Program Planning in NS Schools – a Team Approach

AVRSB, 2012

What is the NS Program Planning Process?

• An 8 stage team approach to planning an appropriate education for students with specific needs, and to ensure effective transitions from the early years to adult life

• Based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the NS Education Act, NS Public School Programs (PSP), and NS Special Education Policy

Members of the Program Planning Team

• Parent(s), guardian(s), family members

• School principal or designate• Teachers - classroom, subject,

specialist, resource, etc.• Other professional staff involved• Student (if appropriate)• Other additional members

Why is Program Planning Important?

• Students with specific needs are supported to achieve their learning outcomes. (Students are more likely to succeed if members of the program planning team work together)

• Learning Outcomes are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do at various points in their school career. These can be PSP outcomes or developed specifically for an individual student (individualised outcomes).

The NS Program Planning Process

Stage 1Screening and Identification

• Teacher or other(s) identify challenges or areas of need affecting student success

• Information related to the student’s learning is gathered and considered (student’s strengths, challenges and interests, assessments, records, history, etc.)

Stage 2Exploration of Instructional Strategies (including Documented Adaptations) by

Classroom Teacher(s)

• At the classroom level, the teacher(s) tries different, common teaching strategies or resources to address the challenge(s) – Adaptations (which do not change the curriculum outcomes)

• These adaptations can be in the areas of organization, environmental, presentation/instructional, motivation, assessment and/or resources

Stage 3Referral for a Program Planning Team Meeting

• If further planning is required, a referral is made for a Program Planning Team Meeting (student) summarizing student information, area(s) of concern, strategies tried to date, questions to be addressed by team, etc.

• Referrals can be initiated by the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), teacher(s), guidance counselