogguides.com)

yy Autism Society Canada(www.autismsocietycanada.ca)
yy PREP Program (Pride, Respect,
Empowerment, Progress) –Down Syndrome(http://www.prepprog.org/)

Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

D.4. PARENTS & FAMILIESAs their child’s first teachers, parents establish the foundation for lifelong learning. They
are responsible for their child’s early education, including the acquisition of language,
culture and social skills.
While all students benefit from the involvement of their parents in schooling, parental
involvement is even more crucial for those students with learning differences.

Parents/guardians can contribute to education within inclusive schools and classrooms by
developing an understanding of their child’s strengths, interests, and needs. It is helpful
in guiding program planning when parents/guardians participate in planning activities
including the Making Action Plans (MAPs) and Circles of Friends processes.
Families know so much about their children that can be useful to educators in theirplanning. Communicating key information to the School-based Support Team and /orteacher about learning preferences, health, mental health, culture and community issues
that contribute to educational planning priorities for children is essential to their success.
In collaboration with school staff, family members can identify and/or select a set oflearning priorities for the semester/term, and can help to identify supports necessary forstudent success. As families are forever, it is in everyone’s best interest that they play a
prominent role in long-range educational and transition planning.

Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

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Part 3: Planning to Meet Instructional
Needs of Students
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING“Education in the Northwest Territories (NWT) is committed to an inclusive philosophy andpractice which welcomes all students into its schools. Inclusive Schooling provides all students
with learning opportunities appropriate to their diverse strengths and needs, in classrooms with
their age peers.
The Education Act (1996) mandates access to the education program in a regular instructionalsetting, support services to give effect to this access, and modifications to the school program if
deemed necessary to accommodate the needs or abilities of the student.”- From the Northwest Territories Individual Education Plans: Guidelines for Development
and Teacher Resource Kit (2006)
Inclusive schooling in the NWT ensures that students have access to the necessary support
services to access education within their home community.
There are 3 educational programs in the Northwest Territories:

1. Regular Education Program (with or without accommodations)
2. Modified Education Program
3. Individual Education Plan

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Photo Credit: Angela Gzowski

TYPES OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS
1. Regular Education Program R.E.P. (with or without accommodations)*Typically represents 80-85% of students

Instructional Focus:
yy Student is following the curricular programming of the grade levelyy Instructional practices: Consider the range of diversity in a ‘typical’ classroom
 Are based on Universal Design for Learning principles

 Provide flexible options for learning activities and assessment of learningyy Accommodations for the needs of students may be provided and documented on theStudent Support Plan (SSP) such as: Extra time Assistive technology

 Materials in alternative forms (braille, auditory, visual, …)

2. Modified Education Program M.E.P.
*Typically represents 10-15% of students

Instructional Focus:
yy Student is following the curricular programming of another grade level in one or more
subjects because they have been documented as working significantly above or below
grade level*yy A process has been followed to place the student on a MEP and includes obtaining
parent consent (verbal or written)
yy Instructional practices: Curriculum content is modified to reflect the student’s current level of
performance Instructional & assessments methods are modified to reflect student strengths,
needs & interests
 Are based on Universal Design for Learning principles

 Provide flexible options for learning activities and assessment of learning

yy Modifications for the needs of students will be provided and documented on theStudent Support Plan (SSP) May be done on an ongoing basis

 May be done for a short period of time until the student has reached grade level ina subject area Always directed by student need*Students in a grade level typically span one year of development as students' birth dates range
from Jan 1 - Dec 31. The curriculum is scaffolded from one year to the next to encompass thisrange. Students who are significantly outside of this expected range may qualify for a MEP.

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3. Individual Education Plan I.E.P.
*Typically represents 3-5% of students
Instructional Focus:
yy Is a student-specific program based on the strengths and needs of the student (always
growth-oriented & asset based)yy Includes such details as information on interests and aspirations, readiness to learn,
learning preferences and other relevant factors
yy Includes strategies identified to support the student’s learningyy May include content based on subject matter curriculum outcomes, or may befocused on the personal and unique needs of the student (or a combination thereof)
yy Is specific, targeted & measurable

yy Is developed through a collaborative process usually involving the teacher(s), theprincipal, the program support teacher, the parents/guardians and the student whenpossibleyy A parent/guardian signature is required to implement an IEP

yy A student on an IEP usually requires supports, accommodations, facilities, resourcesand equipment beyond those required by his/her peers

Education bodies are required to support the development, implementation and monitoringof a Student Support Plan (SSP) or Individual Education Plan (IEP), for students who requirethem, by directing principals to ensure that the teacher develops a plan with input fromparents/guardians and student, and which is based on the identification of student strengths
and challenges.

When a student is identified as a struggling learner, it is the teacher’s responsibility tomonitor the student’s progress and provide support when necessary. When best instruction
practices are not meeting a student’s needs, it is time to consider whether a SSP or IEP may benecessary, in consultation with the School-based Support Team and parents/guardians.

These plans are evolving documents. Teachers, in collaboration with the School-based Support
Team, develop, implement and update the learning goals and instructional strategies wheneversignificant changes or accommodations are required,

Teachers will actively participate within the School-based Support Team, when the team ismeeting about a student in their class, to develop or utilize a number of informal to formal
assessment strategies across time periods and situations to determine students’ strengths andchallenges. These instruction and assessment strategies must change as circumstances require.

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SOME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING CONSIDERATIONS
It is critical that the School-based Support
Team, as well as parents/guardians andresource professionals from the community
effectively support the teacher.

Principals need to provide access for teachers
to technological supports when appropriate
and where needed.
In consultation with the family, the student,
members of the School-based Support Team,appropriate regional staff, including otherprofessionals as required, the teacher will
review and continue to update the SSP or
IEP plan on an on-going basis, typically inalignment with the reporting processes of theschool/district.

They will monitor and evaluate the plan
as to the effectiveness of the instructional
strategies and accommodations/modifications
identified, and make changes to the plan asneeded.
It is especially important that effectiveplanning is done when a student transitions
from grade-to-grade, teacher-to-teacher, fromone school to another, or at key stages suchas between Grades 3 and 4, Grades 6 and 7,
Grades 9 and 10, and/or from primary toelementary, elementary to high school, andfrom high school to post-secondary educationor the work place.

CLASSROOM PRACTICES/MODELS/STRATEGIES THATFACILITATE INCLUSION
Here are some of the practices, models and strategies that can help schools to facilitate
inclusion. Please refer to the Northwest Territories Program Support Guide and othersupporting documents for more information.
1. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL provides a framework to improve the learning environment for all students.
Incorporating UDL principles into the design and development of curriculum and classroom
practice, including learning outcomes, activities, assessments, and teaching methods,
improves the accessibility of learning for all students.
UDL helps the teacher make instruction more flexible and student-centered. It engages
students in the learning process and allows them to make choices in acquiring knowledge
and skills, as well in how they demonstrate their learning.

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2. Tiered levels of support (ie: Response to Intervention model)This is a multi-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students withlearning, social-emotional and behavioural needs that begins with high-quality classroomwide instruction, universal screening of all students and applying interventions as
required.

3. Differentiated Instruction

Differentiation involves adapting instruction to meet individual needs including
differentiating content, process, products, or the learning environment. Differentiation
may mean teachers respond to learners in the classroom by adjusting teaching in order tocreate the best learning experience possible.

4. Inquiry-Based LearningThis approach to teaching allows student interests, questions, ideas and observations
to guide the learning experience. Students engage in evidence-based reasoning, creative
problem-solving, and open-ended investigations, often stemming from their environment
and/or experiences.

5. Multiple Intelligences Model

Students learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways. This model outlines
nine types of intelligence and encourages educators to plan for reaching students throughthe use of multiple modalities.

6. Cooperative Learning

Students working together in small groups with individual accountability can facilitate
better learning outcomes and improve student relationships and the classroom
collaborative culture.

7. Positive Behavioural Interventions & Support (PBIS)PBIS recognizes that behaviour is a form of communication through which students
express their needs. Consistent, common expectations that are predictable, explicitly
taught, and positively reinforced, enables teachers to focus less on classroom management
and more on student instruction.

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8. Self-Regulation (SR)
Self-Regulation is the ability to manage your own energy states, emotions, behaviours
and attention, in ways that are socially acceptable and help achieve positive goals, such as
maintaining good relationships, learning and maintaining wellbeing (Shanker, 2012). By
applying the principles of SR to the classroom, educators can help students by providing
adaptations, strategies, routines, tools and lessons that will enable students to become
more aware of their energy states and of how to modulate them to attain the best state forlearning.

9. Educator Wellness

Educators must be well in order to care for their students and offer them the best teaching
and learning environment. Self-care needs to be a teacher focus, so that they are fully
available to their students.

10. Trauma-Informed Practice

Trauma has an enormous effect on education and health outcomes. The impact of the legacy
of Residential Schools in NWT communities cannot be underestimated. Educators must beaware of this, and of other possible traumas affecting students’ lives, in order to help student
manage their emotions, behaviours, energy levels and attention in order to be able to dotheir best learning. Teachers need the support of their School-based Support Team to know
how and when to connect a student affected by trauma to a trained professional.

11. Collaborative Professional Learning and Teaching

Professional learning and capacity building for school and regional/district staff is afoundation necessary for successful implementation of Inclusive Schooling.

Photo Credit: GNWT/ECE

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44

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Photo Credit: GNWT/ECEPart 4: Monitoring and Evaluation: Ensuring
Program Accountability
Monitoring and evaluation to ensure Inclusive Schooling accountability involves demonstratingcompliance to the Directive, the appropriate use of targeted funding, and reflecting andreporting on performance relative to goals, standards and requirements.
ECE will monitor and evaluate the implementation of Inclusive Schooling in NWT schools toensure that it is functioning according to the Directive. This will be done through such tools
as the Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling Compliance Reporting Tool completed andsubmitted to the Minister annually, the annual education body financial planning and reporting
process, and school review processes.
Role-specific accountability at the regional/district level should include a focus on capacity
building, and outlining and evaluating staff Inclusive Schooling practices through job
descriptions and job performance tools. In addition, Inclusive Schooling should be linked
directly to the school improvement process and be considered in ongoing planning for growthand development.

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SECTION 2:
Program Support, Roles and Responsibilities
in Inclusive Schooling in the NWTPart 1: An Introduction
PROGRAM SUPPORT
Section 45 of the Education Act states that classroom and subject area teachers are responsiblefor delivering an education program to all students in their classroom. In order to ensure thateach student has an appropriate educational program, teachers must make changes to theteaching environment, methodologies, classroom materials, timing, and other aspects of learning.
This is a task that an individual, working alone, would find difficult. Program Support refers toproviding support to classroom and subject area teachers to help them determine and deliver anappropriate education program and supports, if needed, to their students.
The program support teacher (PST) is an experienced and skilled teacher who provides direct
collaborative support to classroom teachers as they develop instructional strategies to meetthe needs of students. The PST contributes to the education of students with diverse needs byserving as a colleague, role model and coach for teachers with regards to inclusive instructional
practices. The PST should ensure that their work is in line with the Directive which provides
guidance in setting PST priority time-use targets (Section 9.5.2 NWT Ministerial Directive on
Inclusive Schooling, 2016; Section A.2 of Guidelines for Inclusive Schooling, 2016).

INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING
Section 7 of the Education Act, entitled Inclusive Schooling, gives every student a statutory
entitlement to receive an education program in a regular instructional setting in his or homecommunity. The Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016 outlines the principles andbeliefs on which inclusive schooling in the NWT is based, as well as the vision of what an inclusive
school looks like. The Guidelines for Inclusive Schooling, 2016 provide more in-depth detail of theschool and classroom practices that will make inclusive schooling a reality in the NWT.

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Inclusive Schooling...
The Concept:
Vision, Beliefs, and Philosophy
A belief that:yy All children belong
yy Every child can make a valued
contribution
An understanding that:yy Every child is uniqueyy ALL children can learn
yy With support, teachers can teach ALL
students...IS

A commitment to:yy Respecting diversity of students and staff
yy Providing all children with equal
access to education opportunities

The Concrete:
In Practice
A variety of partners, supporting theclassroom teacher in meeting the student’s
needs within the common learning
environment.
The strengths and needs of each student,
including those with exceptionalities isassessed and meaningfully addressed.
A focus on the strengths and challenges
that a student brings, rather than labels andproblems.
Placing students in a regular instructionalsetting with their same age-peers, andproviding an education program andsupports as needed.
Always a work in progress.

yy Enabling all students to participate
in a common learning environment
with same-aged peers, in their homecommunity
yy Collaboration between parents,
students, principals, classroom
teachers, program support teachers,
support assistants and otherprofessionals
A synonym for special education.
Only about students who have exceptional
needs.
Making sure students get high grades.

...IS
NOT

Assignment of a support assistant as thepreferred strategy.
Asking all students to learn the same thing,
the same way, in the same time.
Solely the responsibility of the classroom
teacher.
Solely the responsibility of the support
assistant.
Simply placing students with exceptional
needs into a regular instructional setting
without appropriate programming andrequired supports.
An easy way to meet the needs of all
students.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTPart 2: Roles and Responsibilities
SCHOOL BASED SUPPORTS
The School Based Support TeamThe School Based Support Team (SBST) is made up of the principal/assistant principal(s), theprogram support teacher(s), the support assistants (as appropriate), and other staff including
counsellors, mentors, and others. The core members of the team may be joined by other staff,
professionals from outside of the school, or parents, depending upon the problem-solving task(s)the team are addressing at that time. Large schools may have others regularly involved with the
SBST. In very small schools, regional/district staff may attend the meetings in a virtual presence,or two small schools may form a conjoined team and meet virtually. The SBST should meet on aregular basis, typically once a week.
The SBST’s primary role is to support the classroom teacher through coaching, co-teaching,co-planning, and consultation. This collaborative effort occurs when there is a shared vision,collegial support, joint problem-solving, and support for promising practices and strategies that
result in teacher and student success.

The SBST serves as the resource group for teachers who are seeking additional support for
programming assistance. The SBST can act as problem solvers and program planners. At times, otherteachers or individuals who know a student well may be asked to join the problem-solving process.
When a specific student’s program has been approved by the SBST, they may recommend a small
team be formed to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or work with the teacher on an
appropriate Modified Education Program (MEP).
The Principal/Assistant Principal(s)The principal provides the needed leadership by setting the conditions so the program support
teacher (PST) can effectively work with classroom teachers. These conditions may include
creative timetabling, staffing supports and allocations, ensuring practices encompass consistentand frequent analysis (at least monthly) of student performance, teaching strategies, and building
trust so that effective working relationships within the school support inclusion.
Part 3 of this section of the handbook contains important information for the principal, as well as
the PST.
Key roles and effective practice related to program support include:
Involve parents:

yy Establish an open door policy.

yy Always invite parents to meetings when their child’s program is being discussed.

yy Provide regular communication about students and programs using a medium that theparents can understand and access.
yy Encourage parents’ participation as volunteers/tutors/mentors.

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Accept all students:

yy Look for and act upon opportunities to celebrate diversity.

yy Demonstrate the belief that, with appropriate programming and supports, all students canlearn.
yy Demonstrate the belief that, with support, teachers can teach all students.
yy Create a caring community in the school.

Work with other agencies:

yy Participate in, or encourage establishment of, an interagency committee to ensure acoordinated approach to meeting student needs.
yy Promote positive community relations for the school.

Model inclusive schooling and establish it as a fundamental expectation:yy Be familiar with, and use the NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016, andGuidelines for Inclusive Schooling: Supporting the NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive
Schooling, 2016.

yy Ensure the use of the directive documents and the NWT Inclusive Schooling Handbook, 2017,
within the school to direct and assist with inclusive schooling.
yy Build consensus with staff with respect to beliefs, values, and attitudes.

yy Articulate a clear vision for school-level implementation, and an action plan for continuous
school improvement.
yy Inform community groups about the philosophy and practices of inclusive schooling.
yy Include relevant actions in the school growth plan.

Develop and support a collaborative team approach and clear processes and procedures:
yy Establish a School Based Support Team (SBST).
yy Establish instructional teams.

yy Articulate procedures for in-school support from the SBST, administration, PSTs, support
assistants and other staff and professionals, with respect to assessment, program planningand necessary supports.

yy Establish a problem-solving process, such as 30-Minute Problem Solving, at SBST
meetings to find solutions to teachers’ concerns regarding individual students or classroom
issues and concerns. (The 30-Minute Problem Solving model is included in the Toolbox of
the NWT Inclusive Schooling Handbook, 2017).

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTProvide conditions that allow for flexible scheduling and administrative support:

yy Ensure and support the PST(s) in meeting the Priority Time Use mandate for programsupport teachers.
yy Provide time for team meetings/common planning periods.
yy Provide time for PST/teacher consultation.

yy Ensure support assistants and classroom teachers are aware of and respect the guidelines
and standards of practice for support assistants.

yy Develop systems for making effective use of support assistants that includes: flexible
scheduling on a needs basis, reviewed throughout the year; and, ensuring that support
assistants are used effectively to support education programs and students directly, rather
than performing other jobs.

yy Allocate resources to maximize assistance to classroom teachers to enable them to support
the learning of all their students.
yy Timetable regular SBST meetings and ensure that the principal attends them.
yy Support and provide release time for planning.

Monitor the effectiveness of decisions and implemented strategies and facilitate necessary
adjustments:
yy Use data, not opinion.

yy Facilitate staff discussions.

yy Participate in SBST meetings.
yy Participate in IEP meetings.
yy Consult with parents.

yy Employ formal evaluation processes.

yy Facilitate the collection of information regarding needs and priorities.

yy Show active support for teachers by visiting classrooms and working with students.

Be accountable for decisions made on behalf of students:
yy Keep the child’s best interests in focus.

yy Investigate and resolve conflicts when necessary.

yy Participate in the identification of annual student outcomes for students with IEPs.

yy Ensure that homogeneous groupings of students with similar needs are flexible andtemporary, and their use is based on on-going assessment of student needs and successes.
yy Ensure SSPs and IEPs are filed in accordance with: Education Act, 1996, Section 29 (2) (a),and Student Record Regulations, R-168-96, Amended R-011-2010, NWT Inclusive Schooling
Handbook, 2017, and Departmental Directive on the Management of Information in theStudent Record and Other Records Pertaining to Students (revised 2005)

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Facilitate systematic staff development and training:

yy Encourage individual professional growth through courses, workshops, visits, teamteaching, co-teaching and mentoring.

yy Provide on-site, on-going staff development related to teaching methods and strategies
effective with diverse learners.
yy Provide opportunities for team teaching and exchanges in areas of expertise.
yy Establish professional learning communities in the school.

Identify and advocate for required resources:
yy Substantiate resource needs.

yy Account for the use of resources funded with inclusive schooling funding.

Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.
Program Support Teacher (PST)The program support teacher (PST) provides the central in-school support for all teachers withrespect to educational programming for all students in the school. This professional educator, alongwith the principal, acts as an instructional leader and provides support to teachers as they plan,deliver and assess/evaluate the education program for each of their students.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:

Use NWT documents as the basis for educational programming decisions and procedures, including:yy NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016.

yy Guidelines for Inclusive Schooling: Supporting the NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive
Schooling (2016).
yy Approved curricula at all levels.

yy Northwest Territories Inclusive Schooling Handbook – Student Support Plan and Individual
Education Program.

Develop a repertoire of instructional, assessment, and behaviour support techniques based on
current, effective research-supported practices, also known as promising practices. For example:
yy Differentiated Instruction (DI)yy Universal Design for Learning (UDL)yy Authentic Assessment
yy Self-regulation

yy Social Emotional Learningyy Effective Behaviour Support

yy Functional Behaviour Assessment and Behaviour Support Plan Development

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTSupport teachers through strengthening Instruction by spending 60% of their time:yy Coaching teachers, modelling, demonstrating lessons and co-teaching.

yy Collaborating with teachers to adapt, revise and modify curriculum materials.
yy Communicating and/or meeting with parents in collaboration with teachers.

yy Debriefing and reflecting with classroom teachers and other staff on student successes andchallenges.
yy Directing and coordinating input from consulting professionals to assist teachers inchoosing appropriate accommodations for students with SSPs and IEPs.
yy Assisting teachers to develop, write, implement, and update SSPs.

yy Coordinating the development of IEPs with the teacher, SBST, and the IEP team, following
the IEP guidelines.
yy Working with teachers to create learner profiles and class reviews through analyzing
student data and using it to inform instruction.

yy Observing, collecting and analyzing academic, behaviour, and other data for student
and teacher needs including identifying student strengths and challenges, identifying a
student’s working grade level and functional curricular level.
yy Organizing and leading SBST meetings and follow up activities.
yy Ensuring that minutes are kept of SBST meetings.

yy Conducting assessment of students (informal/formal), including observations to assist theteacher.

yy Supporting the support assistants through scheduling, meeting, directing, supervising, andtraining.
yy Supporting and providing systemic staff development and training for support assistants,
teachers and applicable volunteers (job-embedded, in-school, after-school, PD days, etc.).
yy Facilitating IEP reviews and assist teachers in assessing student progress towards theannual student outcomes of an IEP.

Support students by spending 25% of their time:yy Advocating for students (e.g. family situations, housing, food, addictions, mental healthneeds, programming needs, etc.).
yy Assessing the individual needs of students for direct instruction (intervention) by the
program support teacher.
yy Supporting the social, emotional, behavioural needs of students.

yy Working directly with students one to one or in small groups, inside and/or outside of thecommon learning environment.
yy Inviting meaningful parental involvement in the education of their child.

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53Planning/Organizing by spending 15% of their time:yy Collaborating with providers of support services (e.g. speech and language pathologists,
occupational therapists, social workers, mental health professionals, psychologists, etc.).

yy Documenting supports following the Department Directive on Management of Informationin the Student Record and Other Records Pertaining to Students, (revised 2005) and Access toInformation and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (ATIPP Act).
yy Prioritizing support needs in the school for staff development, equipment, resources, andprogram support staff (in consultation with the School Based Support Team).
yy Providing professional development at the school and district level.

yy Providing and/or seeking information through professional correspondence.

yy Engaging in personal professional development such as researching instructional strategies,
current pedagogy, and a variety of areas of exceptionality.

yy Re-allocating support assistants as needed (e.g. time unexpectedly becomes available, a newstudent with needs arrives, staff absences).
yy Attending school-based meetings (e.g. leadership, instructional, staff meetings etc.)

yy Supporting the school with unexpected situations (e.g. cover class for teacher whilealternative arrangements are being made, help with a sick child, attend to an emergency
situation).
yy Transition planning from year to year, school to school and at key times.
yy Other duties as assigned/required by the administration.

Classroom/Subject Teacher

As noted earlier, classroom/subject area teachers are responsible for planning, delivering,assessing and evaluating the education program for all of their students but they are notexpected to do so in isolation or without support. Many others have roles to play, but it is theclassroom/subject teacher who remains at the centre of educational programming for theirstudents.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:
Accept all students:

yy Expect diverse learners and get to know students’ strengths, interests, and challenges.

yy Demonstrate the belief that with appropriate programming and supports all students can learn.
yy Create a caring community in the classroom.
yy Acknowledge and celebrate diversity.

Communicate regularly with parents:

yy Encourage parents to visit the classroom.

yy Make phone calls; send home notes and information letters.

yy Report student progress in a manner that parents can understand.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTPlan, implement, assess and evaluate an education program for all students by:yy Understanding the NWT definitions of Regular, Modified and Individual Education
Programs.

yy Know the curriculum and the learning outcomes for the grade level(s) in question.

yy Review Student Records, and speak confidentially to students’ previous teachers about
pertinent information.
yy Participate within the SBST to develop and utilize a number of informal and formal
assessment strategies in order to: Determine students’ strengths and challenges;

 Assess performance in relation to NWT curricular outcomes;
 Make changes to instruction and assessment as required; Identify whether there is the need for an SSP or IEP.

yy Notify the SBST when students experience persistent learning difficulties in spite of the useof responsive teaching strategies.
yy Develop, implement and update the learning goals and instructional strategies wheneversignificant changes in accommodations are required, in collaboration with the SBST where
necessary (MEP/IEP).
yy Develop, receive, review and update SSPs and IEPS when a student transitions fromanother grade and/or school – as well as regularly throughout the year – in consultation
with parents, the student, members of the SBST, appropriate regional staff, and otherprofessionals as required.
yy Ensure that developed year plans, lesson plans and instructional strategies reflect therequirements of students’ SSPs and IEPs.

yy Monitor and evaluate, on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of the instructional strategies
and accommodations identified, and make changes to the plan as needed.
yy Communicate with the PST to coordinate other supports – e. g. specialized equipment.

Use designated support assistants (SAs) effectively, and support them:yy Supervise SAs on a daily basis.

yy Include SAs in program and daily planning.

yy Provide SAs with specific information and instructions about their duties andresponsibilities, and the importance of fostering student independence.
yy Utilize SAs to help with:

 Instructional support.

 Classroom management support.
 Behaviour management support.

 Personal care support, when necessary.

SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWT55

Maintain confidentiality of student information:yy Do not discuss students with others, including parents, in public places or where others are gathered.
yy Ensure all student documents and records are managed in accordance with Ministerial
Departmental Directive on the Management of Information in the Student Record and Other
Records Pertaining to Students, 2005.

Participate in staff development opportunities to enhance professional growth:yy Share new strategies/methods with, and learn from, peers.

yy Learn and use various research-validated teaching methods (e.g. universal design forlearning, differentiated instruction, brain-based learning, authentic assessment.)yy Identify areas of need and seek out learning opportunities.
yy Participate in staff development and in-services offered.
yy Engage in personal professional reading.

yy Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.

Support Assistants (SA)Support assistants (SAs) are paraprofessionals who work under the direction and supervisionof a classroom teacher to help the classroom teacher deliver the education program to theirstudents. The duties of the Support Assistant may be many and varied, depending on the particularsituation, but they do not replace those professional responsibilities of teacher(s) nor do they
relate solely to the needs of any specific student.
A support assistant helps to implement instructional and behavioural plans (SSPs and IEPs), assists
with classroom management and student supervision, and provides instructional and othersupports to students.
While the primary responsibility of support assistants may be to work with students who havelearning difficulties, they are also a resource for the whole class.

When any support is provided to a student, including the support of a support assistant, the goal
should always be to help the student do what they cannot do now, with as much independence aspossible. Support Assistants must keep this concept as a central focus and do only what they haveto do to assist students, for as short a time as needed, in order to foster student independence.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:

Assist the classroom teacher in implementing education programs for students in the class, as
requested:
yy Participate in program planning and development as a team member.
yy Reinforce concepts presented by the teacher.

yy Assist students with assignments as requested by the teacher.
yy Monitor independent or group work.

yy Supplement instruction by providing small-group and individual instruction.

yy Prepare instructional materials for use by student(s) under the direction of the teacher.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTyy Collect formative assessment data on student performance and progress, and/or behaviour
observation data, based on collection systems designed by teachers or PSTs.
yy Provide feedback to and share pertinent information with the teacher based on theiractivities and observations.

Support the classroom teacher in behaviour support strategies, as requested:yy Follow the established routines of the classroom.

yy Assist with behaviour consequences1 for students.
yy Observe and record student behaviour.

yy Provide students with feedback and reinforcement.

yy Assist in monitoring student progress within and outside the classroom.
yy Provide positive emotional support for students.

Facilitate peer interactions, based on guidance from the teacher and PST, by
yy Inviting students to help one another.

yy Engage in non-instructional tasks such as group supervision on the playground, bussing
areas, on field trips etc. as identified by the PST and teachers.
yy Participate in the activities of the class to encourage students to do the same.

Participate in Instructional Team and School Based Support Team meetings, as requested:yy Attend Instructional Team and School Based Support Team meetings.

yy Assist in the development of Student Support Plans and Individual Education Plans.
yy Share pertinent information regarding students.

Provide personal care support, as requested:yy Assist with emergency situations, e.g. fire drills.
yy Provide: Mobility assistance.

 Toileting assistance.

 Feeding assistance.

 Dressing assistance.

yy Provide/supervise health services and medical procedures following training by a qualified
health professional.
yy Check assistive devices such as medical, mobility and technological aids.

Participate in professional growth activities:

yy Identify areas where professional growth is needed.
yy Seek out professional growth opportunities.

yy Request training through classroom teacher as required.

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57

Act in a professional manner:yy Maintain confidentiality of school related information.

yy Adhere to the expectations of the Code of Ethics for their position.
yy Refer parents queries to the teacher.

Parents

As their child’s first teachers, parents establish the foundation for lifelong learning. They are
responsible for their child’s early education, including the acquisition of language, culture andsocial skills.

While all students benefit from the involvement of their parents in schooling, parental
involvement is even more crucial for those students with learning differences. The parent roles
and practices which follow are restricted to those pertaining to program support assistance,
rather than more general rules such as ensuring the student attends school regularly. Some of thepractices are specific to parents of students with Student Support Plans or Individual Education
Programs.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:

Maintain open communication with teacher(s) and other school personnel:
yy Ask questions and call the school right away if there are concerns.
yy Always ask what something means if they don’t understandyy Attend parent-teacher interviews.

yy Discuss their child's education program and progress with the teacher(s) frequently and on
an informal basis.
yy Make appointments to meet with staff regularly.

yy Address concerns, first with the teacher, and if not resolved, then with the principal, and, if
still not resolved, then with the superintendent.

Participate as a team member in the education of their child:yy Share perceptions of their child in the home and community.

yy Share pertinent information, such as medical information and preschool experiences.
yy Explain their views of their child’s strengths and challenges.
yy Describe strategies that they have found to be successful.

yy Attend meetings to establish their child’s long term goals and plan their education program.
yy Identify annual student outcomes, for the IEP, most needed in the home and the community.
yy Assist in maintaining taught skills at home.

yy Approve and sign the IEP (legally required) or SSP (encouraged).
yy Fulfill their IEP/SSP responsibilities outside of school.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTStudents
Both the student him/herself, as well as other students, can play an important role in theprovision of program support. This is particularly true for older students.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:
Participate in SBST meetings as requested:yy Share information on likes and dislikes.

yy Share information on preferred activities, life goals, etc.
yy Contribute to long term planning and goal setting:yy Participate in personal futures planning such as PATH or MAPs.
yy Participate in setting annual student outcomes for an IEP.

Take ownership for learning:yy Self-monitor or co-monitor progress on appropriate objectives – e.g. working independently
for 15 minutes.
yy Ask for support when needed.

yy Participate in selecting appropriate courses at the senior secondary level.

Other Teachers

The role of other teachers in the provision of program support has already been considered in
involvement in the SBST. They can also contribute through providing historical and backgroundinformation and support for teachers.

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59

School Counselling Programs Staff
The staff members of school counselling programs provide advocacy, counselling and support
services, as well as referrals for children, youth, families and staff which encourage mental healthand well-being, and active and successful participation in school programs and activities. Somestudents need the support of a school counselling program in order to access the education
program fully and/or be successful in that education program.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:
Provide school counselling programs and services:yy Crisis counsellingyy Incidental briefings

yy Individual counselling with children, youth and families
yy Small group counsellingyy Family counselling

yy Guidance counselling
yy Career counsellingyy Individual counselling with staff

Provide referral and liaison services:yy Assess need for a school counselling program or other mental health services.
yy Provide referrals to school and community services.

yy Liaise between child/youth, family and school or community services.
yy Advocate and provide information to school and community services.

yy Identify specific services and resources available to staff and families.

Contribute to education program planning and delivery, as appropriate:
yy Participate in the School Based Support Team.

yy Participate in personal futures planning such as PATH or MAPs.
yy Participate as a member of the IEP team: Contribute knowledge of the student.
 Act as an advocate.

yy Develop resources

yy Provide classroom presentations and resources.

yy Identify/develop/deliver prevention and other programs.

yy Recommend strategies to children, youth, families, teachers and administration.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTParticipate in school response to incidents:

yy Debrief incidents with both students and staff.
yy Help the principal coordinate crisis response.

yy Participate in school and community intervention teams.

Use the following NWT documents as the basis for decisions and procedures:yy Honouring the Spirit of our Children: Framework and Handbook, 2004.
yy Dealing with Child Abuse: A Handbook for School Personnel, 2012.
yy NWT Child Abuse Protocol, 1999.

Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.

Maintain confidential and professional conduct through adherence to Canadian Counsellingand Psychotherapy Association: Code of Ethics, 2007 and Standards of Practice for Counselors(2015), both available at or through www.ccpa-accp.ca or by adhering to the Code of Ethics andStandards of Practice for the professional association the counsellor belongs too if different fromthe CCPA.
Outside Agencies/Interagency Teams

Some students/families have support needs which cannot be met by any one agency ororganization and are beyond the mandate of the school. Provision of program support to theteachers of such students requires collaboration with other agencies.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support may include:
Contribute expertise:yy Share knowledge.

yy Offer suggestions and strategies.

Contribute resources:

yy Provide technical aids.
yy Provide assessments.

yy Make referrals through their organization/network.

yy Provide appropriate workshops/staff development to school personnel.

Collaborate in support of students:

yy Focus on what the student needs to be able to do that the student cannot do now, with asmuch independence as possible.
yy Participate in IEP team meetings as appropriate.

yy Maintain regular communication with the principal/PST/other school staff.

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61

Recognize the expertise of teachers in their professional realm – i.e. education:yy Identify areas of need (e.g. transitions) and suggest possible strategies.

yy Support the decision of the school as to which suggestion(s), if any, will be implemented.
(The school may have other suggestions/processes that the “outsider” is not aware of thatwould also support the area of need.)

See Sections C and D of Guidelines for Inclusive Schooling, 2016, for more information on systemand community supports available for inclusive schooling in the NWT.
Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator

Just as the PST coordinates many program support practices and procedures at the school level,
the regional inclusive schooling coordinator (RISC) holds the central coordination role at the
district/division level. The role of the RISC varies somewhat among districts/divisions, but in all
jurisdictions is one of advocacy, facilitation, training and coordination of inclusive schooling – i.e.
schooling for all students in the jurisdiction. The RISC supports school-based staff. They serve as
a liaison between the school and community agencies and other stakeholder groups. The RISC
works directly with school principals and PSTs to ensure that school staff knows about and use
effective inclusive schooling practices.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:

Work with other regional inclusive schooling coordinators and ECE Student Support staff:
yy Contribute to collaborative planning, projects and priorities that are NWT-wide.

yy Collaborate with ECE and other RISCs to build a strong network for developing andsupporting inclusive schooling practices.

yy Act as liaison between ECE and the district/division and its schools in the area of student
support.

Establish/coordinate district-wide policies and procedures:

yy Ensure schools have, and support use of, key NWT documents.

yy Develop and keep current district practices and procedures that support inclusive schooling.
yy Hold regular PST meetings/conference calls.

yy Make recommendations to the superintendent regarding district priorities for the allocationof resources funded with inclusive schooling Funding.
yy Work closely with the superintendent and comptroller to ensure the funding provided forinclusive schooling is effectively used and consistent with the objectives of the Directive.

Visit schools regularly to support the education of all students:

yy Meet with the principal, PST and others to share program successes and concerns.
yy Spend time in classrooms – talking with students, helping teachers.
yy Participate in School Based Support Team meetings as requested.
yy Engage in problem solving and troubleshooting as requested.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTProvide information and training:yy Provide/coordinate staff development related to the provision of education programs forall students, including learning about promising practices as well as specialized knowledge
required to support students with exceptional needs.
yy Present information to parents, trustees, community groups, as needed.

Develop partnerships with other agencies:

yy Meet with community agencies to facilitate supports for specific students.

yy Advocate for establishment of community and/or regional Interagency Teams and attend
meetings as required.

Facilitate procedures at key transition points:

yy Help identify children requiring supports prior to school entry.
yy Help establish early intervention procedures/programs.
yy Facilitate school to school transitions and transfers.

yy Work with other agencies to establish supports students will need once they leave theschool system.

Keep records and document information:yy Maintain Support Services Records for students whose supports are coordinated in whole
or in part by the regional inclusive schooling coordinator. (Procedures are prescribed in
NWT Departmental Directive on the Management of Information in the Student Record andOther Records Pertaining to Students, 2005.

yy Maintain a tracking system to document the provision of education programs to students in: Treatment centres.
 Group homes.

 Medical/long term care facilities.

 Other contracted education programs (e.g. Alberta School for the Deaf).
 Homebound students.

yy Collaborate with other region/district staff to ensure that required program reporting iscompleted and submitted to the superintendent on time, as required annually under the
NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016.

Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.

SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWT

63Superintendent
Reporting to a Board of Directors, the superintendent is charged with responsibility for day-today operations that ensure that a board is meeting obligations assigned to it by the Education Act,
Education Act Regulations, and Department Directives, including the NWT Ministerial Directive on
Inclusive Schooling, 2016.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:

Demonstrate adherence to NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016:

yy Establish processes to reflect on/review current practices, and develop a clear
improvement plan, at both central office and school levels. Assess progress.

yy Ensure all written procedures/policies required by the Directive are in place and followed.
yy Work collaboratively with the comptroller and RISC to determine how inclusive schoolingfunding will be used to best support the needs of students in the region/district.

yy Ensures that all inclusive schooling funding is used within the specifications of the funding
guidelines.
yy Report specifics about funding usage annually to ECE in accordance with the Directive.

Demonstrate commitment and leadership:

yy Model positive attitudes toward student diversity, and the ability of teachers, with support,
to teach a diverse student population.
yy Ensure school principals understand the importance of their leadership in creating
inclusive environments and implementing inclusive instructional practices within theirschools.

yy Direct and monitor principals and teachers in their application of policies, directives, andaccountability measures regarding the support of students with diverse needs.

yy Build consensus with respect to attitudes and beliefs about educating all students in regular
instructional settings with their same age peers.
yy Communicate with trustees, the community, and community agencies about the philosophy
of inclusion and practices that support an appropriate education program for all students.

yy Gather information on student and staff needs and use these in staff development and otherplanning.

Support and encourage staff development:

yy Collaboratively work with the RISC and school/district leaders in curriculum matters, toestablish inclusive instructional practices and target inclusive learning priorities.
yy Identify, as priority for staff development, research-supported instructional, assessment
and behaviour support practices that foster inclusion of all students

yy Ensure that staff members who acquire training/expertise have opportunities to share theirlearning with colleagues.

Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTStaff of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE)
Staff at ECE carry out the work of the Ministry of Education and support education jurisdictions
to carry out theirs. When it comes to providing education programs for all students and programsupport to teachers of those students, ECE staff communicate the expectations of the NWT
Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016 and then support education jurisdictions to meetthe many standards articulated therein.
Key roles and examples of effective practices related to program support:
Communicate expectations:yy Make presentations regarding ministerial expectations for providing education programs toall students.

Support education bodies to provide education programs to all students:
yy Identify examples of relevant: Effective practices.

 Policies and procedures.

 Staff development opportunities.

yy Offer training opportunities related to inclusive schooling for ongoing professional learningand capacity building.

Allocate inclusive schooling Funding:yy Collect information on students’ needs for supports and use it to justify inclusive schooling
Funding requests.

yy Allocate funds under the heading of inclusive schooling to education bodies based on formula.
yy Gather information to show how said funding was actually expended.

Provide leadership in inclusive schooling:yy Establish priorities.

yy Initiate improvement efforts.

yy Provide system support to regions and schools as circumstances require.

yy Provide information to senior policy makers on systemic issues and new challenges.

Monitor and evaluate student and school success in inclusive schooling:yy Monitor implementation of NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling, 2016.
yy Monitor school reviews of inclusive practice.

yy Collaborate with regions to foster consistency and equity with implementation andapplication of the Directive.

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65

Coordinate NWT Student Support initiatives:yy Meet regularly with regional inclusive school coordinators.

yy Set priorities based on projects of benefit to all jurisdictions.
yy Model the power of group problem solving.

Take responsibility for own professional growth and continuous learning.

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SECTION 2: PROGRAM SUPPORT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLING IN THE NWTSECTION 3:
Educational Programming Types in the NWTPart 1: An Overview of Educational
Programming Options in the NWT – Student
Support Plans and Individual Education Plans
INTRODUCTION
These guidelines are to assist school teams and teachers in the planning process for students who
require a Student Support Plan or an Individual Education Program. A Student Support Plan is adocumented plan for a student on a Regular Education Program who requires:yy Accommodations for learning difficulty or enrichment; and/or,

yy Modifications to their Education Program because they are working significantly below or
above grade level.

TYPES OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS

There are three types of education programs in the NWT. They are defined as follows:
yy Regular Education Program A Regular Education Program (with or without accommodations) is determined by thelearning outcomes in the NWT curricula for a specific grade level.

yy Modified Education Program A Modified Education Program (MEP) can be put in place for students up to andincluding Grade 9. A MEP (Gr. 1-9) retains the learning outcomes articulated in NWT
curricula at a level other than the assigned grade level. A MEP (Gr. 1-9) is createdthrough a collaborative process with the School Based Support Team (SBST), parents,
and, wherever possible, the student.

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67

yy Individual Education Program An Individual Education Program (IEP) is a student specific program and is outlined
in an Individual Education Plan. This plan is a comprehensive written education planwith annual student outcomes and shorter-term objectives, determined througha collaborative process with the School Based Support Team (SBST) and the IEP
Team, driven by the strengths and needs of the student; it may or may not include
learning outcomes articulated in the NWT curricula. A student on an IEP usuallyrequires supports, accommodations, facilities, resources and/or equipment
beyond those needed by his/her peers.

In very rare situations a student may have an IEP but also be working on a Regular Education
Program. For example, a student who is blind may have an IEP for orientation and mobility, but
be working on the Regular Education Program for academics.
In short, a student’s program is characterized by its learning outcomes:
Regular Education Programcurricular learning outcomes at Grade Level
with or without accommodations(as documented in a SSP)

Modified Education Programcurricular learning outcomes significantly
above or below Grade Level (as documented
on a SSP through the MEP process)Individual Education Program

student specific learning outcomes
which may or may not include curricularlearning outcomes (as documented in an IEP)

Students following any of these programs could have a range of accommodations to help themmeet the learning outcomes of their program.
Accommodations do not alter the learning
outcomes of a program, but they do help students
achieve those outcomes by taking into accountindividual strengths and needs.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTEDUCATION PROGRAM PLANNING PROCESSThe most desirable process for program planning for individual students is a collaborative one thatinvolves the student, parents, and educators. Class reviews, three-way conferencing, career andprogram plans, and person centered planning processes for education plans and behaviour support
plans are all beneficial. Person-centered planning processes such as Making Action Plans (MAPS)
and Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) are effective tools for use.

Students within every classroom learn at different rates and in different ways. Use of soundeducational practices, including differentiated instructional approaches, provide effective support
for most students. However, there should be documentation of additional supports such as
adjustments to instructional time, the classroom or testing environment, educational resources
or materials, and assignments/assessments when they are required for individual students.
The processes and strategies of differentiated instruction adopted in the classroom may not
be sufficient to address the needs and learning goals of every student. Students experiencing
learning difficulties and/or those with exceptionalities may require accommodations to theRegular Education Program, a Modified Education Program (Gr. 1-9) or an Individual Education
Program. A student for whom the goals and objectives of the grade level curriculum are notsufficiently challenging may require accommodations or extensions to the Regular Education
Program or Modified Education Program (Gr. 1-9).

Each year the classroom or course teacher faces the task of choosing the most appropriate
program for individual students. It is imperative that the decision to place a student on a program
other than a Regular Education Program or Regular Education Program with Accommodations
be a decision that is made through a collaborative process with the School Based Support Team(SBST), the parents, the student (where possible), and others who are involved with the student.
The following diagram outlines a program planning process that indicates the teacher’s response
to learner needs in the classroom and the process followed when specific accommodations ormodifications are required to meet a student’s strengths and challenges.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT

69EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PLANNING PROCESS

Plan and Teach Classroom Programwith Universal Supports

Identify Learner Strengths and Needs

Monitor/Assess Student Progress

Identify Student's Needs for Additional
Program Planning and Accommodations

School Based Support Team (SBST)

Parent Meeting
Teacher has determined thatthe student needs:
Regular Education Program
Curricular Learning Outcomes at
Grade Level with Accommodations

Modiﬁed Education Program
Curricular Learning Outcomessigniﬁcantly above or below
Grade Level

Individual Education Program

Student speciﬁc learning outcomes
which may or may not include
curricular learning outcomes

IEP
For Learning
Diﬃculty

For
Enrichment

Below
Grade Level

Above
Grade Level

STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN
1. Development

2. Complete theSupport Plan Template

5. Review and Reporting

4. Monitoring

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT

3. Implementation

Set Direction

Implement
and Review

Gather/Share

Developand Write

WHERE ARE STUDENT SUPPORT PLANS AND
INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS KEPT?
The working copy of the Student Support Plan or the Individual Education Plan, as wellas historical records, exists on the digital platform of the special education section of thegovernment approved Student Information System.

At the end of each school year or if a student transfers schools mid-year, the most current SSP
or IEP must be placed in the Program Support file, as well as the Student Record (cum[sic] file).
According to both the Education Act, Section 29 (2) (a), and Student Record Regulations, R-168-96,
Amended R-011-2010, Section 4(1) (n-o), a copy of the plan must be kept in the Student Record.
The Student Record is, according to the Departmental Directive on the Management of Informationin the Student Record and Other Records Pertaining to Students (revised 2005), “a record that manyeducators typically think of as the cumulative record.” (p. 10).

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT

71

Part 2: Student Support Plans
WHAT ARE STUDENT SUPPORT PLANS AND WHO NEEDS ONE?
A Student Support Plan (SSP) is a short document (usually no longer than 1-2 pages) developedon the government-approved software for Student Support Plans.
The SSP identifies either:

1. Accommodations for difficulty or enrichment strategies required for success in the Regular
Education Program for a student whose performance levels are near or at grade level. It is
important to remember that students have a range of abilities that all fall within grade level.

OR

2. Targeted curricular outcomes for subjects in which the student is on a Modified Education
Program (because the curricular outcomes being worked towards are significantly below or
above grade level), as well as accommodations for difficulty or enrichment strategies.

The decision to move to develop a Student Support Plan is made by a teacher after they have been
following a continuous process in the classroom involving:yy Assessment of the learner’s needs and interests;

yy Teaching and intervention in response to these needs using a range of instructional
strategies; andyy Monitoring and assessing the student’s progress, as well as the student’s response tointervention. See Toolbox Forms T6-T-8

It is important to recognize that a student who has been placed on a “response to intervention
model” that uses a short-term intervention to address learning concerns should not be placed on
an SSP. This should only be done once the short-term interventions have been implemented fora long enough time period to give clear indication as to whether they are addressing the needsof the student. At that time, the changes can be reviewed by the teacher to determine whether
placement should occur on an SSP with or without modifications.

A Student Support Plan should be created when a student experiences persistent learning
difficulties and requires specific strategies to address those difficulties or when a student needs
enrichment. A Student Support Plan documents one of four alternatives. A teacher may make adecision, in discussion with the parents, to place on a child on a Regular Education Program withAccommodations for Learning Difficulty or a Regular Education Program with Accommodations
for Enrichment; however, the process to place a student on a Modified Education Program (Gr. 1-9)
MUST be done through the School Based Support Team.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT

1. Regular Education Program with Accommodations for Learning Difficulty (JK-12)

A student following the Regular Education Program may be close to achieving the learning
outcomes of the NWT curricula at grade level but, because of certain needs and challenges,
is at risk of not achieving that goal. For such a student, the teacher can put into place
individual accommodations to assist the student to achieve the learning outcomes. These
accommodations may be necessary for some or all subjects or for general skills (generalskills refers to a number of skills, attitudes, and behaviours that relate to the overall learning
situation rather than a particular subject area (e.g. motivation, organization, attention)).

2. Regular Education Program with Accommodations for Enrichment (JK-12)

A student who exhibits abilities and capabilities beyond those of their age peers in one ormore subject areas may achieve the learning outcomes at their grade level with ease. For
such a student, the teacher offers more challenge through enrichment strategies. These
strategies foster and develop higher order thinking skills, creativity and problem solving,
adding breadth and depth to the learning experience at the student’s grade level.

3. Modified Education Program – Student Working Significantly Below Grade Level(Grades 1-9)

Only students in Grades 1-9 can be placed on a Modified Education Program. Junior
Kindergarten and Kindergarten students cannot be placed on a Modified Education Planbecause there are not NWT curricular outcomes at a level lower than JK/K. Students in
Grades 10-12 are to enroll in courses in the stream that best meets their needs. A student
who is attempting to achieve the learning outcomes of the Regular Education Program may
be unable to do so even with differentiated instruction or a variety of accommodations.
For such a student, the teacher targets the subject areas of most concern and has thestudent work on learning outcomes at a level below grade placement and closer to theirperformance level. The student will also likely require accommodations to meet thelearning outcomes at the level where they are working.

4. Modified Education Program – Student Working Significantly Above Grade Level(Grades 1-9)

A student who demonstrates exceptional abilities in one or more subject areas mayachieve the learning outcomes of the Regular Education Program more rapidly thanother classmates and be able to handle learning outcomes at a higher grade level. Before
considering subject or grade acceleration, the teacher must offer the student many
opportunities for enrichment of the curricular outcomes at grade level as in #2
above.
A Student Support Plan for any of the above alternatives requires that a one or two page
document be generated on the government approved student information system.

It is not possible for students in Senior Secondary Level (Grades 10-12) to be on a Modified
Education Program. Each course is discrete and a student either meets the learning outcomes of
the course or does not. There is no way to work on lower or higher level learning outcomes
within a course or receive partial credits. In high school, diverse needs are served in part by thevariety of courses offered at each grade level in each subject area. Accommodations may still be
required and need to be documented on a Student Support Plan. Any student may be placed on aStudent Support Plan regardless of age.
SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT73

A career and program planning process is very important for students who have had a Modified
Education Program (Gr. 1-9) earlier in their schooling. Course selections through high school
must be matched to the student’s strengths, challenges, and future goals. Students requiringsupport to meet the learning outcomes of particular courses may have accommodations put
in place to assist them. These would be documented on a Student Support Plan for the Regular
Education Program with Accommodations for Difficulty.

It is important to note that any accommodations provided to students in Senior Secondary be
documented on the government approved student information system. Students cannot be allowed
accommodations on the Alberta-based departmental exams unless there is documented historicalevidence of those accommodations being in place and being used during the instruction of the course.
Strategies used to accommodate students with exceptionalities, such as hearing loss, poor
vision, physical impairment, loss of mobility, reading or writing disorders, need, in most cases,
to be in place for all classroom situations and are not subject related. Accommodations such aspreferential seating and noise reduction for a student with hearing loss, large print materials
and lighting adjustments for a student with poor vision, or a specialized computer, a digitalaudio player or a scribe for a student with a physical impairment, needs to be described anddocumented in the Student Support Plan. These accommodations are appropriate for such
students only if, with these accommodations, they are able to achieve the learning outcomes of
the Regular Education Program or a Modified Education Program (up to and including grade 9).
Other students with exceptionalities may require more complex support and the student-specificlearning outcomes of an Individual Education Program.

For students, who have subject area teachers (students in middle school and high school typically),
the development of a Student Support Plan becomes more complex. The student who requires
accommodations in one or more general skill areas, e.g. attention, organization, memory, forinstance, would likely require these accommodations in more than one subject area or course. It istherefore suggested that the PST coordinate the collaborative development and implementation of
the Student Support Plan(s) for such students. If there are concerns related to program consistency,
outcomes and grading between classes, this may require the support of the SBST.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE DOCUMENTED ON A STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN?
A Student Support Plan documents Focus Areas in which the student is having difficulty or in which
enrichment is required as well as specific strategies chosen to address each of those Focus Areas.
Focus Areas for General Skills required in most subject areas, which could include:
yy Motivationyy Organization
yy Attention
yy Memoryyy Sensory/Motor Hearing Vision74

 Fine and gross motor

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTyy Assessment
yy Routines

yy Frustration and anger management
yy Social Interactions
yy Oral Expression

 Limited Language Output
 Vocabulary

yy Listening

Focus Areas for difficulty in specific subjects and curricula, which could include:yy Oral Expression
 Articulation
 Fluency

yy Readingyy Written Expression
yy Math Computation

yy Math Word Problems

yy Additional Strategies for Senior Secondary grades

Focus Areas for the purpose of enrichment, which could include:
yy Curriculum content
yy Timing and paceyy Instruction

yy Higher-level thinking skills

yy Products, assessment and evaluations

Other focus areas, not outlined above, may be added to address other subjects, specific skills or
special conditions. Strategies to address these additional Focus Areas would need to be added to
the SSP template by the teacher.
The completed Student Support Plan is typically a one-page document when it is documenting
a Regular Education Program with accommodations for difficulty or accommodations forenrichment. Those practices in the classroom that are referred to as promising practices
should not be documented on a Support Plan. These practices should be used universally in allclassrooms to benefit all students.

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75

The Student Support Plan is typically a two-page document when it is documenting a Modified
Education Program (Gr. 1-9). On the Modified plan, there is an additional section in which theteacher identifies the curricular learning objectives that are either above or below grade level
being worked towards by the student. If the student is following the complete curriculum ofa specific grade for their program, then the individual learning objectives do not need to beentered, but rather only the grade level curriculum requires documentation (e.g. Student isworking on Grade 4 math curriculum outcomes). If the student is completing only some of thecurriculum outcomes, then the outcomes they are working towards need to be listed.

WHY IS DOCUMENTATION NECESSARY?
Given that it is a responsibility of teachers to communicate student progress to parents, theStudent Support Plan, which documents Focus Areas, and identifies specific strategies to address
those areas – becomes an important communication tool. As well, the Student Support Plan
provides continuity and background information on a student’s needs in the classroom as they
move from grade to grade, between schools, and between teachers.
The Student Support Plan is a living, working document that may change throughout a year andover the years.

THE STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN PROCESSAll schools should have a common process to develop, document, implement, monitor, andreview SSPs.

Throughout the SSP process, there should be open, ongoing communication between the parent,
student and school, from the suggestion of developing a plan through to the regular review of thestudent’s plan and progress.
Parents and students need to have a clear understanding of:yy The student’s performance in the various subject areas in relation to the grade level orcourse learning outcomes;

yy What strategies the teacher proposes to use to help the student improve or extend theirlearning experiences; and,yy The role of each person in supporting the implementation of the SSP and in its later review.
Some parents and students may have difficulty in accepting the fact that a student is functioning
below grade level and requires a modified plan. Any communication about the student’s
achievement, learning needs, and Student Support Plan should be straightforward and honest,
but delivered in a sensitive and confidential manner.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTAccommodations on a Student Support Plan need to be evaluated. Teachers should not assume
that accommodations carry over from year to year. Toolbox Form T4 provides some questions
teachers should ask when determining whether accommodations should continue.
As well, it is important to remember that accommodations should not lead to inappropriate
practices during exams such as:
yy Coaching students during exams
yy Editing student work

yy Allowing a student to answer fewer questions or reduce the number of responses requiredyy Giving clues to test answers in any way

yy Changing the content by paraphrasing or offering additional information.

PARTIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PLANNING PROCESS
School Based Support Team (SBST)

Teacher has determined that thestudent needs:

Parent Meeting

Regular Education Program
Curricular Learning Outcomes at
Grade Level with Accommodations

Modiﬁed Education Program
Curricular Learning Outcomessigniﬁcantly above or below Grade Level

For Learning
Diﬃculty

Below
Grade Level

For
Enrichment

Above
Grade Level

Student Support Plan
1. Development

2. Complete theSupport Plan Template

5. Review and Reporting

4. Monitoring

3. Implementation

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77

DEVELOPMENT
Knowing the Student
Once it is determined through the planning process that a student requires programming
support, the teacher may determine that additional information is needed. The SSP Toolbox
contains a questionnaire that can help gather additional information.
Determining Areas Needing Accommodations or Modifications

Refer to the possible Focus Areas listed in the Student Support Plan (see pg. 74).

yy Identify all subject areas in which the student is currently not able to achieve the learning
outcomes of the Regular Education Program or those subjects requiring enrichment.

 Identify subjects of most concern. Ensure there is documentation available to illustrate
the basis of the concern, e.g. expected performance benchmarks versus what thestudent is currently able to do.
 Identify what shorter-term interventions have been used to address the concern (seeToolbox forms T-6 to T-8 for academic intervention tracking) – if no interventions havebeen trialled, what may be done before the program change is put in place should be
discussed.

yy Identify any general skills for which the student is not meeting age-appropriate
expectations, e.g. attention, organization, memory.

 Identify the general skills of most concern. Have examples to illustrate the student’s
challenges and how these are affecting their ability to achieve the learning outcomes of
the Regular Education Program.

 Prioritize which of the subjects or general skills need to be addressed first in order tobring about a change in the student’s performance. These will be the Focus Areas on theStudent Support Plan.
 Keep the number of Focus Areas and the strategies practical and manageable for boththe teacher and the student.
 Do not choose strategies because they seem like a “good idea”. Only include strategies
being used.
 Only include strategies that go beyond good teaching or promising practices.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTSelect Type of Student Support Planyy Select the type of Student Support Plan to be developed (i.e. Regular Program withAccommodations for Difficulty, Regular Program with Accommodations for Enrichment, orModified Program – Below Grade Level, or Modified Program – Above Grade Level) basedon the concerns identified above.
 If having difficulty determining whether it should be a Modified Plan or a Regular
Program with Accommodations, ask the following: “Is the student expected to achieve
curricular outcomes at the assigned grade level at the end of the year?” If the answer isin the affirmative, then a Regular Program with Accommodations is appropriate.
 It is important to recognize that changing, lowering, or reducing learning expectations(modifications) when they are consistently used can increase the gap between theachievement of students who are using them and the grade level expectations.
 In most cases students requiring more challenge and a wider variety of enrichment
strategies should have a Regular Program with Accommodations for Enrichment
before there is any consideration to putting them on a Modified Program which would
accelerate them to the next grade.

yy Discuss the Student Support Plan type with the student and parent. Document this
discussion. If parents are unavailable, all attempts at communication with them need to be
documented and kept in the Student Support file.

Choosing the Appropriate Strategies

Decisions related to which Focus Areas (general skill and/or specific subject/curricula
areas) should have priority as it is key to the process of making a Student Support Plan for anindividual student. Once that is decided, consideration should be given as to which Strategies(accommodations or extensions) should be implemented for each of the chosen Focus Areas.
Ideally, both the student and parent are part of a team with the teacher to make these decisions.
The Toolbox questionnaire (T2) looking at student strengths and challenges can be useful as astarting point for discussions related to choosing the best strategies to use.
When determining which strategies might be appropriate for a student, it is important that theteacher, student and parent discuss:
yy The priority Focus Area(s);yy The student’s abilities and challenges in each selected Focus Area; and,yy A range of possible strategies for each Focus Area:
 Selecting only a few strategies to try; Monitoring and reviewing the student performance when the strategies are in place(see review and reporting); and, Ensuring that only those strategies that are being used with success are documented in
the Student Support Plan.

Start with what the student needs to be able to do and the environment in which they need to
be able to do it. Then, consider strategies and/or tools from simple to complex that will allow
them to achieve any given task.

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Students may require strategies involving technology. Organize technology needs on a continuum
considering:yy Level of technology

yy Cost of materials/equipment

yy Degree of independence allowedyy Time for the student and staff to learn or be trained to use the technology
yy Level of maintenance required for any equipment/tool.

If further information or assistance is required when considering Assistive Technology needs, the
SETT Framework or other Assistive Technology Planning Tools are available online.
The simplest strategy and tool that will bring about the desired result is the most likely to
succeed. There are many assistive technology tools out there that are simply too complex andcumbersome to be implemented and therefore, after the initial excitement wanes, or the one staff
person who knows how to use it, leaves, the tool sits, gathering dust.
Always begin with no-tech or low-tech strategies and then progress to more complex strategies ortechnology only if the low-tech choice does not adequately reduce the barriers to learning success.
There must be an implementation plan for Student Support Plan strategies involving high-tech
Assistive Technology use. It must focus on:yy Training for the student to use the tool effectively

yy Training for the staff to understand and support the student’s use of the toolyy Development of an effective system for managing and maintaining the equipment thestudent will be using.
yy Ensure the technology meets the learning needs of the student.

COMPLETING THE SUPPORT PLAN

See Section 4 of the handbook for information on how to complete the Student Support Plan.
Ensure that only those strategies and supports that go beyond promising practices and that are
being used regularly in the classroom are listed on the support plan.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTIMPLEMENTATION
Student Support Plans need to be integrated with the classroom daily lesson plans. It isimperative that the teacher only put on the plan supports and accommodations that they areusing on a regular basis.

It is suggested that selected strategies be introduced by the teacher one or two at a time so thatstudents can become familiar with them and can assist in evaluating their usefulness.

Parents and families have a support role to play in the implementation of a Student Support
Plan. They can reinforce learning, assist with work sent home and give emotional support as thestudent works toward improving their learning. Some of the supports used in the school may betransferable to home activities.

MONITORING
Monitoring the progress of a student who has a Student Support Plan is essential in order tomake sure that the strategies in place are indeed contributing to the student’s achievement ofgrade level learning outcomes in subjects and/or age-appropriate skills.

Assessment data needs to be collected periodically as for any other student, but paying particularattention to:yy Assessing and evaluating in terms of the appropriate curricular learning outcomes, i.e.
those of the Regular Education Program or, for a Modified Education Program, those below
or above grade placement as specifically described in the Student Support Plan.
yy Ensuring that any specified accommodations for “test-taking” are in place when necessary.
yy Remember that accommodations should not lead to inappropriate practices during exams
such as: Coaching students during exams
 Editing student work Allowing a student to answer fewer questions or reduce the number of responses
required Giving clues to test answers in any way

 Changing the content by paraphrasing or offering additional information.

Again, as for any other students, assessment can take many forms, including observations,
anecdotal records and samples of student work.

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81

REVIEW AND REPORTING
The Student Support Plan template states that the plan will be reviewed and revised, if necessary,at all school reporting times. This represents a minimum requirement. The plan may be reviewed
at any time if the teacher, parent and student agree that adjustments may be necessary. See Toolbox
Form T4 – Reviewing Effectiveness of Accommodations or Support Strategies for assistance.
Any review should focus on the following:yy Is the Student Support Plan, in the student’s view, meeting their needs?
yy How effective are the strategies?

yy How much progress has the student made towards achieving specific learning outcomes?

yy Do any of the Focus Areas or strategies need to be changed to reflect the student’s changing
strengths or challenges?

Regular reporting to students and parents is critical for students on Student Support Plans. All
parents of students with a Student Support Plan will receive the same form of report card as doparents of other students. Many students with a Student Support Plan may be working on thelearning outcomes of the Regular Education Program in some or all areas. The Student Support
Plan should be sent home at each reporting period with the report card.

When a Student Support Plan documents a Modified Education Program, either above or below
grade level, the student’s report card should show the designation (M) to signify which subject
areas have been modified. If the report card does not allow this designation, the comment box forthe subject must first state the student is working on a Modified Education Program before anyother comments are made.
At each reporting period, the MEP should be placed in a sealed envelope, placed in the reportcard envelope and sent home or given to the parent.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTPart 3: Individual Education Programs andIndividual Education Plans
WHAT IS AN IEP?
IEP can stand for either an Individual Education Program or an Individual Education Plan.
Students in the NWT may be placed in an Individualized Education Program. This program is
documented in an Individual Education Plan. For the purpose of this handbook, IEP will ONLY be
used to refer to the Individual Education Plan.

An IEP is a comprehensive, written education plan with annual student outcomes determinedthrough a collaborative process and driven by the strengths, needs, and interests of the student. It
may or may not include outcomes articulated in the NWT curricula.
The annual student outcomes are student-specific and flow from a person-centred plan basedon a future vision for an individual student (e.g. MAPS or PATH). The process begins with the
School Based Support Team (SBST) working in collaboration with the parent, and will involve thestudent, parents, principal, teacher(s), program support teacher, education support personnel,
and other professionals, who work with the student and know them well, at different points inthe process.
Once the SBST makes the collaborative determination with the parents and student that an IEP isnecessary, the SBST may either perform the role of the IEP team or create an IEP team to head up
the creation of the plan.

The IEP is a written commitment of intent by an educational team. It ensures there is appropriate
programming for a student and supports the student who requires an Individual Education
Program. It is a working document whose goal is to help a student attain the skills andknowledge that are the next logical steps beyond their current level of performance and which
are relevant to their long-term life goals and environment.
The IEP template has the following components:
yy student identification

yy background information on the student including: areas of strength challenges

 functioning levels

 assessment information

 relevant medical information
 additional information

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83

yy long-term life goals (at least 3-5 years, as determined through MAPs, PATH, or a similar process)yy areas of development and target skills

yy annual student outcomes (to be achieved within the current school year) – while the form
allows up to 15, it is recommended that the annual outcomes range between 3 and 5
yy short-term learning objectives for each annual student outcome with
 instructional strategies and person responsible

 evaluation method and criteria for measuring attainment of or progress towards
objectives
 record of progress at target dates (reporting periods are commonly used)

yy support personnel (and the assistance they provide or will provide as part of the IEP)
yy required accommodations (effective ones to be continued and additional ones to be
implemented during the current IEP)

yy transition plans and supports required for transition (may not always be applicable)

yy additional IEP comments (including strategies discontinued, unsuccessful approaches, andstrategies outgrown)
yy recommendations for the following year (from year-end evaluation)yy implementation agreement and review/evaluation dates
yy signatures of parents and IEP team members

Annual student outcomes and short-term learning objectives may be adjusted at any time during theschool year but will be reviewed by the IEP team at least three times a year (each reporting period).
The student’s progress on the IEP should, at minimum, be evaluated at each reporting period.
IEPs are typically drafted at the end of the school year for the following year. The team thenreviews and revises the IEP in September and has it signed off. IEPs must be signed by all teammembers at least once a year. While best practice ensures that additional revised IEPs are sent
home throughout the year, it is not necessary to have all team members re-sign. If a parent will
not sign an IEP, it cannot be legally implemented.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTIn summary:

AN IEP IS...
AN IEP IS NOT....
...a description of everything that will be taught...a summary of the annual student outcomes
and objectives for a student’s learning during the to one student.
school year.
...a written plan to reach and assess progress
towards annual student outcomes and shortterm learning objectives.

...learning outcomes and objectives for a groupof students.

...a document to help teachers monitor andcommunicate student growth.

...a means to monitor the effectiveness ofteachers.

...a plan developed with students and families
and implemented and monitored by school staff.

...a daily plan.

...a document to enhance communication among ...a report card.
student, parents, and staff.
...a flexible, working document with meaning for
all contributors.

...written in stone.

...a plan which may involve social adjustments,
adaptive behaviours, and transitions from one
environment to another.

...restricted to curricular issues.

...a plan which may involve decision-making
related to supports from other professionals or
volunteers.

...dependent upon classroom resources alone.

EFFECTIVE IEPS
Effective IEPs share the following characteristics:

yy developed collaboratively by a team of individuals, including the student (wherever
possible) and the parents/guardians;

yy integrated, in conjunction with clinician and consultant reports, into daily instruction;yy clearly articulate annual student outcomes in SMART terms, i.e. Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant, and Timely;
yy clearly identify who is responsible for implementing student instruction;yy outline accommodations and supports to be in place to assist with the implementation;yy involve members of the IEP team in assessing/evaluating student progress within their areaof expertise; and,yy are living documents which are revised in response to changes in a student’s circumstancesor abilities.

IEPs, which are only created as a formality and/or where implementation is not attempted, will
have little to no impact on a student’s daily learning or long-term progress.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT85

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IEPSThe School Based Support Team is the first group that meets regarding an IEP. The SBST will
gather to discuss the student and through following a problem-solving process, make a decision
whether a recommendation for placing a student on an IEP should be made. Placing a student on
an IEP must be a collaborative decision with the parents, student (where possible), the School
Based Support Team, and the professionals who are familiar with the student, rather than adecision by a single teacher. By following a process and involving the School Based Support Team,
we can better ensure that all appropriate supports, programming, and interventions have been
tried with fidelity, and that necessary assessments and documentation are in place to warrant
moving a student on to an IEP.
Once the decision is made that a student will be placed on an IEP, many individuals have roles
to play in its development and implementation. The roles and responsibilities of key individuals
involved with IEPs are described below. Certain individual roles are prescribed by the Education
Act. According to the Education Act, there are three essential members of any team formed
to develop and implement a student’s IEP. These are the parent(s)/guardians, the classroom
teacher(s), and the principal. Other individuals are added to the team based on the nature of thestudent’s needs and long-term life goals.
Parents

Parent(s) need to be members of the collaborative IEP team. Their involvement must begin when
decisions are made as to the most appropriate program for their child, and continue throughdeveloping the IEP and supporting its implementation. When parents are reluctant to come to the school
to engage in this process, it may be possible for a teacher or administrator to discuss the process anddocumentation initially through a home visit. Experience has shown that engaging parents through aperson-centred planning process (e.g.: MAPs/PATH) will often help facilitate the engagement process.
Over time, the parent may be more willing to enter the school to engage in the IEP process.
According to the Education Act (1996) (Section 9.2), parental involvement means that parents should:
yy participate in the decision that the developed IEP is the most appropriate program;yy participate fully as member(s) of the collaborative team;yy communicate the student’s development and life to date;yy provide up-to-date medical information;yy provide information on the likes, dislikes, interests, and skills their child demonstrates athome and in the community;
yy identify their values and their goals for the child;yy act as advocates for their child’s best interests;

yy offer opportunities for practice, reinforcement, generalization, and maintenance of the skillsin the home;
yy offer feedback on effective strategies;

yy help to achieve continuity of programming over time; and,yy approve the IEP before it is implemented (Education Act, 1996, Section 9(3)).

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTThe Education Act (1996) requires that the parent(s) approve the IEP before it is implemented.
Parents are integral to the whole IEP process and must be involved early, beginning with thedecision that an IEP is the most appropriate program for their child. Parental involvement may
need to be supported through a variety of strategies which focus on making the parent feel
comfortable in the school. When parents show reluctance to becoming involved, there are anumber of things a school can do to encourage participation. These could include explorationof the reasons for the reluctance through home visits. School counsellor or other professional
contact may also prove useful. Parents could become more willing to come to the school if it issuggested that they can bring a support person, spokesperson or advocate along with them. If theparents do not choose to be involved in an IEP process after many attempts to engage them, thenthe school will likely want to develop and implement a Student Support Plan in response to thestudent’s strengths and challenges. This Support Plan must address only curriculum outcomes.
Still, it cannot be implemented as a formal IEP without parental approval. To do so would be incontravention of the Education Act (1996), Section 9(3).
Students

The student should be an integral part of the team whenever possible.
The student is at the centre of the IEP process and should always be the focus of all phases.
Student involvement in the process will vary depending upon a number of factors such as age,and the ability to understand and communicate. The student should, where possible:
yy participate in the decision that an IEP is the most appropriate program;yy participate partially or fully as an IEP team member;yy identify values, preferences, and strengths through self-evaluation;
yy help to set long-term life goals and annual student outcomes;

yy participate in a discussion of strategies and behaviours that enhance their learning;yy strive with assistance to achieve identified objectives; and,yy self-manage or co-monitor progress toward short-term learning objectives and annual
student outcomes.

Principal

The principal is given several responsibilities related to IEPs under the Education Act (1996),
Section 9. As well, the principal has all of the duties of a teacher regarding IEPs as outlined in the
Education Act (1996), Section 45.
In order to be accountable for carrying out their responsibilities, principals:
yy are part of the decision to develop an IEP for a student;
yy participate as a member of the IEP team;yy ensure that IEPs are developed, implemented, and evaluated;yy ensure that parental approval is given, by signature(s), for implementation of an IEP; and,yy assign support personnel, provide appropriate materials and resources, and facilitate
in-service training for staff, given the needs of the student.

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87

Classroom Teacher(s)The classroom teacher(s) retains the primary responsibility for the delivery of the student’s
education program and supporting the student’s learning. The Education Act (1996), Section
45 c-g, outlines responsibilities of the teacher with respect to IEPs. These pertain to thedevelopment, implementation, and evaluation of IEPs, when required, for any student under theteacher’s care and instruction.
In order to carry out these responsibilities, teachers:

yy are an integral part of the decision to develop an IEP;
yy participate as a member of the IEP team;yy share background information on the student;

yy identify the student’s strengths and challenges through observation and assessment;
yy assist in setting annual student outcomes and short-term learning objectives;yy plan and carry out appropriate instruction in relation to the IEP annual student outcomesand short-term learning objectives;
yy develop strategies for assessing and communicating student progress; and,yy maintain ongoing communication with the student, parents, and other team members.

In addition, a student’s teachers from previous years play a role in providing information abouta student’s strengths and challenges. They are an important source of information in relation to
strategies, accommodations, and supports that have worked well in the past.
Program Support Teacher (PST)

Although the principal has primary responsibility for a program, a program support teacher(PST) is often designated to coordinate a student’s IEP. For example, the PST often:

yy facilitates the process to decide that an IEP is the most appropriate program for a student;
yy participates as a member of the School Based Support Team, the IEP team and often takes
the coordinator/facilitator role;yy assists with the assessment of a student’s strengths and challenges;

yy collaborates with the teacher to generate ideas for accommodations, teaching, andassessment strategies;
yy models and co-teaches these strategies within the classroom environment
yy provides advice about materials and resources;

yy provides advocacy for the student and support to the teacher;yy provides support to teachers in the implementation of the IEP; and,yy maintains on-going communication with team members during the development andimplementation of the IEP.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTyy Communicates and collaborates with the RISC for resources, materials, and research-based
best practices to support students, parents, and staff.

yy Ensure the Student Support file is up to date with all relevant data from both the school andoutside agencies.

Regional Inclusive Schooling Coordinator

The role of the regional inclusive schooling coordinator (RISC) will vary with the resources
available at the school level. The RISC may support the principal by assuming some of the roles
ascribed to a PST for a school that only has a part-time PST. For example, a RISC may:
yy support the principal by assuming roles ascribed to the PST
yy arrange for assessments

yy coordinate outside services and supports

Support AssistantSupport assistants who work with students often have information that is useful whendeveloping a particular student’s IEP. A support assistant may:yy participate as a member of the IEP team;yy provide information on previous effective and ineffective strategies;
yy always operates under the direction of the teacher(s);yy helps students with learning activities;

yy assists with the modification of materials and instructional strategies;

yy monitors and records day-to-day progress toward learning objectives; and,yy maintains on-going communication with the teacher(s) and PSTs.

Counselling Staff

A counsellor who works closely with a student will be able to add insights to the development of
the student’s IEP. A counsellor working with a student may:yy participate as a member of the IEP team;yy assist with the MAPs or PATH process; and,yy act as an advocate for the student.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT89

Other Professionals/Consultants
This may include individuals other than educators who work with the student. It may include:
physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, psychologists,
counsellors, audiologists, and behaviour specialists. Professionals typically:yy participate with the SBST or IEP team, if requested;

yy provide information on the student’s strengths and challenges;
yy provide assessment, as necessary or as requested;

yy develop strategies for incorporating necessary therapy into classroom routines;
yy provide advice about strategies, accommodations, materials, and resources;
yy provide staff training to implement strategies;
yy provide technical assistance;

yy assist in accessing community resources as required;yy act as resources and supports to the family; and,yy maintain good communication with the IEP team.

Other Teachers/Colleagues

Teachers or other colleagues may assist in both the development and implementation of a
student’s IEP by:yy providing information to the IEP team on their past experiences with the student;
yy lending moral support to the classroom teacher implementing the IEP; and,yy team-teaching.

Fellow Students

Classmates or other students may play a number of possible roles in the development andimplementation of an IEP.

yy Close friends may participate in the MAPs or PATH process to define the student’s longterm life goals.
yy Students from the same class or other classes may act as peer tutors.

yy Classmates may assist with accommodations such as reading instructions or scribing.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTCIRCLES OF SUPPORT• IEP teammember• Partners• Advocacy• Information• MAPs or PATHs• Peer tutor• Collaborative
learner• SBST leader• IEP team
• Staﬀ allocation• Scheduling• Resources• Professional
development

Parents
FellowStudents

Principal• Information• Moral support• Team-teaching

Classroom
TeacherColleagues• IEP team• Information• Assessment• Develop goals• Implement• Instruction• Strategies• Communication

S T UDEN T• Expertise• Assessment• Strategies• Staﬀ training• Technicalassistance• Access resources

Program
SupportTeacher(PST)

RelatedProfessionals

Counselling
Staﬀ• MAPs or PATH
• Information• Advocacy

SupportAssistant• IEP team
• Classroom support• Teacher-directed• Preparation ofMaterials• Records progress

Regional
Inclusive
Schooling
Coordinator(RISC)• SBST member• IEP team
• Assessment• Collaborate, Model,
Co-teach• Implementation
support• Communication• Materials andresources• Advocacy• Interagency collaboration• Assessment• Support Principal & PST

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91

WHO NEEDS AN IEP?
When the processes and strategies of differentiated instruction adopted in the classroom are
not sufficient to address the needs or learning goals of some students experiencing learningor behavioural difficulties and/or with complex needs or conditions, then other program
alternatives need to be considered.

Some students may be achieving significantly below their assigned grade level. Clearly such students
need a carefully planned individualized program, but not necessarily an IEP. The critical filter is:“Are there suitable learning outcomes articulated in the NWT curricula?” If the answer is, “Yes,” then it
is likely that a modified program rather than an IEP would be appropriate for the student in Grades 1-9
and a regular program with accommodations for difficulty for students in Grades 10-12.

A few students, for whom there are not suitable goals and learner outcomes in the NWT curricula
and/or who require extensive supports, will require the development of an Individual Education Plan.

The following graphic, extracted from an earlier graphic that describes the Educational Program
Planning Process (p. 70 of this manual), outlines the process for the Individual Education Program.
School Based Support Team (SBST)
Parent Meeting
Individual Education Program
Student speciﬁc learning outcomes
which may or may not include
curricular learning outcomesIEP
Set Direction
Implement
and Review

Gather/Share

Developand Write

Identifying a student who may need an IEP begins when someone who works with the student
or knows the student, observes needs that are not being met, even after a variety of supports andaccommodations have been implemented. Discussion about the appropriateness of developing
an IEP may be initiated by students, teachers, parents, PSTs, consultants, principals, or otherprofessionals involved with the student. At this point, the person needs to bring their observations
to the School Based Support Team. The SBST will initiate the discussion and process to determine
if an IEP is necessary. Staff members gather information and meet to discuss concerns, preferablywith student and parental input. The decision to develop an IEP should be a collaborative one.

92

Some students may require an IEP at school entry. These students may be identified through thepreschool screening process, an exchange of information with a health professional, discussions
with the preschool program coordinator, and parents. It is essential that School Based Support
Team, school staff and parents receive as much relevant background information as possible inorder to confirm whether an IEP is necessary and, if so, to proceed with its development.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTIt is also important to realize that some provinces in Canada have a student plan that is called an IEP,
or IPP, that is, in fact, more similar to SSPs in the NWT. Therefore, when a child moves into a schoolin the NWT from outside the Territory, it is important to review the documentation of their plan todetermine if they require an IEP in the NWT.
The final decision to develop and implement an IEP is made when information gathered anddiscussed by the School Based Support Team, student, parents, and school staff indicates that:yy a range and variety of supports and strategies already in place are insufficient for student progress;
yy a student’s challenges require learning outcomes that are outside the NWT curricula; and/or,

yy supports, accommodations, facilities, resources, and equipment are needed beyond what isrequired for the student’s peers.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR WHO NEEDS AN IEP AT THE SECONDARY LEVELIn addition, when determining who needs an IEP at the secondary level, the following should be
kept in mind:

yy An IEP is for an individual student, not for a course or courses. In other words, the student
does not have a Math IEP and an English IEP. Each student on an IEP has one Individual
Education Program with annual student outcomes and short-term learning objectives
which are worked on in several classes/courses. The IEP annual student outcomes arecongruent with those identified during a student’s career and program plan development.

yy An IEP is not a way to “get a student through a course”. If the student is able to work on
the curricular learning outcomes of a course, then they do not need an IEP, but rather needaccommodations (documented in a Student Support Plan) to help achieve those outcomes.

yy However, if they require IEP classes, they must be placed on an IEP. Regular courses that thestudent will access should be indicated on the student information page of the IEP and in an
attachment to the IEP.
Both students and parents need to understand the implications of an IEP in senior secondary
school. They need to know that credits earned through meeting IEP objectives do not counttowards what is required for a student to earn a Graduation Diploma. Instead, the student will
receive a school leaving certificate upon finishing high school.

The student and parents must be made aware that the official transcript of a student on an
IEP will indicate those courses in which a student was working on annual student learning
outcomes from their IEP as opposed to the learning outcomes of a regular course. These
courses will have a different course name, e.g. English Grade 10-IEP and the Course Typedesignation IEP. Post-secondary institutions are unlikely to view these courses as meeting theiradmission requirements.

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THE IEP PROCESS
Once the SBST has determined that the development of an IEP is appropriate, collaborativeplanning and implementation of a student’s IEP is facilitated by the process described below. This
description is written for a student who has not previously had an IEP. Four phases are describedin sequence but the order may be varied or several phases developed simultaneously. For
students who already have an IEP, the IEP team may decide to begin at one of the other phases,
depending on what seems reasonable given the situation at the time.

THE IEP PLANNING PROCESS

1. Setting Direction• Establish the IEP Team• Outline responsibilities• Use a person-centred planning process• Clarify purpose of the IEP

4. Implementing & Reviewing the IEP• Integrate the IEP with classroom daily
practice• Put the IEP into practice• Review, revise and report regularly• Evaluate student progress in relation
to annual student outcomes• Evaluate the IEP at year end

2. Gathering and Sharing Informationand Establishing Priorities• Review student records and current work
• Consult student, parents, and previous
teachers• Observe student and conduct further
assessment as necessary• Share, summarize, and record
information and revisit long term goals• Establish IEP Team consensus re:priorities for the current IEP

3. Developing and Writing the IEP• Identify areas of development, target
skills and current level of performancefor each target skill• Develop a SMART annual student
outcome for each target skill• Identify short-term learning objectives
for each annual student outcome• Complete the IEP template• Review and ﬁnalize the IEP

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTSetting Direction – Establish the IEP TeamThe IEP team is composed of people who have the knowledge and skills to identify the student’s
challenges and to develop a plan to meet them. An IEP is more likely to be implemented
successfully if all individuals to be involved in the IEP implementation are members of the IEP team.
Questions to ask when deciding the composition of an IEP team include:
yy Who knows the student?

yy Who can provide insights into what is really important for this student?

yy Who has the expertise that might help develop and implement a successful IEP?

Establishing an IEP team based on the answers to the above questions is more likely to resultin the best team for a given student than a process where people are assigned to an IEP teambecause it is in their job description.
Setting Direction – Outline responsibilities

All IEP team members need to have a clear understanding of their responsibilities on the team.
(See page 86).

While the IEP team will function in a variety of ways, one person is designated as having primary
responsibility for coordinating the IEP process. To ensure smooth meetings, members will need to knowhow often they will meet, what the process for decision making will be, and what steps are to be taken.
The person who takes primary responsibility is usually a PST. If there is no PST in the school, theprincipal is identified as the primary contact. The primary person is responsible for:yy distributing a written and timed agenda prior to meetings (for both the development
process and the review process);yy facilitating group decision making;yy maintaining contact with parents and external agencies;

yy coordinating IEP development and monitoring long term progress;
yy documenting and distributing revisions; and,yy record-keeping.

Setting Direction – Use a person-centered planning process (e.g. MAPS/PATH)
Although an IEP is written for a school year, the long-term (usually 3-5 years) life goals for a
student are critical in helping establish relevant annual student outcomes and short-term learning
objectives. The life goals help frame where the student will be in a few years. The time frame may
differ depending upon the age of the child. For example, it may be appropriate to look three years
ahead for a five to six year old, but eight to ten years into the future for a sixteen year old.

Processes such as MAPs and PATH involve the student and parents as well as others who areimportant in the student’s support network. Such a process can be used effectively to identify long-termlife goals for the student, as well as critical elements in the plan or path for reaching those goals.
Long-term life goals should answer the question, “Overall, where are we heading with this student?”

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Setting Direction – Clarify purpose of IEP
IEP team members need to understand and agree on the purpose of the IEP, its focus, and its
scope. The team should develop a common understanding of the areas of high priority for the
student, which in turn defines the IEP. Several specific areas of development might be targetedin the IEP, such as academic, communication, personal management, social competence, leisure/recreation, career and work exploration, task performance, and work habits.
The more complex a student’s needs, the more areas of development may require attention. At
the same time it is impossible to do everything at once. Priorities must be established for eachschool year, keeping in mind the life goals.
The annual student outcomes in an IEP have to remain manageable and be agreed upon by all.

GATHERING AND SHARING INFORMATION ANDESTABLISHING PRIORITIESThe Gathering and Sharing Information, and Establishing Priorities phase of the IEP process
focuses on consolidating information about the student by reviewing student records and current
work, consulting with those who know the student best, observing the student, and perhaps,by conducting assessments. A summary of the student’s background and current functioning isshared with the IEP team, and priorities are established.
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Review student records and current work

In order to gain a comprehensive picture of the student’s functioning in school, the IEP team will
want to gather information on:
yy self-concept

yy communication skills

yy attendance

yy interests

yy social skills

yy mobility; and,yy likes and dislikes
yy calming and regulating activities

yy problem-solving skills
yy academic achievement

yy school behaviour
yy medical conditions.

Some tools to assist in gathering information are found in the Toolbox; however, there are a wide
variety of tools available on-line.
It is just as important to identify what has not worked as it is to identify what has worked whenplanning an IEP.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTStudent records reviewed by the team should include:

yy the student record (commonly referred to as the cum[sic] File);
yy the program support record (typically kept by the PST);
yy reports from consultants and outside agencies;

yy recent and relevant medical and medication information;yy report cards; and,yy previous IEPs (the IEP itself and recommendations from reviews/evaluations).

Current work reviewed should include:
yy student portfolios;

yy work samples from journals, notebooks, video or audio recordings;

yy most recent individual or classroom assessments/evaluations or other performancemeasures; and,yy observation notes.

In reviewing the student’s work and history, the emphasis should be on establishing a picture of thestudent’s strengths and challenges.

Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Consult student, parents, and previous teachers
As students mature, there are increased possibilities for their involvement in the IEP process.
They may communicate their likes, dislikes, interests, information on learning and strategies theyuse. They may also participate in self-evaluation and creating inventories.
Parents provide a unique perspective on their child’s development and learning. It is importantto recognize that parents have insights in regards to their child because they see them in manydifferent environments and contexts.

Previous teachers and support assistants can provide information on both effective andineffective strategies. Any other professionals working with the student can share theirperceptions and knowledge of the student. They can also share knowledge of any condition thathas been identified/diagnosed.

This process must keep discussions focused on the identification of keys to the student’s successrather than on a list of problems/deficits.

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97Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Observe student and conduct further assessment as necessary
Observations by staff provide important information on the student’s attitude and approach tolearning, and how they function and self-regulate in a variety of situations including:yy managing daily routines and responding to specific activities and transitions;yy approaching new tasks and persisting with tasks;
yy interacting with other students and adults;

yy responding to various cues and instructional strategies; and,yy performing alone or in groups settings.

Staff can also provide information about how the learning environment can impact on thestudent’s learning. For example, they might know the effect that conditions such as lighting,sound, arrangement of classroom, time of day and extra assistance provided can have on a
student’s learning or behaviour.

After studying the information from these observations together with other assessment data,
the team may decide that further assessment is necessary to assist them in understanding thedifficulties the student is experiencing and/or ways the difficulties can be addressed.

Further assessments may be conducted by the classroom teacher, the PST, an educational
consultant, a psychologist, or any other professional. Assessments may include additional
observations and work samples, diagnostic tests, teacher-created tests, developmental
assessments, vocational skills assessments, adaptive living skills, or additional consultations withthe student, parents, school staff, and other professionals.
When individual assessment using a particular test is proposed, the following questions should
guide the decision on its use:yy Is this test necessary?

yy What new information will be gained that the team does not already have?
yy Will this test identify the student’s strengths in a particular area?

yy Will this test provide valuable information unavailable from other sources?

When norm-referenced tests are being considered, the following questions should also be asked:
yy How is the student represented in the population on which the test is normed?
yy How will the test results be interpreted in light of the norming of the test?

yy Is the context of the content items relevant to the student’s life experience? How biased is the test?

yy Does the student have the language proficiency required to understand the directions?

Information gathered should be triangulated; test results should be viewed as only one part ofa mosaic depicting the student. All information from assessments must be presented to the IEP
team in a form that is readily understood by all members, particularly the student and parents.

Assessment results should be reported with a focus on the implications for educational programming.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTGathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Share, summarize and record information and revisit long-term goals
All information gathered in the above process is shared with the IEP team. It is examined andconsolidated to identify patterns of strengths, interests, and challenges of the student, in a broad
range of development and/or subject areas. It should then be summarized in a recorded format
corresponding to the categories of background information required on the IEP. This can beentered directly onto the IEP form in the student system.
Gathering and Sharing Information and Establishing Priorities –Establish IEP team consensus re: priorities for the current IEP

Before continuing to the next stage of development of the IEP, there must be consensus foundamong the team members on the priorities for the IEP. The IEP is not a description of everythingthat will be taught to the student. Many needs/challenges will likely have been identified when
the team gathered and shared information. The IEP will be a summary of the highest priorities
for the student’s learning during the school year. While choosing priorities, the IEP team should
keep the following in mind:
yy the student’s values and desired outcomesyy the parent’s values and desired outcomes
for the student
yy the urgency of the need or challenge
yy contribution to overall achievement

yy importance in social development
yy usefulness in other environments
yy age appropriatenessyy instructional time

yy available resources

DEVELOPING AND WRITING THE IEP

The Developing and Writing the IEP phase of the process focuses on preparing the written IEP.
Background information and long-term goals are recorded. The team establishes and records
appropriate annual student outcomes and short-term learning objectives, and identifies supports
and accommodations for the student. Transition plans are added if required. All information isrecorded in the approved government template and all team members sign the IEP.
Developing and Writing the IEP – Identify areas of development, target skills,
and current level of performance for each target skill

Depending on the priorities identified by the IEP Team, various areas of development andtarget skills will be addressed within the IEP. Possible areas of development are: academic,
communication, personal management, social competence, leisure/recreation/wellness, career
and work exploration, task performance/work habits.

For each of the selected development areas, the team determines which particular skill or skills
will be targeted. These target skills become the indicators that will be observed and used inmeasuring student progress. Target skills are the skills previously identified as priority needs/
challenges for the student (e.g. reading instructions, working independently, participating in classdiscussions, using PECS to communicate).
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In order to develop specific annual student outcomes for each target skill, it is very important toknow how the student is performing the skill at the present time. Such a description is known
as the current level of performance (CLP). The description of the CLP should be as specific as
possible, using objective, descriptive language, and avoiding evaluative or judgemental “fuzzy”
language such as “poor”, “lazy”, or “inappropriate”. The CLP should be written in a sentenceor two but provide enough detail that the reader can visualize the student’s performance or
attempted performance of the skill with a focus on verbs that describe what the child is doing.
An example is provided below.
Area of Development:

Task Performance/Work Habits

Target Skill:

Transitions

Current Level of Performance:

When told to stop or change activities, Marty
typically responds with yelling, crying, hitting theadult who is directing him, and throwing objects.

The CLP is also essential for:yy ensuring materials, instructional strategies, and assessments are appropriately adapted;
yy assessing student progress (the CLP forms the baseline).

Developing and Writing the IEP –Develop a SMART annual student outcome for each target skill
Annual student outcomes are written for each area of development and target skill identified
above. Given that the CLP is the starting point for the year, the annual student outcomes areconcise descriptions of what the student’s performance will realistically look like by the end of
the school year.
Annual student outcome considerations for secondary students

Annual student outcomes for secondary students should be tied closely to both the student’s
long-term life goals and their career and program plan.
Many students on an IEP will be working on annual student outcomes which are completely different
from any learning outcomes in approved Senior Secondary courses. There will be some students,
however, who will be able to achieve the outcomes of some regular NWT courses, along with others
that are unique to them and articulated in their IEP. When choosing such courses, the focus should
always be on how the courses are congruent with priorities identified for the student.
Annual outcomes outside of those in the NWT curricula/courses will need to be achieved in thecontext of classes/courses offered to other students. The IEP team needs to write the annual student
outcomes keeping in mind how they may be achieved in inclusive classroom settings. For many
students on IEPs at the secondary level, some outcomes will have considerable emphasis on acquiringand improving the skills required for independent living after secondary school.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTAnnual student outcomes should:

yy be important to the student (and consistent with priorities identified by the IEP team);
yy be relevant to the student’s actual challenges;

yy be derived from the student’s current level of performance;

yy take into consideration the student’s past achievement and rate of progress;
yy challenge the student but be achievable;

yy focus on what the student will learn, rather than on what the teachers will teach;yy identify what the student will do, rather than what they will stop doing; and,yy be realistic with respect to instructional time and resources.

The scope and degree of specificity of an annual student outcome is determined by the needs ofthe student. An outcome that is appropriate for one student may be too broad or too narrow for
another.
The following template is suggested as a guide:[Student} will [action] [what/how][by what criteria] [where] [by what date]

Effective annual student outcomes are referred to as SMART goals. SMART is an acronym thatstands for the following criteria:
yy Specific

written in clear, unambiguous language

yy Measurable

allow student achievement to be described, assessed, and evaluatedyy Relevant

meaningful for the student

yy Achievableyy Time-related

realistic for the student

can be accomplished within a specific time period, typically one school year

Returning to the earlier example, the area of development, target skill, current level of
performance, and annual student outcome now form a “coherent package”:
Area of Development:

Task Performance/Work Habits

Target Skill:

Transitions

Current Level of Performance:

When told to stop or change activities, Marty
typically responds with yelling, crying, hitting theadult who is directing him, and throwing objects.
By June, when provided with a 3-minute warning
using a visual schedule, Marty will follow thedirection to change activities in the classroom
setting at least 8 out of 10 times on at least 4 outof 5 consecutive days.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT101

A student may also be able to attain learning outcomes from approved NWT curricula. Any
curricular learning outcomes on which the student is working should be identified on an
attachment appended to the IEP. They do not require the development of annual student
outcomes or short-term learning objectives.
Developing and Writing the IEP –Identify short-term learning objectives for each annual student outcome

The annual student outcomes are written to be achievable within one school year. To foster
student achievement during the school year, each annual student outcome is broken down into
smaller, more manageable steps called short-term learning objectives. The achievement of theseobjectives over the year should culminate in the achievement of the annual student outcome fromwhich they were derived. These objectives represent a scaffolding of the overall goal.
Short-term learning objectives describe observable and measurable behaviours or learning.
The IEP template has space for four (4) learning objectives for each annual student outcome.
In writing these short-term learning objectives, the IEP team will:
yy identify the essential components or tasks involved in achieving the annual student
outcome; and,yy organize components or tasks into sequence where appropriate, and write them using the
SMART criteria:
 determine the date when achievement is expected;

 determine the instructional strategies and/or materials to be used to assist the student
in attaining the objective; name the person(s) responsible for implementing the instruction/action;

 describe how the student will demonstrate that the objective has been achieved; and, specify the conditions under which the student will perform the task (e.g. with orwithout assistance) and criteria (e.g. accuracy, duration, rate) for attainment.

Short term learning objectives should be attainable within a reasonable period of time, typically nolonger than a reporting period. These objectives must be reviewed and revised when necessary.
The quality of the short-term learning objectives can be reviewed using the following questions:yy Is the short-term learning objective attainable in a reasonable length of time?
yy Is the short-term learning objective measurable?

yy Does the short-term learning objective include conditions for the learning, assessment
criteria, and completion date?

yy Taken together, do the short-term learning objectives represent the essential components of
the annual student outcome to which they lead?
If the student is not attaining an objective, it is advisable to review and change the objective,
possibly by scaffolding it into more discrete chunks, rather than extending the time.

102

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTThe following visual summarizes how many of the terms used on the preceding pages fit in the
IEP, and what some of the pages of the IEP will look like when printed.
3a. Area of Development

Target Skill

IEP team agrees on which areas of development
are priorities for this IEP

More specific than area of development, target
skills provide the real focus of the IEP. Again, theIEP team has to agree.

3b. Current Level of Performance
Written in a sentence or two, a description of the student's current level of performance (CLP)on the target skill, with enough detail that the reader can visualize the student's performance or
attempted performance of the skill. As specific as possible CLP's use objective, descriptive language
and avoid evaluative, "fuzzy" language such as "poor", "lazy" or "inappropriate". The current level of
performance is the starting point for the IEP.
3c. SMART Annual Student Outcome
If the current level of performance is the starting point, the annual student outcome is a concise
description of what the student's performance will realistically look like by the end of the year.
Annual student outcomes are written SMART terms:
yy Specific: written in clear, unambiguous language
yy Measurable: allow student achievement to be described, assessed, and evaluatedyy Achievable: realistic for the student
yy Relevant: meaningful for the student
yy Time-related: can be accomplished within a specific time period, typically one school year
3d. Short-term Learning Objectives

3e. Instructional Strategies and Responsibility

See page 105.
1. Each annual student outcome is broken
down into smaller, more manageable steps
called short-term learning objectives. Thereis room for four of them.
2. Short-term learning objectives are written
according to SMART criteria.
3. Each short-term learning objective should
typically be achieved within 6 to 8 weeks.
4. Taken together, the short-term learning
objectives represent the essential
components of the annual student
outcome to which they lead.
3f. Evaluation Method

3g. Student Progress

See page 107.

See page 109.

SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWT

103

Developing and Writing the IEP – Complete the IEP template
See Section 4 of this handbook on how to use the GNWT approved template for writing IEPs.
Developing and Writing the IEP – Review and approve the IEP

Once the IEP template has been completed, the IEP team meets to review the document. Membersof the team need to agree that the document produced accurately reflects the information shared,priorities decided, and decisions made by the team. Parents may appreciate being provided with
the questions on form P1 (IEP) Questions for Parents to Ask During IEP Development.
Signing the IEP indicates that team members approve and support the plan. The criticalsignatures on an IEP form are:yy student (if applicable);yy parent(s)/Guardian(s);yy principal;

yy teacher(s);yy program support teacher; and,yy any other professional involved regularly on the IEP team.

All signatures should be dated.

Section 9 (3) of the Education Act (1996) requires the principal to “obtain the approval of a parent
before an IEP is implemented or altered.”
The dated parent’s signature on this page prior to implementation of the IEP will constitute proof
that this requirement has been met. Parent’s signatures are also required at IEP review times if
any changes are made to the student’s annual learning outcomes.

All individuals who sign the IEP should be given a copy of it. At the end of each school year, the mostcurrent IEP must be placed in the Program Support file, as well as the Student Record (cum file).
According to both the Education Act, Section 29 (2) (a), and Student Record Regulations, R-168-96,
Amended R-011-2010, Section 4(1) (n-o), a copy of the plan must be kept in the Student Record.
The Student Record is, according to the Departmental Directive on the Management of Informationin the Student Record and Other Records Pertaining to Students (revised 2005), “a record that manyeducators typically think of as the cumulative record.” (p. 10). Historical IEPs are kept in the Student
Support File. Only the current IEP should be kept in the Student Record (Cum File).
Senior Secondary Students

For senior secondary IEPs there is an additional statement indicating that all parties signing
the IEP understand the implications of course credits earned for meeting IEP objectives andthe issuing of a school leaving certificate rather than a graduation diploma. See the attachedscreenshot.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTA secondary student who has actively participated in the development of their IEP may be
granted the credit that is given for career and program plan development.

In addition to parental permission, student permission for implementation may be given by astudent who has reached the age of majority (19) in the NWT. If parents have not been assigned
guardianship of a child who has reached the age of majority (19) in the NWT, the student MUST
sign the IEP.

IMPLEMENTING AND REVIEWING THE IEP
The Implementing and Reviewing the IEP phase of the process focuses on how to ensure
successful implementation of the IEP. Keys to this are integration of the IEP with classroom
planning and clarification of the individual roles in translating the IEP into practice. Processes
must also be put in place for review, revisions, reporting on progress and evaluation.
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP –Integrate the IEP with classroom and daily planning
Elementary Classrooms
The IEP is linked to ongoing daily instruction through discussion among all staff members
responsible for its implementation. The PST (or the person designated as coordinator of the IEP
process) plays a facilitative role in assisting staff in deciding how programming plans for the
student will be addressed daily and how those responsible for each strategy and support will
put these into action in the student’s current learning environments. As with planning for otherstudents, the teacher needs to be mindful of the strengths and challenges.
The classroom teacher(s) is key to this stage as they retain primary responsibility
for implementing the IEP to support the student’s learning.

The overall shape of the program in the classroom should be the same for all students. If the classis going to gym, then that is the time to meet the physical needs of the student on the IEP. If thestudent requires specific communication training, this should take place within Language Arts class.
By implementing IEPs in a way congruent with the classroom program, students feel more a part ofthe class and are not following a program that is isolating them from their peers.

Working within the existing classroom timetable and an individualized schedule, a list is madeof the events and activities that provide opportunities for the student to work toward anddemonstrate attainment of objectives. The most appropriate learning environments for teachingspecific objectives are determined. In addition to the learning environment in the school, someof the short-term learning objectives may be worked on in the home or in other community
environments. Toolbox T5 is an organizational matrix that may be used to assist with the
integration of IEP target skills, annual student outcomes, and short-term objectives into school,
home, and community activities.
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105

Some students on an IEP will also be able to work on learning objectives within the NWT
curricula. They will do this as part of regular courses selected as most appropriate for them.

When teachers are integrating the IEP with their daily classroom planning, it is important to notethe supports identified in the IEP to assist the student to meet each objective.
In addition, the evaluation methods and criteria noted in the IEP need to be integrated with theevaluation strategies used with other students in the class/course, whenever possible.
Senior Secondary Classrooms

Integrating the IEP with classroom planning is a complex task when a number of teachers are
involved with the student. The IEP is linked to ongoing daily instruction through discussion
among all of the teachers involved with the student’s IEP. The group needs to use a planning
tool such as Toolbox T5 to determine which annual student outcomes and short-term learning
objectives can be met in which subject area. The teachers need to document how they will
provide learning opportunities, within their subject areas, which will help the student to achieve
their IEP goals.

In addition to the learning environment in the school, some of the short-term learning objectives
may be worked on in the home or community environments. Toolbox T5 is an organizational
matrix that may be used to assist with the integration of IEP target skills, annual student
outcomes, and short-term objectives into school, home, and community activities. Secondary
students may be working on several annual student outcomes in settings other than theclassroom.

In addition, senior secondary teachers, under the leadership of the principal and/or PST, arerequired to identify objectives which will contribute to receive credits to be earned and to identify
to which courses these credits will be granted (e.g. 2 credits in Mathematics – Grade 10 IEP).
By implementing IEPs in a way congruent with the classroom program, students feel more a part ofthe class and are not following a program that is isolating them from their peers.

The PST (or the person designated as coordinator of the IEP process) plays a facilitative role inassisting staff to decide how programming plans for the student will be addressed daily and how
those responsible for each strategy and support will put these into action in the student’s current
learning environments. As with planning for other students, the teacher needs to be mindful ofthe student’s strengths and challenges.
Some students on an IEP will also be able to work on learning objectives within the NWT
curricula. They will do this as part of regular courses selected as most appropriate for them.

When teachers are integrating the IEP with their daily classroom planning, it is important to notethe supports identified in the IEP to assist the student to meet each objective.
In addition, the evaluation methods and criteria noted in the IEP need to be integrated with theevaluation strategies used with other students in the class/course, whenever possible.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTImplementing and Reviewing the IEP – Put the IEP into practiceAs the daily plans for instruction related to the short-term learning objectives of the IEP are
implemented, teachers and support assistants need to develop a tracking system. Weekly
tracking forms with the IEP outcomes and objectives itemized and spaces data and observations
may assist in the ongoing evaluation of progress.

Monitoring the progress of a student on an IEP is essential in order to provide an effective
program. As with other students, techniques such as observation, samples of work, participation,
demonstrations, and other techniques help to measure whether the program is being implemented
and whether the student is progressing. Team members involved directly with the implementationneed to communicate frequently. The PST often plays a coordination role in the monitoring process
through regular consultation with the student, parents, teacher, and other staff.
Assessment data is collected periodically as the IEP is put into practice. Data should inform the
IEP team about the student’s progress and can also indicate the effectiveness of the teaching andlearning strategies and resources used as part of daily instruction. Parents and families have a
critical role to play in putting the IEP into practice by supporting their child’s learning. They canreinforce the learning of skills outlined in the short-term learning objectives, assist with any
work sent home, and give emotional support as the student strives to meet objectives.
Senior Secondary

Team members involved with implementation need to communicate frequently. Individual
teachers will have a good idea of the student’s progress in their particular class. The PST plays anessential coordination role in monitoring overall progress through regular consultation with thestudent, parents, teachers, and other staff. It is suggested that the PST adopt or develop tools or
a process by which to keep track of the big picture of how a student on an IEP is progressing. The
PST could have students on IEPs check in with them daily or weekly, or periodically book shortmeetings with all of the student’s teachers.
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP – Review, revise, and report regularly

As a consequence of the monitoring process, IEP team members may need to meet to discuss thechanging needs, challenges, and student progress. The number of times this is necessary will varyfrom student to student, as will the degree of student involvement in decisions. All such meetings
should be documented with notes. If the student is progressing slowly or not making progress,
team members may decide to revise short-term objectives, strategies and/or resources rather
than continue with ineffective action until the next IEP review. Any revision must be consistent
with the annual student outcomes set out in the IEP and be well documented.
The IEP Team will meet formally to review the IEP at least twice a year. These reviews may
coincide with reporting periods. One of these reviews may be evaluative (See Evaluate the IEP at
Year End section). At these times, the educators on the team share information on the strategies
they have employed and any assessment results with the student, parents, and other teammembers. The student and parent offer their assessment of how the program is promoting thestudent’s development and learning.

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Discussion during the review should focus on the following questions:yy Is the IEP, in the student’s/parent’s/teacher’s view, meeting the student’s needs?
yy Does the IEP still accurately reflect the student’s educational challenges?

yy How effective are the strategies and resources in supporting student learning?

yy How much progress has the student made towards achieving the annual student outcomes/
short-term learning objectives?
yy Is there new information that suggests changes be made in the student’s programming?
yy Are new annual student outcomes/short-term learning objectives needed to reflect thestudent’s changing strengths, challenges, and interests more accurately?

If the student is attaining short-term learning objectives satisfactorily, the plan as written will be
continued. If the student is learning at a faster rate than anticipated, new or additional annual
student outcomes/short-term learning objectives will be developed.
If the student is making unsatisfactory progress, the review process may take the teamback to any of the steps in the IEP development.

More information may need to be gathered. Annual student outcomes/short-term learning
objectives may need to be revised. New instructional or assessment strategies or help from otherprofessionals may be needed. The student may be able to provide valuable insight into whatneeds to be changed.
All changes are recorded in the IEP. Changes should be done as a revision to the original IEP
on the electronic system. If the formal reviews or any other meeting of the IEP team result inchanges to the student’s annual student outcomes, parents’ signatures are required. For changes
to short-term learning objectives, no signature is required.
Informal meetings may result in changes to strategies, resources, or supports, but not toannual student outcomes/short-term learning objectives. An IEP team member is expected tocommunicate these changes to parents but they are not required to sign every time this type ofchange is made.
Senior Secondary

For senior secondary students, the IEP team will have the additional task, when reviewing thestudent’s progress, of determining the credits to be granted for the achievement of IEP shortterm learning objectives and recording these credits. Credits may be accumulated as shortterm learning objectives are met up to the maximum credits allowed for a particular course
designation e.g. English – Grade 10 IEP.

The school administration will submit the credit(s) earned, upon completion of short-term
learning objectives, one or more credit at a time or credits completed at the end of each semester
to Student Records, Department of ECE, for inclusion in the student’s transcript.

A more detailed description of the recording of credits for students on IEPs is available in Section
3 of the NWT School Handbook (revised June 2013).

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTImplementing and Reviewing the IEP –Evaluate student progress in relation to annual student outcomesStudent progress is evaluated throughout the year and at year-end for students on IEPs in asimilar manner as for other students. The annual student outcomes are reviewed along with any
learning outcomes for work on NWT curricula.
Evaluation must be completed in relation to achievement of the annual learning outcomes, andreported as to what progress has been made on those outcomes. As with the progress for otherstudents, assessment may be based on samples of student work, demonstrations, assessmentswith accommodations in place, etc. Methods for evaluation progress will have been determinedby the IEP Team and outlined on the IEP in Section 3F.

As the student’s current level of performance (CLP) is key to both measuring progress and toestablishing the following year’s IEP priorities, it is important to record the student’s year end
CLP for each annual student outcome in direct measurable and observable detail. Discussions ofthese levels will determine whether the target skill needs further work in the following year orwhether other target skills should become priorities.
Implementing and Reviewing the IEP – Evaluate the IEP at year end

At the end of the school year, or if the student transfers to another school, the IEP team conducts
a review of the IEP, documents student progress and writes recommendations for the coming
year or new school. When writing the recommendations, consideration should be given to theanswers to the following questions regarding the IEP development and the IEP implementation.
yy Was the student involved to the greatest extent possible?

yy Were parents involved in developing and/or revising annual student outcomes and shortterm learning objectives?
yy Was all pertinent background information included in the IEP?

yy Was the number of annual student outcomes prescribed manageable?

yy Were the criteria for achieving each short-term learning objective realistic and appropriate?
yy Was the assignment of responsibilities for implementation clear?

yy Was the student, whenever possible, encouraged to take responsibility for their own growthand progress?
yy Was there sufficient communication among team members over the school year?
yy Were daily plans consistently followed? If not, what problems prevented theirimplementation?
yy Were the objectives addressed logically and sequentially?
yy Were materials appropriate and available?

yy Has the level of performance changed since the beginning of the school year?

yy Did the student make gains in areas that were not part of the annual student outcomes andshort-term learning objectives of the IEP?

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The year-end evaluation helps to ensure continuity of the student’s learning by forming thefoundation on which the following year’s IEP is developed. In addition to evaluating the success of
the IEP in promoting student learning, the success of the IEP process itself should also be evaluated.
The team members should review their own roles and responsibilities and be accountable for theirperformance with respect to their contribution to the development and implementation of the IEP
being evaluated. Suggestions for ways to improve the process should be noted.

IN CONCLUSION
Developing Individual Education Programs is neither quick nor easy. While all students require
clearly articulated learning outcomes, by definition, students who require individual education
programs have learning outcomes which are, more often than not, unique to them. In turn then,the program and supports required to meet those unique outcomes is also highly individualized.

The preceding pages have outlined the process for identifying long-term life goals and annual
student outcomes, and developing an IEP to move forward toward those goals. Thoughtfully
developed and well implemented, such IEPs will increase the probability that students’ lives will
improve as a result – improved outcomes for students is a goal of individual education programs.

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SECTION 3: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TYPES IN THE NWTSECTION 4:
Accessing and Using Tienet for SSPS and IEPSPart 1: Using TIENETACCESSING TIENET THROUGH POWERSCHOOL/POWERTEACHER
1. Log into PowerSchool or PowerTeacher.
2. In PowerSchool:a. On the left side menu, scroll down to
TIENET and click.

In PowerTeacher or PowerSchool:b. On the right side of the top menu, click the icon.

You will then connect to the TIENET homepage.

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TIENET HOMEPAGE

You may click the underlined words or the icons on the Navigation Bar to move to the following sections.
House: returns you to your Home Page from anywhere in the system.

Search: Provides you with access to a quick search form that allows you to search forstudents or staff in the system. The % symbol acts as the wildcard search.
Communication: Note that most districts are not using the Communication tool insideof Tienet. If your district is using it, they will provide training.
Reporting: Provides you with access to the list of available reports.
Help: Provides you with access to reference materials and troubleshooting tools.
Logout: enables you to logout of the system.
The toolbar is below the navigation bar and it changes depending upon where you are in the system.
yy Your homepage can be rearranged by selecting the boxes and dragging them to where
you want them located. The boxes on your Homepage allow for quick access to recently
accessed student profiles, reports you have generated, or your caseload (once created).

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yy When searching for a student, either through Quick Access, or through Search, you can use
the % sign as a wildcard. Thus, searching for K% will give you all students whose last namestarts with ‘K’. Searching for %K will give you all the students whose last name ends with ‘K’.

yy If you click on the Folder icon by a student’s name, it will take you to the Student Profile.

yy The Student Profile has a number of pages including: General Demographics
 Program Information
 Events

 SSP Accomms (under development) Assessment History (under development)yy Once you have chosen the folder, you may move the cursor to the arrow included within
the General Demographics box to open the pulldown. Your choices are then General
Demographics, Program Information, Events, etc.

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Part 2: TIENET
GENERAL DEMOGRAPHICS

NOTE:
General Demographics is populated from PowerSchool/PowerTeacher. Therefore, any changes todemographic information must be made through PowerSchool/PowerTeacher.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
The type of program is automatically generated based on whether an SSP or IEP is created for a student.
Assessment/Support Services is information that can be entered by the school. It is important toconsider the following:yy All categories up to Specialized Assessment should only reflect services and/or assessmentsthat are relevant for the current year.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSCASE LOADSTIENET allows a PST, RISC or teacher to set up a Case Load. The Case Load provides the user witha list of current students with whom they are working. However, it should be noted that once a
Case Load is created, it does not automatically add students who have SSPs, MEPs, or IEPs
that were created later, nor are students who are new to the district automatically added.
Thus, depending upon the Case Load to be an accurate representation of the students withwhom the staff person is working is not sound practice. Whoever has created the Case Load is
responsible for keeping it up-to-date afterwards.
The Reporting category must be used to obtain accurate numbers of individuals with SSPs, MEPs,
and IEPs. It must also be used to generate an accurate list of those individuals. This would also bea good way of determining whether all a user’s students are included within their Case Load.
To add a student to a Case Load, complete the following steps:

1. On the Home Page, go to the “My Students” box and click Edit.

2. On the My Student Caseload page, you will see the Add Students to Standard Caseload tab.
Click on this option.

NOTE: Your homepage may appear differently than illustrated.

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3. You will be asked to Search for a student. A list of students can be generated by using thewildcard search, (%). Check the box for any (or all students) whom you wish to add to yourcase file, and then click the Add Students Marked Below to Standard Caseload tab.

SSP ACCOMMS (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)ASSESSMENT HISTORY (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)116

SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSFOLDER ICON – DOCUMENTS FILE TAB OR PAGE ICON
A list of all documents related to an individual student can be accessed through the Documents
File Tab located to the right of the Profile Tab within the Student Folder. This can also be accessed
directly through using a student search.
Documents can be opened by clicking on the underlined link.

PDF documents relevant to the student file can be attached to the Support Plan. Documents that
may be attached include SLP and OT reports, recommendations from Educational Psychology
reports, etc.

If a document is opened and the following message appears at the top of the page, please ensurethat you choose update. The message in red indicates that there have been changes made to thestudent’s file in Powerschool that need to be moved to TIENET. Updates do not show for 24 hours.

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ATTACHING DOCUMENTS
To attach documents to an SSP, MEP, or IEP, follow these steps:

1. Open the SSP, MEP, or IEP. Go to the Navigate To... pulldown on the Toolbar and click File
Attachments.

NOTE: At time of writing, some regions do not allow attachments. Check with your region.

2. Choose Attach Files on the Toolbar.

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3. Choose the file on the computer you wish to upload.

The attachment, once uploaded, will show on the document list.

SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPS119FOLDER ICON – EVENTS
Any work done on a student’s TIENET file can be tracked through Events. As well, manual notes
can be added to Events to document items related to a student file, or specific SSP/IEP throughadding a manual event. For example, adding a manual event to the file to document contact madewith parents regarding implementation of an SSP, arrangement of meetings, conversations etc.
can all be manually documented in Events. It is important to recognize that all documentation
put into the Events file, like any information on a student file, is subject to subpoena and accessthrough ATIPP.
The Events tab is found on the Student Page. It is generally the third folder tab across the top.

As can be seen in the following screenshot – all actions on the student’s file is documented within
the Events Log.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSTo add a manual Event to the log, follow these instructions.

1. Open the student log by choosing the folder tab “Events”.
2. Choose the + New Event on the left side of the screen.

3. Enter your notes/comments in the box Event Description.

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4. Choose whether to link the Event Description to a specific document in the student file.

5. Choose Accept to save the Manual Event.

Note: Manual events can be edited and deleted by the creator. Automatic Events can only beedited or deleted by the Security Administrator.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSPart 3: Writing and Managing
Student Support Plans
TIENET will only provide accurate data if correct processes are used for beginning, copying, orrevising SSPs. Using incorrect processes may cause documents to be stored or counted in data in
the incorrect year, or double-counted.
Ideally, at the beginning of the year, or when it is determined a student will be placed on a SSP
with accommodations or an MEP, a new document should be started. If it is decided that theprevious year’s document will be used as the starting point, a new SSP must still be created andthe previous document copied into it following the instructions in Using a Previous Year’s
Information on an SSP.

Once the SSP is written, reviewed by the PST and/or principal, and approved by the parent, thedocument is to be “Finalized”. The term, Finalized, simply means that the document is a working
document in use.

SSPs are living documents and subject to revision throughout the year as a student’s required
supports change or evolve. When it is necessary to change the SSP, the finalized document shouldbe opened and a revised document created following the instructions in Revising or Changing
the SSP within the Year. Creating a revised document following this process will ensure thata history of growth and changes in the SSP are documented in the historical documents for theyear, and a history of successful and unsuccessful accommodations can be intuited from thechanges. Again, as soon as the revised SSP is reviewed and approved by the PST/principal andparents, it needs to be finalized. A student may have 3-4 finalized SSP’s over the course of a year.
At a minimum, SSPs should be reviewed at reporting times.
**A common error occurs when teachers copy a previous SSP within the year instead of doing arevision. If this happens, the revision history for the student is no longer accessible. A document
should never be copied within the same year.

STARTING A NEW SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS OR MEP
1. Navigate to a student document library by clicking on the page icon beside the student’s
name under “My Students” on your home page. Alternatively, if the student is included
under Quick Access as a recently worked with student, the page icon next to the student’s
name on that list can also be used. Once the new page is opened, click on the drop-downmenu next to Create New Document and select the document type, “Student Support Plan”.

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2. Click on the green Go button. The SSP will be automatically named. There is no reason to
put anything under “Comment” unless there is specific information that the user wishes toinclude.

3. Click on the word New and the New SSP will open.

Under “Type of Plan”, there will be a choice for all plan types allowed in the NWT.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSUSING A PREVIOUS YEAR’S INFORMATION ON AN SSP
At the beginning of a school year, it may be determined that many of the supports,
accommodations or modifications on the previous year’s SSP should be used again in the current
year. If this is the decision, it may be easier to copy the previous year’s SSP and edit it than tobegin a new SSP without doing so.

It is very important that the teacher carefully consider what previous strategies andsupports will be continued. It is important, when using this process to generate a new SSP,
that all supports and accommodations are carefully reviewed, and where possible, discussedwith the student and parents as to their efficacy and/or usefulness.
1. Navigate to a student document library by clicking on the page icon. Click on the drop-downmenu next to Create New Document and select the document type “Student Support Plan”.
Then, press “Go”. (see instructions in Starting a New SSP with Accommodations or MEP)
2. Choose Advanced on the box that pops up.

3. On the Advanced page, make certain that “Student Support Plan” has a check mark in thesmall box left of it. If it does not, then click in the box and a check mark should appear. Then,click in the box to the left of the instruction, “Copy information from another (previous)
document”. Then click on New.

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4. Choose which previous document to be copied by clicking in the box. Choose Accept.

5. Again, select the check box beside “Student Support Plan” and ensure that the correctsource document has been chosen.

6. Edit the newly created document. Note that the introduction to the document indicates that
information has been copied from a previous document.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSREVISING OR CHANGING THE SSP WITHIN THE YEAR
1. Open the SSP that is to be revised. Choose the “More” pulldown menu and select “Create
Revision of this Document”.

2. A new window will open asking if you wish to create a new revision. Note that the Comment
Box indicates it is a revision. Choose Accept.

3. A newly labelled Revised Document will be opened. Note: Only a finalized document
can be revised and there can only be one Revised Document opened at a time. The
Revised Document must be finalized before another revision can be created.

SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPS127CONTENT OF AN SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS
Note: All boxes that are red in TIENET must be filled in.
1. Demographic Information

All demographic information (Student name, DOB, ID, grade, parent names, teacher namesetc.) are generated from PowerSchool. If the information on the SSP is incorrect, it means
the information on PowerSchool needs to be corrected.

2. Date on the Plan should be today’s date. If copied, ensure you update the date.

3. Type of Plan – choose the correct plan. An explanation of the type of plan chosen will come up.
You must indicate if the correct type of plan was chosen.

4. Statement of Purpose/Rationale

This statement should be short and concise. It should provide an answer to the following
question:yy Why does the teacher(s) believe the student requires accommodations to succeed in theRegular Program? If there is a diagnosis that impacts on the student’s learning, it should
be named in this statement.

5. Focus Areas identified on the plan are chosen from the Drop-down pick list on TIENET.
The listed areas represent both subjects and general skills. If necessary, additional focus
areas can be added under the Focus Area labelled “Other”. This option should be usedsparingly, if at all.

It is important that a new Focus Area be added for each subject or general skill. DO NOT list
all accommodations under different subjects or general areas under one focus area.
This would prevent TIENET from tracking the types of accommodations being used.

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6. Strategies under the Focus Area can be entered a number of different ways. By pressing the
microphone (if available), the strategies can be dictated verbally to the plan. Alternatively,
you may add accommodations by typing them directly in the box. If the icon of the rows oflines is chosen, , then a pick list of possible strategies is provided. It is recommended, if
using the pick list, to choose strategies carefully, and to choose only those strategies that are
being used regularly.
Check the appropriateness of the chosen strategies by answering the following questions:yy Is this strategy simply good teaching strategy or part of universal design for learning?
yy Can the student meet expected learning outcomes, at a passing level, without thisstrategy?

yy Does the strategy use the student’s strengths as well as respond to their challenges?
yy Is consistent implementation of this strategy realistic for the teacher?

yy Can this strategy be implemented without isolating the student or drawing unnecessary
attention to them?
The number of strategies chosen under the Focus Area should be kept to a low number toensure realistic implementation for both the student and the teacher. Strategies may bediscontinued, substituted, or added when the Student Support Plan is reviewed.

7. Comments/Additional Information

Any additional information about the student that is pertinent to the implementation of
the Student Support Plan may be added here. Factors that may be affecting the student’s
performance such as attendance, second-language learning, or health conditions are a few
examples. Comments might also include suggestions for help at home.

8. Signatures

While Parental Signatures are not required to implement a Student Support Plan withAccommodations for Difficulty or Enrichment, best practices would suggest that suchsignatures should be obtained. At the very least, communication with the parents regarding
the SSP should be documented in the Events section of TIENET. The SSP must be signed by
the teacher, principal and PST.

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129CONTENT OF A SSP WITH MODIFICATIONS/MODIFIED EDUCATION PLAN
Note: All boxes that are red in TIENET must be filled in.

A MEP cannot be begun for a student until the SBST has approved the placement of thestudent on an MEP.
1. Demographic Information

All demographic information (Student name, DOB, ID, grade, parent names, teacher namesetc.) are generated from PowerSchool. If the information on the SSP is incorrect, it means
the information on PowerSchool needs to be corrected.

2. Date on the Plan should be today’s date.

3. Type of Plan – choose the correct plan. An explanation of the type of plan chosen will comeup. You must indicate if the correct type of plan was chosen.

4. Statement of Purpose/Rationale

This statement should be short and concise. It should provide an answer to the following
question:yy Why does the teacher(s) believe the student requires modifications to succeed? If there isa diagnosis that impacts on the student’s learning, it should be named in this statement.

5. Targeted Curriculum Outcomes

Once the subject (curricular) areas have been determined for a Modified Education
Program, the teacher should collect all observational, informal and formal assessment data
available for that student in those subjects and get a picture of what the student knows andcan do. If various benchmarks exist in the subject area for different grade levels, then thestudent’s achievement should be compared to these. If not, it should be compared to the
expected learning outcomes of the grade levels below or above their grade placement. The
curricular learning outcomes to be worked on should allow initial student success and thenmove to presenting more challenge.

It is quite possible that a student could be on a Modified Education Program in one or more
subjects – e.g. two years below grade level in Math – but be on a Regular Education Programwith Accommodations – i.e. achieving curricular outcomes at grade level (with listed
accommodations) – in other subjects. These can both be documented on one Student
Support Plan. The Type of Student Support Plan should be entered as a Modified Education
Plan, the Curriculum Outcomes box should be filled out for the Modified Program and anote should be made in the Curriculum Outcomes box of which subject areas are under the
regular program with accommodations for difficulty.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSNote that the TIENET document states the following: “Referring to the curricular areas identified
in the Statement of Purpose/Rationale, identify the curricular level/outcomes on which thestudent is working, as well as resources and persons responsible. It is not necessary to rewrite
large sections of curricular documents - curricular name, and SLOs can simply be referenced.”

6. Focus Areas identified on the plan are chosen from the drop-down pick list on TIENET. The
listed areas represent both subjects and general skills. If necessary additional focus areas canbe added under the Focus Area labelled “Other”. This option should be used sparingly, if at all.

It is important that a new Focus Area be added for each subject or general skill. DO NOT list
all accommodations under different subjects or general areas under one focus area.
This would prevent TIENET from tracking the types of accommodations being used.

7. Strategies under the Focus Area can be entered a number of different ways. By pressing the
microphone (if available), the strategies can be dictated verbally to the plan. Alternatively, you
may add accommodations by typing them directly in the box. If the icon of the rows of lines ischosen, , then a pick list of possible strategies is provided. It is recommended, if using the pick
list, to choose strategies carefully, and to choose only those strategies that are being used regularly.
Check the appropriateness of the chosen strategies by answering the following questions:yy Is this strategy simply good teaching strategy or part of universal design for learning?

yy Can the student meet expected learning outcomes, at a passing level, without this strategy?
yy Does the strategy use the student’s strengths as well as respond to their challenges?
yy Is consistent implementation of this strategy realistic for the teacher?

yy Can this strategy be implemented without isolating the student or drawing unnecessary
attention to them?
The number of strategies chosen under the Focus Area should be kept to a low number toensure realistic implementation for both the student and the teacher. Strategies may bediscontinued, substituted, or added when the Student Support Plan is reviewed.

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8. Comments/Additional Information

Any additional information about the student that is pertinent to the implementation of
the Student Support Plan may be added here. Factors that may be affecting the student’s
performance such as attendance, second-language learning, or health conditions are a few
examples. Comments might also include suggestions for help at home.

9. Signatures

While not required by the Education Act, (1996), parental signatures should be sought on
the MEP. At a minimum, documentation of parent contact, meetings, and verbal permission
should be attached to the MEP.

ENDING A SSP WITH ACCOMMODATIONS OR A MEP
SSP with Accommodations

It is important to recognize that accommodations on a SSP should represent more than arequirement that the student be exposed to good teaching practices. If a student has learned
to use strategies independently, then a SSP may no longer be required. Parental contact should
occur before terminating an SSP with Accommodations, and the reason for the termination
should be noted in the Events Section of TIENET.
MEP

Removing a student from a modified program must be a collaborative decision with the Schoolbased Support Team, rather than a decision made by a single teacher. By following a process andinvolving the School-based Support Team, we can better ensure that all appropriate supports,
programming, and interventions have been successful and warrant moving a student back to aregular education plan with or without accommodations (REP).
At the meeting, the SBST will consider documentation and evidence of student progress (similar
to the documentation needed for placement on a MEP):
yy Classroom observations (PST/Teacher notes)

yy Student portfolio or collection of work samples

yy Interview information (parent/teacher/student)

yy Review of existing documents (report cards, CUM[sic] file, past assessments)
yy Assessment materials (teacher created, benchmark)yy Informal checklists (strengths and needs)

After review, the team will decide to:yy Continue with the MEP for the time being (new goals) or,
yy Discontinue the MEP and transition to a REP.

If there is a decision made to remove the MEP/transition to a REP, the parent will be contacted
for a meeting.

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After the SBST meeting, the teacher and PST will meet with the parents about transitioning thestudent onto a REP and what that might look like in practice.
The principal and parents/guardians give approval for the student’s “change of program”. Only
then is the student no longer on a MEP.
Documentation of the meeting is placed in the Student Support fileyy The meeting minutes should be signed by the parent/guardian and a copy given to them totake with them.

yy Copy of “Change of Program” form is placed in the Student Support file (signed by parents,
teacher(s), PST, principal) and attached as a document to the most current MEP on TIENET.

Student will be closely monitored to ensure that the REP is allowing for student success.

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Part 4: Writing and Managing
Individual Education Plans
TIENET will only provide accurate data if correct processes are used for beginning, copying, orrevising IEPs. Using incorrect processes may cause documents to be stored or counted in data in
the incorrect year, or double-counted.

Ideally, at the beginning of the year, or when it is determined a student will be placed on an IEP, a
new document should be started. If it is decided that the previous year’s document will be usedas the starting point, a new IEP must still be created and the previous document copied into it
following the instructions in Using a Previous Year’s Information on an IEP.

Once the IEP is written, reviewed by the PST and/or principal, and approved and signed by theparent, the document is to be “Finalized”. The term, Finalized, simply means that the document isa working document in use.
IEPs are living documents and subject to revision throughout the year as a student’s required
supports change or evolve. When it is necessary to change the IEP, the finalized document shouldbe opened and a revised document created following the instructions in Revising or Changing
the IEP within the Year. Creating a revised document following this process will ensure thata history of growth and changes in the IEP are documented in the historical documents forthe year. Again, as soon as the revised IEP is reviewed and approved by the PST/principal andparents, it needs to be finalized. A student may have 3-4 finalized SSP’s over the course of a year.
The IEP only needs to be signed once a year by parents IF THE LONG TERM ANNUAL STUDENTOUTCOMES REMAIN THE SAME FOR THE YEAR. If the Long Term Annual Student Outcomes arechanged, the IEP must be resigned. Changes made to short-term learning objectives do not need
to be signed off by the parent(s), but this information should be shared.
**A common error occurs when teachers copy a previous IEP within the year instead of doing arevision. If this happens, the revision history for the student is no longer accessible. A document
should never be copied within the same year.
*** Another common error on IEP development is that when an IEP is being drafted for thefollowing school year, it is mistakenly made in the current year. At this point, even IF next year’s
dates are put on it, it will remain in the current year’s database.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSSTARTING A NEW IEP
1. Navigate to a student document library by clicking on the page icon beside the student’s
name under “My Students” on your home page. Alternatively, if the student is included
under Quick Access as a recently worked with student, the page icon next to the student’s
name on that list can also be used. Once the new page is opened, click on the drop-downmenu next to Create New Document and select the document type, “Student Support Plan”.
2. Click on the green Go button. The IEP will be automatically named. There is no reason to put
anything under “Comment” unless there is specific information that the user wishes to include.

3. Click on the word Go, then New and the New IEP will open.

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USING A PREVIOUS YEAR’S INFORMATION ON AN IEP
At the beginning of a school year, it may be determined that much of the background information
etc. on the IEP of the previous year is still valid. If so, specific pages of the IEP can be copied
forward into the new IEP.
It is very important that the teacher carefully consider what previous information will be
carried forward.

1. Navigate to a student document library by clicking on the page icon. Click on the drop-downmenu next to Create New Document and select the document type, “Individual Education Plan”.
Then, press “Go”. (see instructions in Starting a New SSP with Accommodations or MEP)

2. Choose Advanced on the box that pops up.

3. On the Advanced page, make certain that all sections that you want in the IEP have a check
mark in the small box left of it. If it does not, then click in the box and a check mark should
appear. Then, click in the box that reads “Additional Setup Options – copy information fromanother (previous) document”.

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4. Choose which previous document to be copied by clicking in the box. Choose Accept.

5. Select the check boxes beside the sections you wish to copy. DO NOT copy the Student
Information or Implementation/Signatures page because, if you do, previous data will becopied into the IEP and it is difficult to change.

6. Choose accept and edit the newly created document. Note that the introduction to the
document indicates that information has been copied from a previous document.

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REVISING OR CHANGING THE IEP WITHIN THE YEAR
1. Open a new IEP. Label it in the naming box as a revision of the current year’s IEP.

2. Choose the “More” pulldown menu and select “Copy Information from Other Document”.

3. Choose the most current IEP document from which to copy information.

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4. Choose the appropriate sections to copy to the new document.

MOVING THROUGHOUT THE IEP DOCUMENT IN TIENET
Unlike the SSP document in TIENET, which shows on a single page on the computer, the IEP
document has multiple pages. In order to move between the pages, you must navigate bychoosing the page you want from the pulldown menu on the front page of the document.

Choosing the down arrow by “Cover” will reveal the following navigation screen.

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139CONTENT OF AN IEP
1. Cover Page – cannot be edited. All information is filled in through PowerSchool.
2. Student Information Page

yy The only information that must be edited on this page indicates whether a Career andProgram Plan exists for the student and whether there are any attachments indicatingtargeted Learning Outcomes from the NWT curricula.

3. Strengths/Challenges Page

yy Student’s strengths were identified in the Gathering and Sharing Information
phase when the IEP team gathered and synthesized data from a number of sources.
Information to be included in this section is determined by considering the longterm goals for the student and the focus of the IEP for the current year. It may relate
to academic skills, life-skills, physical skills, or behavior or a combination of these. In
addition, information on the student’s learning preferences should be noted here.

yy Student challenges will have been prioritized as part of the Gathering and Sharing
Information and Establishing Priorities phase. Record the priority challenges in this section.
yy Functioning Levels will be expressed differently depending on the type of skill involved(e.g. an academic skill might have a grade level, a physical skill, a developmental
level). Current levels of functioning are available from the comprehensive information
on student functioning in the Gathering and Sharing Information Phase. These
performance or functioning levels are essential to selecting appropriate annual student
outcomes and determining ways to adapt materials, instructional strategies andassessments. They also provide a starting point or baseline when assessing student
progress towards IEP outcomes and objectives. NOTE: some sections of the IEP havean annotation in red that says “READ”. Clicking this link will take you to a help
sheet that guides you to additional tools to assist you in completing this section.

yy Assessment Information recorded here should be summarized results of the mostcurrent assessments conducted with the students by educators or other professionals.
“Current” in terms of formal assessments usually refers to a maximum of two to three
years. Assessment information included here will generally be more diagnostic thanevaluative in nature. The results of routine school assessments of progress contribute
more to the establishment of the functioning levels recorded in the previous section.

yy Relevant Medical Information may be gathered from the parents, from medical records
with the parent’s permission, or directly from medical professionals assessing or working
with the student. Medical information required in the IEP is that which describes:
 the student’s current medical status;

 conditions or illnesses which may impact on the student’s learning and/or behaviour; and, conditions which necessitate supports in the learning situation.

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yy Additional Information that is recorded include any other factors in the student’s
physical, social, or academic background which the IEP team decides have implications
for either the achievement of annual student outcomes and short-term learning
objectives or for successful implementation of the IEP. For example, poor attendance or
habitual lateness may have implications for short term learning objectives. Information
on such issues should be entered here.

4. Goals/Area of Dev/Skills Page
yy Long-Term Life Goals

This section should have 3-4 long-term (3-5 years) life goals identified for the
student during the Setting Direction phase. The goals are those established through acollaborative person-centered planning process such as MAPs or PATH.

yy Priorities for Annual Student Outcomes

Record here the areas of development and the target skills within each area ofdevelopment that were identified as IEP priorities through the process of achieving
consensus on goals during the Gathering Information and Setting Priorities stage.
Each target skill within an area of development will have an annual student outcome
developed for it. These will be identified on the following pages of the IEP.

5. Annual Student Outcome and Short-term Learning Objectives

Details about each annual student outcome and its short-term learning objectives arerecorded on this page. One such page is completed for each annual student outcome
developed for the IEP.

The Area of Development and Target Skill for each Annual Outcome are copied from theGoals/Area of Dev/Skills Page.

To move between the Annual Outcome pages, choose the appropriate Outcome in the pulldown.

yy Area of Development and Target Skill
This information for each annual student outcome is filled in automatically based on theinformation entered on the Goals/Area of Dev/Skills page.
NOTE: If the IEP does
not appear to be
making changes toan existing field thathas been copied froma previous page, go
to More... and choose"Refresh This Section"
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yy Current Level of Performance

Record the current level of performance (CLP) for the target skills using the processdescribed in the section, Developing and Writing the IEP.

yy Annual Student Outcome

Record the SMART annual student outcome developed for the target skill listed for the
Annual Student Outcome, using the process explained in the section, Developing andWriting the IEP.

yy Short-term Learning Objectives

Record the short-term learning objectives (up to 4) developed for each of the annual
student outcomes. Ensure that, for each short-term learning objective, the information
is filled out in Instructional Strategies (Section 3e); Evaluation Method (Section 3f);and, Student Progress (Section 3g). Note that information in Student Progress should beentered each term.

yy Instructional Strategies and Responsibilities

The information in this section will, in most cases, pertain to all of the short-term
learning objectives. If there is information specific to one objective, it should be
identified as such, and lined up opposite the objective to which it pertains.

Instructional strategies are often evident from the SMART annual student outcomes,
and they should take into account information about previously successful strategies
discussed in the Gathering and Sharing Information phase of the IEP process.

Resource materials necessary for the achievement of the objective may also be noted.
Suggestions and recommendations from assessments and consultant reports may beincorporated to identify the strategies most likely to lead to the attainment of each shortterm learning objective.

Individuals are identified to be responsible for the implementation of the strategies
noted. These individuals may include the classroom/subject area teacher(s), support
assistants, volunteers, peers, another teacher, counsellor, or other professional. (support
assistants, volunteers, and peers must always work with the student while under the
direction and support of a qualified teacher).

yy Evaluation Method

In this section, record how the student will demonstrate achievement of the shortterm learning objectives and the annual student outcomes. Because the short-term
learning objectives and the annual student outcomes are written according to SMART,the criteria for attainment and the conditions under which the student will demonstrateattainment are usually part of the goal. For example, the following annual student
outcome clearly articulates how the student is going to be evaluated (by whether or
not he makes a transition), under what conditions (3 minute warning using pictureschedule), and what constitutes attainment (8 out of 10 times, 4 out of 5 consecutive days).
By June, when provided with a 3-minute warning using a picture schedule, Marty will
follow the direction to change activities in the classroom at least 8 out of 10 times on
at least 4 out of 5 consecutive days.

yy Student Progress

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This section will be completed for the short-term learning objective(s) being worked on
at each reporting period or IEP review date.

SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSyy Following the Student Progress section, the IEP template asks the following question.
“Do you want to develop an evaluation rubric for this annual student outcome? Yes or no.”Choose “No” unless you plan to develop a rubric.

6. Supports/Accommodations

At various stages in the IEP process, the team will have discussed:
yy support personnel and the assistance they deliver;yy various accommodations in place or required by the student; and,yy the importance of transitions and transition plans.

The following sections outline how decisions about these aspects of the student’s IEP are to
be made and recorded on the IEP template.
Students for whom an IEP is developed may already have various personnel delivering
supports to them and already have accommodations in the classroom. The SBST or the
IEP team will have determined which of these have been most successful and should
be continued. There will also have been recommendations to explore other supports,
personnel to deliver them and other accommodations.
The selection of other accommodations to be tried is of prime importance.
yy Support Personnel in Place

Support personnel may include other students, volunteers, support assistants,
counsellors or other professionals working in the school. The support assistance they
deliver may include: Assistance with class work or homework (individual or small group); Counselling and behavioural intervention; and, Personal assistance and assistance with special equipment or technology.

The support personnel recorded here are those who will deliver continuing support/
assistance.

yy Support Personnel to be Put in Place

The team may have identified additional support personnel who need to be involved toassist the student to achieve the annual student outcomes of the IEP. Record these here
as well as beginning dates and the assistance they will provide.

yy Classroom Accommodations in Place

Describe accommodations that are in place and are to be continued. For example,
the student may require special reminders or cues, an individual work station,
special seating, or a daily communication book between home and school. The
accommodations recorded here are those which have proved effective and need to becontinued during the term of the IEP.

yy Classroom Accommodations to be Tried

The team may have identified additional accommodations to be tried. Record these inthis section.

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7. Transition Plans and Additional IEP Commentsyy Transition Plans

For some students, this box will remain blank (e.g. an elementary student who has thesame teacher two years in a row). For others, who are facing a transition such as a midyear teacher change, or who are transitioning to a new school or class in a subsequent
year, or who are in the midst of a transition, it is crucial that the transition be planned
for and supported. This section will be completed only if there are implications fortransition related to a specific year’s IEP.
The term transition is used to refer to many types of change. Many changes occur
daily for students such as the transition from one activity to another or one location
to another. These changes, although taken in stride by most students, can be very
challenging for some students on IEPs. Strategies to deal effectively with thesetransitions should be noted under accommodations or additional information.

Transition is also used to describe major changes in the life of a student. Transitions
from home to school or from one level of schooling to another can be particularly
difficult for students who require an individual education program. Plans for this type oftransition should also be described here.
A coordinated plan, implemented well before the move, will ensure that the student has
supports in place and this should lessen apprehension about the transition. The planshould include:
yy meetings between current teachers and support staff and their counterparts for thefollowing years
yy arrangements for the student and family to visit the next class/school/ location/
facility; and,yy recommendations on effective strategies and supports needed in the next class or
school/location/facility.

One of the most critical transitions for elementary students on IEPs is the move fromelementary to secondary school.
A transition plan at entry to secondary school needs to involve the student, parents,
principals, sending teachers and PST and the receiving teachers and PST.
Students and parents need to be informed about:yy course options, course requirements, the credit system and career and program plan
process;
yy new and different routines;

yy whether or not it is likely the student will be working towards learning outcomes ofcourses and receiving course credits, or working on their own personal outcomes(in course/class setting) and not receiving course credits;yy the number of different classrooms and teachers;

yy student use of lockers, lunch time, student clubs, noon and after school activities; and,yy opportunities to visit the new school.

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Sending and receiving teachers and PSTs need to have a mechanism for informationexchange and discussion of: an up-to-date student record from the sending school;
 information regarding resources used; strategies for teaching and/or behaviour management; and, the number and kinds of supports needed for student success.

Students need scheduled visits to the new school with introductions to school staff and an
opportunity to spend some time in a classroom. Students may wish to take pictures of the
new school and teachers as a way of learning names and becoming familiar with the setting.
yy Additional Comments

The IEP team may have additional comments to add which they feel are relevant to thesuccessful implementation of the IEP and the student’s progress. Any such comments
which do not fit in any of the previous sections may be recorded here.

8. Recommendations

These recommendations are crucial to the continuity of the IEP for the student. They
assist the team in the following year with identifying priorities for areas of development
and target skills and in turn meaningful annual student outcomes, short-term learning
objectives, instructional strategies, accommodations and other supports.

9. Signature Pageyy Implementation

Information on the implementation date and the IEP review meetings dates will beentered here following the review of the IEP by the team before signing it.

yy Signatures of Team Members

Signatures MUST be obtained in the allotted spaces once the team has reviewed andapproved the written IEP as required.

Ensure that the TIENET version of the IEP indicates whether the signed IEP is attached as a
document to the TIENET copy or stored in the Student Support File.
REMEMBER: As soon as the IEP is approved and signed by the parents, it is to be ‘finalized’.
There is a check box at the bottom of the IEP on TIENET that must be selected, indicating if
the signatures are attached electronically or only stored in the student support file.

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Part 5: Reports
It is important to recognize that individualized reports do not necessarily report what the title of
the report is. As well, some reports gather data from a historical time, while others gather only
current year data, or allow the user to choose the year the report is for (e.g. 2015/16 or 16/17).
If the user notes inconsistencies in the reports, it is important to first check the reportparameters to identify which data is being pulled for the report.
Typically, the most useful reports are the following:
4.5.1.2 Unfinalized Documents with and without data
4.5.2 Advanced Reports that you can drill down

Note: Any report field that has a number in it, is a “drill down” field. This means that one candouble click the number and see individualized data that makes up that number. For example, if
you click on the total number of SSP’s, it will give you the name of all students who have SSP’s andyou can go to their individual pages from that place.

STANDARD REPORTS
Bulk Print
Bulk Print reports allow all SSPs/IEPs etc. in the school to be printed for filing. When printing
SSPs/IEPS, be aware you are printing confidential documents and therefore, should remain at theprinter until it is complete.
Unfinalized Documents

Provides lists of different Unfinalized Documents

yy Note if an IEP is finalized and a new one created for the following year incorrectly, the IEP
will show as unfinalized.
yy Unfinalized IEPs with blank data and Unfinalized SSPs with blank data provide a list of
SSPs/IEP files that need to be deleted (created incorrectly).

School Plus

SSP Plan Type and Accommodations NWTyy Provides historical/current overview – counts the latest report for every single student in
TIENET, whether they are still registered or not.
yy Provides student name, age, grade and type of plan.

Public Student Reports
SSP Report146

yy Provides student names and type of SSP each student has.

SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSSSP/IEP Reportyy Provides numbers of students in each grade on IEP and SSP and allows to drill down to get
the names.

Remaining reports pull information from Student Profile and as such are not useful unless theschool/district has been maintaining the profiles.
Students With More than One SSP

yy Counts students who have more than 1 SSP in a year, whether or not they are finalized. Might
be a more valuable report if it counted students with more than 1 SSP that were not finalized.

Public Document Reports
IEP Report by School Yearyy Provides a list of students with IEPs – includes only the most recent IEP and indicates if it isfinal or a draft.

IEP Review Dates

yy Provides a list of students with IEPs, status of the most recent IEP, and when it began andwas last reviewed.
yy NOTE this report contains historical data as well.

Number of Students with SSP

yy Lists students with SSP and indicates what focus areas the SSP has.
yy Uses only finalized documents and is also historical.

Profile/SSP Document Mismatch

yy Report identifies conflicts between student numbers and names – may include
misinformation on PowerSchool etc. These essentially are “data issues” that need to becorrected.

SSP Report By School Yearyy Choose year and get a list of SSPs by student name. Includes only Final Documents despite
stating the Document Status, Modification Date and Type of Plan.

Students with Blank SSPs this Yearyy Another way of finding a list of students who have SSPs with no information included in it.
Typically, these were incorrectly created SSPs and should be deleted by the PST.

Students with IEP by Grade and Schoolyy Provides a report of students on IEPs in each grade, whether IEP is finalized or draft.
Document status is a number which indicates Draft (1) or Final (3).
yy Can drill down on the number to see the student names.

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Students with SSP by School and Gradeyy Provides a report of students on SSPs in each grade, whether SSP is finalized or draft.
Document status is a number which indicates Draft (1) or Final (3).
yy Drill down also provides information on Type of Plan

Unsigned IEP Reports

yy Pulls information from all years (using most recent report); so, for example, a student witha draft IEP for the next school year will show as having an unsigned report.

ADVANCED REPORTS

Number of SSP by Category
yy Does not matter if draft or final form for chosen year
yy Aboriginal – Counts number of Aboriginal Students

yy Behaviour Plan – Counts number on a Behaviour Plan (from Profile Information)yy BehSSP – Counts number of Students with SSP with Behaviour Focus

yy LA SSP – Counts number of students with SSP with Language Arts Focus
yy Math SSP – Counts Number of students with SSP with Math Focus
yy OthSSP – Counts Number of students with SSP with Other Focus

Program Count (ECE) Current Yearyy Only counts documents that have been FINALIZEDProgram Report (Board Wide)/Program Report Territorial Wideyy Provides a report on the profile of the district

yy Number of IEP Students is # with finalized IEPs

yy Can drill down into any of the report categories to get students who fall into that group

yy Number of SSP Students = Number of students with REP with accommodations forenrichment + REP with Accommodations for Learning Difficulty + Number of Students MEP
Below Grade Level for DifficultyStudent Support Plans Board Wide/School Wideyy Provides SSP with accommodations, MEPs and IEP numbers by grade level. Note that #of students with SSP with Accommodations includes Accommodations for Difficulty and
Enrichment (only finalized).

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for SSPs and IEPs
REMEMBER IN TIENET the term “Finalized” simply means approved for use. No plan is ever
final as they represent living documents that change as our students change.

PITFALLS
PSTs
yy Check your reports to ensure that students who have transferred into the district have had
their TIENET file and demographics updated.
yy If using a Caseload List, regularly check that your caseload file is up-to-date by checking
your names against the reports.
yy Check that all SSPs are finalized on a regular basis.

yy Check to ensure wrongly created blank SSPs are deleted at each term.

yy If a student’s SSP shows them at a different school or with incorrect demographic
information, there are two possible causes: 1) the information in PowerSchool is incorrect;
2) the student’s TIENET file was not updated when it was opened in PowerSchool. Open thefile, update it and wait 24 hours to ensure the update is registered.

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yy Ensure that when drafting “next year’s IEP” in June that it is drafted in correct year
(following year, not the current year). Drafting it in the current year will not allow the IEP
to count on next year’s data and will show in current year’s report as an un-finalized IEP.
If you make this error, you can change the year of the IEP by going to More... andchoosing Modify Document Year.

yy If a section of a student’s IEP is missing from the document it is because the box was notchecked under INCLUDE ALL SECTIONS when the IEP was set up. To rectify this, you must
go to the Advanced Screen when creating an IEP and ensure the appropriate boxes arechecked. (This screen will default to all future created IEPs so ensure that you return it to
the standard form that you use.

yy All boxes in the SSP and IEP that are red in colour must have text in them in order toFinalize the document.

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yy Ensure that SSP accommodations only include those which are currently being used in theclassroom.

yy Ask yourself, does this student need accommodations in excess of good classroom practice.
yy Do not write a SSP for short-term interventions.

yy The SSP/MEP at the beginning of the year MUST be started as a “New” SSP – NOT copiedfrom the previous year. (See Starting a New SSP with Accommodations or MEP & Usinga Previous Year’s Information on an SSP)

yy Revise SSPs/MEPs within the school year, do not ‘unfinalize’ change and ‘re-finalize’.

yy As soon as the parent agrees with the SSP and it is being used in the classroom, the SSP
should be finalized.
yy All changes to an SSP following it being finalized are to be done through revisions.
(See Revising or Changing the SSP within the Year)yy Updates to the SSP/MEP during the year should be done through “Revisions” – once thechanges are in use, the SSP should be finalized again. Therefore, a student may have 3-4
finalized SSPs throughout the year representing a historical view of the changes in their plan.

PROCEDURES AND BUSINESS RULES FOR TIENET
Remember “Finalize” means approved. When SSPs and IEPs are finalized it only means thatthey are in use. They may be revised throughout the year as growth and change in the student
requires changes in the SSP.
Teacher Processes

Draft/Review/Finalize
yy While you are working on the SSP it should be in draft form.

yy When the plan is ready to have the PST/principal read it, change the status to “Review”. (Goto Set Document pulldown and choose Status from Draft to Review).
yy The principal is responsible for changing the SSP to Final.

Writing SSPs/IEPs

yy At beginning of the year ALWAYS Create a New SSP or IEP.

yy You may if you wish, copy information from a previous SSP or IEP by choosing Advanceand Copying or by creating the document and then going to MORE and choosing “Copyinformation from Other Document.”
yy DO NOT REVISE from a previous document at the beginning of the year.

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Changes to an SSP/IEP during the same Yearyy During the year plans should be revised.
yy Go to the last Finalized plan, open it.

yy Go to More and choose “Create Revision of this Document”
yy A new document that is labeled “revision” is created.

Drafting/Writing Next Year Plans

yy When drafting a plan for a teacher for the following year ENSURE that the plan is created in
the following year file.
yy To do this choose “Advanced” on the following screen after choosing CREATE NEW
DOCUMENT and then on the new screen choose the correct year.
yy DO NOT CREATE DRAFT PLANS IN THE INCORRECT YEAR.

PST Processes
Finalizing

yy Plans are in draft as teachers are working on them.

yy Teachers should change them to Review when ready to be read by the PST and principal
yy Changed to FINAL by the principal (or designate) once the plan is approved.

** NOTE: Teachers should not have the “power” in TIENET to finalize, and if for some reason
they do, they should not be finalizing their plans.

** NOTE: Plans should never be “Unfinalized” unless there is a typographical or informationalcorrection to be made.

Drafting/Writing Next Year Plans

yy When drafting a plan for the following year ENSURE that the plan is created in the following
year file.
yy To do this choose “Advanced” on the following screen after choosing CREATE NEW
DOCUMENT and then on the new screen choose the correct year.
yy DO NOT CREATE DRAFT PLANS IN THE INCORRECT YEAR.

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SECTION 4: ACCESSING AND USING TIENET FOR SSPS AND IEPSRoutine Processes
At Reporting Periods
yy Run a report to see what SSPs and IEPs are “Unfinalized”. (See reports under Standard
Reports – Unfinalized Documents). Work with teachers to ensure that all can be finalized
and implemented. (Ensure parent signatures on IEPs, parent acknowledgement of SSPs).

yy Run the Unfinalized SSPs with blank data report/Unfinalized IEPs with blank data reportand delete any blank SSPs/IEPs from the database.

Writing SSPs/IEPs

yy At beginning of the year ALWAYS Create a New SSP or IEP.

yy You may if you wish, copy information from a previous SSP or IEP by choosing Advanceand Copying or by creating the document and then going to MORE and choosing “Copyinformation from Other Document.”
yy DO NOT REVISE from a previous document at the beginning of the year.

Changes to an SSP/IEP during the same Yearyy During the year plans should be revised.
yy Go to the last Finalized plan, open it.

yy Go to More and choose “Create Revision of this Document”
yy A new document that is labeled “revision” is created.

RISC Processes

Ensure that there are no draft SSPs/IEPs

Check reports to make sure they are accurate.

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153

SECTION 5: SA Handbook

SECTION 5: SA HANDBOOK

155

SECTION 6: The Toolbox
The following forms are available for teachers and PSTs to use and share with parents to assist in
programming for students in the NWT. Many excellent forms are available on-line as well.

(T1) Sources of Information re: Student’s Strengths and Challenges................................................... 160(T2) Teacher Checklist – Student’s Strengths and Challenges.............................................................. 162(T3) Questions to Consider in Selecting Strategies.............................................................................. 164(T4) Reviewing Effectiveness of Accommodations or Support Strategies............................................ 165(T5) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix........................................................................................................ 166(T5-B) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix Illustrated Example..................................................................... 167(T6) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 1....................................................................................... 168(T7) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 2....................................................................................... 169(T8) Documentation of Intervention Instruction Decision Summary....................................................170(T9) Problem Solving Team Meeting.....................................................................................................171(T10) Parent Meeting Sample Agenda...................................................................................................175(T11) Parent Meeting Minutes..............................................................................................................176(T12) Pre-Assessment Conditions for Consideration for Psychological Educational Assessment.........179(T13) Process for Referral for Psychological Educational Assessment................................................. 181(T14) PST Responsibilities in the Psychological Education Assessment Process.................................. 184(T15) Considerations for Prioritizing Students for a Psychological Educational Assessment............... 185(P1) Suggestions for Parents Participating in the Student Support Plan Process................................. 187(P2) Sample Questions for Parents to Ask During the SSP Process...................................................... 188(P3) Suggestions for Parents Participating in the IEP Process.............................................................. 189

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(T1) Sources of Information
re: Student’s Strengths and Challenges
Effective classroom assessment can provide important information for developing, implementing,monitoring and evaluating an SSP and IEP.
It can:yy confirm the student’s learning strengths and challenges

yy provide functioning levels for language arts, math and other subject areas

yy provide information about general learning skill areas such as attention, organizational
skills, memory
yy help the team of teacher, parent and student identify appropriate modifications and/or
accommodations
yy monitor student progress

yy provide information for planning transitions

To be most effective, conclusions about an individual student should be based on multiple typesof assessments taken in various situations or learning environments.

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Use the checklist below to verify the types of assessment already completed
TYPE OF ASSESSMENT

Completed

NeededObservations of Student in the Classroom
Anecdotal Records
Event recording
Duration recording
Checklists
Rating Scales
Review of Student Samples
Work samples
Error analysis
Activity samples
Teacher’s Assessments
Paper-and-pencil tests
Verbal quizzes
Questionnaires/surveys
Cumulative reviews based on texts or instruction units
Reading Inventory
Math Inventory
Student Self-Assessment
Checklists
Surveys
Self-monitoring tools
Other Assessments
SLP reports
OT Reports
Psycho-educational Assessment

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(T2) Teacher Checklist –Student’s Strengths and Challenges
Student Name:

Grade:

Teacher Name:

Date:
Strength

Attends school regularly
Motivated to learn
Focuses attention
Follows verbal instructions
Follows conversation
Stays on topic during discussion
Stay on task for assigned activities
Responds appropriately to stimulation of classroom
Keeps track of materials
Understands and follows routines
Understands written instructions
Gets started on assigned workShows neatness in desk and work
Works alone wellWorks in group well
Knows how and when to ask for help
Completes tasks in allotted time
Hands in assignments
Manages time
Demonstrates good memory
Can recall memory in the short term
Can recall memory on long term
Makes effective use of lists and reminders
Can repeat explanations, instructions etc. in own words
Can remember sequence of events in story
Can remembers steps in a procedure

162

SECTION 6: THE TOOLBOXChallenge

Strength

Challenge

Interacts appropriately with peers in classInteracts appropriately with peers out of classInteracts appropriately with adults
Demonstrates leadership
Understands and follows school & classroom rules/routines
Waits turn to speak or do something
Can generalize appropriate actions or behaviour
Age-appropriate ability to see another’s point of view
Demonstrates age-appropriate self-control
Reacts appropriately to praise, recognition and criticism
Is adaptable to changes in tasks, environment and routines
Transitions in an age appropriate manner
Has a good sense of humourControls frustration and anger
Responds well to praise
Participates in class – contributes to discussion
Computer/technology skills
Reading – decoding
Reading – comprehension
Written expression
Writing/Printing is legible
Interested in listening to stories, audio stories, songs etc.
Oral vocabulary
Spelling
Mathematics – basic facts
Mathematics – concepts
Mathematics – word problems
Other subject area (specify):
Athletics
Art – drawing
Art – other specify

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(T3) Questions to Consider
in Selecting Strategies
Once Focus Areas have been selected and prioritized, the following questions should assist in theselection of strategies for each focus area.
Focus Area: ___________________________________________

yy What does the student need to do that they are unable to do now?
yy What is the student currently able to do in this area?

yy Where does the student need to be able to perform this skill (classroom, playground, hall etc.)?
yy What materials and equipment are necessary?
yy What materials and equipment are available?

yy How can the student be helped to do what they need to do while participating in the normalclassroom learning activities?
yy Does a particular strategy require others to assist the student? Are other helpers available?

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(T4) Reviewing Effectiveness of
Accommodations or Support Strategies
Student Name:

Date:

Teacher Name:
Strategy/Focus Area:
1. Does the student want to use the strategy?
2. Is the strategy in place whenever needed?

3. Is the strategy used by the student regularly?

4. Is the strategy workable in a number of environments?

5. Is the strategy improving the student’s learning (not their grade, their learning)? Whatevidence is there of the improvement?
6. Are there any barriers to consistent use of this strategy?

7. Was the student and parents involved in monitoring and reviewing use of the strategy?
What were their comments?

8. Can this strategy be turned into a self-directed strategy so that the accommodations can beremoved? What is the plan to do so?

Recommendations:

Retain the strategy

Substitute another strategy

Discontinue the strategy due to improvement

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(T5) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix
Student Name:

Date:
Target Skills
Personal

SocialContent classroom
Course:Content classroom
Course:Elective classroom
placesOther in school places

Outside the school
placesModified from Shelley Moore, 2015. Inclusion Competency Planning Matrix

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Learning(T5-B) IEP Inclusion Planning Matrix
Illustrated Example
Student Name:

Date:
Target Skills
Personal

SocialLearning

Content classroom
Course: English

Identify books forpleasure

Participate indiscussion

Readingcomprehension

Content classroom
Course: MathWork independently

Ask for assistance fromclassmates

Counting of money

Elective classroom
places: Drama

Follow directions

Work as a teamtransitions

Other in school places• school canteen

Develop organization
skillsAsk questions/respondto requests

Counting money andchangeWork independently
Outside the school
places• storeCounting money andchangeEstimating costs

Modified from Shelley Moore, 2015. Inclusion Competency Planning Matrix

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(T6) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 1
Student Name:

Grade:

Subject:

Date:

Type of Intervention: (e.g. phonics instruction, precision reading, explicit comprehension
instruction, Discover Reading, math computation, etc.):
Date

168

SECTION 6: THE TOOLBOXIntervention Notes: record intervention sessions, skills worked on, progress etc.

(T7) Intervention Support Tracking – Form 2
Student Name:

Grade:

Date:

Staff Member responsible for Intervention:
Classroom Teacher:
Identified Concern(s) to be Addressed through Intervention:
ReadingMath

Behaviour

Type of Intervention (Choose all that apply to this intervention plan)
1. Reading: phonemic awareness2. Reading: phonics

3. Reading: word-level
4. Reading: fluency

5. Reading: comprehension
6. Math: computation

7. Math: number sense

8. Math reasoning/problem solving
9. Behaviour:
10. Other:Dates/Time of Intervention:
Intervention
Date/
Type:
durationuse # fromlist above
e.g. 8Date/
durationDate/
durationDate/
durationDate/
durationDate/
durationDate/
duration

10/13 - 30m

Date Intervention Ended and Reason Why:

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(T8) Documentation of Intervention
Instruction Decision Summary
Student Name:

Date:

Check all items that apply to the student:

Student has participated in an evidence based reading intervention program.
Student has participated in an evidence based math intervention program.
Student has received instruction from a qualified teacher.

Student attendance has been adequate to support ensure appropriate exposure to and useof the intervention.
Instruction was provided in a small group.
Instruction was provided one-to-one.

Additional opportunities were provided for practice and review.
Additional opportunities for correction and feedback.

Additional opportunities for repetition and practice and review.

Reinforcement for target behaviours (e.g. verbal/visual cues, praise, proximity).
Small group behavioural sessions with counsellor or other qualified personnel.
Intervention was provided for the following intensity
per(day, 2X weekly etc.)

Intervention was provided for the following duration:

Intervention was provided with fidelity to the learning outcomes.

(minutes)(number of weeks)

The following results occurred.

Successful progress, learning gap closed and student no longer requires support at this time.
Student is making slow progress – the intervention supports will continue as progress isbeing made.
Student is not making progress. This intervention has ended and the student will bereferred to the SBST.

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(T9) Problem Solving Team Meeting
Background Information
Facilitator:
Referring Teacher:Student Name:
Date of Meeting:Team Members

Time:
Email

Issue(s) to be Addressed

Particular Objective(s)What does the referring teacher want the student to do that the student is not doing now?

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171

Student Profile
Student Strengths

Student Stretches

Strategies Tried to Date
What strategies has the referring teacher tried?

172

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Length of time?

New Strategies Selected
High Priority Strategies

Who?

Action?

When?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Follow-up Schedule
Continuation of Planning Session
Where?

Who?

When?

Follow-up Meeting with Referring Teacher and Problem Solving Team
Where?

Who?

When?

Who?

When?

What other action?
Where?

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Summary Comments

174

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(T10) Parent Meeting Sample Agenda
1. Thank the parent for coming.

2. Introductions – brief introductions of everyone in the room

3. State the Purpose of Meeting – to discuss your child’s education program
4. Information exchange:a. Strengths - What does the student do well?
i.

List and describe for parents.

ii. Invite parents to share regarding strengths/ interests at home.

b. Challenges/stretchesi.

Describe the student’s challenges – e.g. learning, behavior.

ii. What does this look like?

iii. Invite parents to share regarding challenges/needs at homec. Discuss the need for a MEP or IEP
i.

Purpose of a MEP/IEP

ii. Evidence to support the need for thisiii. What will the program look like? What will change for the student?
iv. Explain the pros and cons of a MEP/IEP

5. Invite input from the parents about the MEP/IEP – questions, concerns.
6. Reach a decision about the student’s education program as a group.
7. Decide on next steps –a. Development of the MEP or IEP – who, what, when, whereb. Set a time and date for the next meeting.

8. File the minutes of parent meeting in student support folder.

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(T11) Parent Meeting Minutes
Facilitator:
Referring Teacher:Student Name:
Date of Meeting:Time:

In Attendance

Purpose of the Meeting

Student Profile

176

Student Strengths

Student Challenges/Needs at School

At School

At School

At Home/Community

At Home/Community

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Discuss the Need for a MEP or LEP
Evidence to Support/Interventions Tried to Date

Decision Reached by GroupNo Action at This Time
Continue With Current Education Program
Place on a Modified Education Program (Above or Below Grade Level)
Place on an Individual Education Program
Other:
Follow-up Schedule
Follow-up Meeting
Where?

Who?

When?

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177

Summary Comments

178

Parent(s)DateReferring Teacher

Date

Program Support Teacher

Date

Principal

Date

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(T12) Pre-Assessment Conditions for
Consideration for Psychological Educational
Assessment
Before a student will be considered for a psychological educational assessment, or otherspecialized assessment, the following conditions should be considered:
1. What is the presenting issue?
a. Academicb. Behavioural

2. What do you expect the psychological educational assessment will provide that you
currently do not know?

3. All attempts at the classroom and PST/school based support team (SBST) levels to develop
an effective education program and required supports have been exhausted. The teacher
and PST will articulate the strengths and challenges identified, through:a. Reviewing existing information.
b. Teacher assessments.
c. PST assessments.

4. The student has appropriate programming in file:a. A Student Support Plan, orb. An Individual Education Plan, signed/approved by the parent, orc. A Behavior Support Plan, or

d. Documentation of previous/current concerns that support referral.

5. There are documented:

a. Processes (e.g. to SBST, talking to parent) leading to a SSP and/or Behavior Support
Plan (implemented and reviewed)b. Possible Functional Behavioural Assessment with appropriate interventions
or data collected on the frequency, duration, and intensity of behaviours with
documentation of attempted interventions and fidelityc. IEP team meetings with the parents to develop, review, adjust the IEP.
d. Relevant achievement testing.

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179

6. Previous assessments and/or interventions have been completed, if recommended,through:e. An audiologist and/orf.

A Speech Language Pathologist, and/or

g. An Occupational Therapist, and/or
h. A pediatrician.

7. If possible, hearing and vision have been checked within the past year.
8. No similar assessment has been conducted in the past 3 years.

9. Information from similar assessments in file is outdated (older than 3 years).
10. There is parental support.

11. The child is 7 years of age or older.
12. The child has good attendance.

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(T13) Process for Referral for Psychological
Educational Assessment
1. A concern is brought forward by an individual (parent, teacher, administrator, healthprofessional, etc.) involved with the child to the program support teacher (PST) orclassroom teacher that a specialized assessment is required.
2. The PST reviews the student’s files.

3. The school based support team (SBST) meets to review information, previous interventions
and supports to date. Information may come from a wide variety of sources (for example:
work samples, informal inventories, cumulative file, support file, consultations with otherteachers or individuals who work with the child, health professions etc.) See chart Sourcesof Information: Student Strengths and Weaknesses.
4. The SBST reviews and determines if:

a. pre-assessment conditions (T12) have met for a psycho-educational assessment,orb. intervention recommendations need to be trialed. The SBST determines the priority
rating of students for the assessment,
and/orc. selects informal assessment techniques to determine what cognitive skills can beobserved in everyday activities, especially play and in the classroom.

5. The PST must contact parents to ensure they are willing to proceed with a Psychological
Educational assessment, reminding parents that the process can be lengthy.

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Sources of Information – Student Strengths and Challenges
ExamplesTeacherWork with student inclassroom

Review existing
information from school
sourcesyy Observations

yy Reading inventories

yy Anecdotal notes

yy Math inventories

yy Work samples
yy Learner Profileyy Class Review

yy Cumulative File review,e.g.

yy Program Support Filereview, e.g.

• Attendance• Report cards• Program type
• Student Support Plan

• Previous assessments• Interventions• Retention• OT, Speech, Audiology,• Behavior Support Plan
• Previous schools• Group/Prov. Tests• Medical concerns

or IEP

Meet with others who
know the student well/have worked with thestudent in the pastyy Previous teacher(s)yy Counselor

yy Parent/Guardianyy Mentor

yy Eldersyy Community Support
Workeryy Program Support Staff

SST/School Teamyy Review information fromteacher, as above
Review information,
meet with others andconduct assessments

yy Observation in classroom
yy Referral to TEAM
yy Referral to counselingyy Assessments withstandardized tools,e.g. miscue analysis,
diagnostic
yy Functional Behavior
Assessment
yy Case conferences

yy OT, Speech, Audiology
Refer for assessment byothers182

Vision/Hearing

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yy Mental Healthyy Psychologist

yy Family doctor,
pediatrician, psychiatrist,otheryy Specialized assessment

Documentation of the following:

Classroom-based assessment and intervention by the classroom teacher and learning
specialists (e.g. literacy support, interventions, etc.)

Early school entry assessments such as Brigance results, TOPA 2, Bracken Receptive, etc.

Level B assessment by PST or RISC (KTEA-3; WJ IV-Achievement; WIAT-III; Keymath-3 Cdn.;
SMALSI; Feifer Assessment of Math, Feifer Assessment of Reading, etc.) and evidence ofintervention response to those recommendations
Speech Language Assessment (if relevant)Occupational Therapy Assessment (if relevant)Pediatrician referral (if relevant)Attendance (while learning concerns may be at the basis of poor attendance for somechildren, excess absenteeism impacts the ability of a psychologist to draw conclusions
regarding academic progress and achievement. A child should be in regular attendanceat school – children who are absent for extended periods of time, regardless of reason,
may not be a high priority to test because absenteeism for any reason affects learning. It
is recommended that the SBST review attendance history to analyze changes, if any, andensure that programming for the student has been appropriate and make those changes
first to see if attendance improves).
Previous diagnosis and purpose for current testing (i.e. to support post-secondary
aspirations). A student with a diagnosis should be tested again during their high school
years to provide documentation for post-secondary supports.

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(T14) PST Responsibilities in thePsychological Education Assessment Process
Pre-assessment
1. Work with teacher(s) to collect the necessary data and complete the review of the files asnecessary.
2. Coordinate the school based support team (SBST) meeting for referral process.

3. Coordinate meetings with the teacher and/or parent(s) to ensure consent is confirmed andthat both the parent and child are willing to go through the process. Explain the assessment
process (ex: pre-assessment interviews, the assessment itself, debrief meeting) to theparent and briefly go over the forms they will need to complete.
4. Work with the parent(s) to complete the relevant forms, ensuring the consent form issigned.

5. If possible, refer the child to the relevant health authority for vision and hearing screening.
If results indicate a concern with hearing and/or vision, request the parents make follow
up appointments. These concerns should be addressed before a psycho-educational
assessment is completed.
6. Complete the referral package, gathering the necessary information from the cumulativeand student support files. (Districts may have their own package or the psychologist may
supply a referral package – NOTE: if the District uses their own package it is likely thepsychologist will have additional forms etc. to be filled out).

7. For outside psychologists, arrange for and coordinate the booking of the pre-assessment
interview as requested by the psychologist. Gather back questionnaires and forward to thepsychologist.
8. Forward referral package to the regional inclusive schooling coordinator, if required.

During the Assessment

1. Liaise with the psychologist to ensure times; information and process are going smoothly.
2. Arrange for parent meetings with the psychologist if part of the process.

3. Arrange for a quiet space within the school for the assessment(s) to occur.
4. Gather further information if so requested.

5. Ensure snacks are available for the duration of the assessment (parent or school provided)

After the Assessment

1. Check with the psychologist to determine if there needs to be a private parent meeting
previous to the school/parent debriefing meeting.
2. Arrange the debriefing meeting(s) as required.

3. Follow up with the teacher regarding implementation of recommendations within 3 monthsof the report.

184

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(T15) Considerations for Prioritizing
Students for a Psychological Educational
Assessment
1. It is recommended that children who are not at least 8 years of age in the current school
year (age appropriate grade 3), be considered for Psychological Educational assessments,
except in exceptional circumstances.

For example, children who have experienced brain trauma in their early life, or have a
medical condition that affects cognition, or other neuro-cognitive concerns (e.g.: Traumatic
Brain Injury, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder) may be possible
candidates for a Psychological Educational assessment before grade 3.

Alternatives to a full Psychological Educational assessment should be considered for a child
who is under the age of 8. This may include Level B testing, social/emotional assessment by
a qualified individual, and/or recommendations for specific interventions that may address
the observed concerns.

2. Students who have not had instruction in English Language Arts (or have only had 1 year ofEnglish instruction), or students who are ESL learners in their first few years of English, arepoor candidates for full Psychological Educational Assessments as an appropriate analysisof their English Language skills in reading and writing cannot be completed. However, there
may be information available to provide direction for the provision of appropriate supports
and interventions for children who are struggling with their learning. This information
may come from classroom observations, language assessments, phonemic and phonetic
language screens, or other Level B and/or social emotional assessments, or cognitive
assessments, or through the completion of the MOSIAC Assessment.
3. Referrals from a pediatrician, psychologist, mental health practitioner or other healthprofessional should be given full consideration.
4. Student responsiveness to previous interventions and supports:
yy what interventions have been tried with the student?
yy have they been consistently applied?

5. Relative complexity of learning concerns.

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185

6. Documentation of the following:classroom-based assessment and intervention by the classroom teacher and learning
specialists (e.g. literacy support, interventions, etc.)

Level B assessment by SST or Student Services Coordinator (KTEA-3; WJIV-Achievement;
WIAT-III; Keymath-3 Cdn.; SMALSI; Feifer Assessment of Math, Feifer Assessment of
Reading, etc.) and evidence of intervention response to those recommendations
Speech Language Assessment (if relevant)Occupational Therapy Assessment (if relevant)Pediatrician referral (if relevant)Attendance (while learning concerns may be at the basis of poor attendance for somechildren, excess absenteeism impacts the ability of a psychologist to draw conclusions
regarding academic progress and achievement. A child should be in regular attendance atschool – children who are absent for extended periods of time, regardless of reason, may
not be a high priority to test because absenteeism for any reason affects learning. Review
attendance history to analyze changes, if any; ensure that programming for the student
has been appropriate and make those changes first to see if attendance improves).
Previous diagnosis and purpose for current testing (i.e. to support post-secondary
aspirations). A student with a diagnosis should be tested again during their high school
years to provide documentation for post-secondary supports.

7. Referral Question(s)yy What does the school want/need to know – can the question(s) be answered by otherassessments? See the Matrix.

8. Parental Commitment to Process

yy If the referral question is about services beyond the scope of the school day and parents
are reluctant to engage in the process, consider if the referral at this point is wise.
Ask, are parents ready or at least willing to hear the message that may come from thePsychological Educational assessment. This does not mean they may not have a journey –but they need to be willing to take the first step.

186

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(P1) Suggestions for Parents Participating in
the Student Support Plan Process
When planning a program for students, teachers like to work with parents and students as ateam. As a parent you are an important member of that team and your contribution to help
develop and monitor the SSP for your child is important.
You can take part in the process in a number of ways, including:yy keeping in touch with your child’s teacher

yy sharing information about your child’s past experiences, interests, successes, difficulties
yy encouraging your child to be part of the discussion about their program

yy taking part in discussions and helping make decisions about programming for your child,and any accommodations or modifications or strategies suggested
yy discussing the program plan with your childyy observing and reporting to the teacher any changes in your child’s attitudes and behaviour
related to the school experienceyy asking questions about your child’s program and progress

yy sharing with the teacher anything going on at home that may bring about a change in yourchild’s school work or behaviour
yy being part of the teams that reviews your child’s Support Planyy ensuring your child attends school regularly

yy working with your child at home to reinforce the learning they are experiencing at school

yy asking the teacher for work you can do at home to help your child reinforce their school learningyy ask for clarification of new terms and references

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(P2) Sample Questions for Parents to
Ask During the SSP Process
When planning a program for students, teachers like to work with parents and students as ateam. As a parent you are an important member of that team and your contribution to help
develop and monitor the SSP for your child is important.
yy How are my child’s strengths used to develop the SSP?
yy Does the SSP focus on my child’s difficulties?
yy What is meant by an accommodation?

yy What are the benefits of using these with my child?

yy Can I and my child be involved in the selection and evaluation of the strategies used?

yy Do all of the teachers responsible for my child’s education have a copy of the SSP so they
can plan their teaching and monitor my child’s progress?
yy How will you measure my child’s progress on the SSP?

yy How will the strategies used with my child be explained to other children in the class?
yy If there is progress, will the strategies be changed, or the SSP be dropped?
yy If there is no progress, will other strategies be selected and tried?
yy How can I support the SSP at home?

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(P3) Suggestions for Parents
Participating in the IEP Process
When planning a program for students, teachers like to work with parents and students as ateam. As a parent you are an important member of that team and your contribution to help
develop and monitor the IEP for your child is important.

yy You are the expert about your child, share your perspective on their personality, interests,
struggles, and successyy If you think you will need support at the meeting, invite someone to join you

yy If you have a lot on your mind about the meeting, draft a simple list of point you wantto make or information you want to obtain at the IEP meeting and make sure your list iscovered before you leave the meetingyy Share how your child behaves in many different environments: doing homework, helping
with chores, playing with friends, being on teams, doing other activities

yy Ask questions and request answers – education is filled with ‘jargon’ and special words – if you
do not know what an acronym or term means, please ask
yy Be aware of the goals you have for your child and make sure the team understands yourexpectations

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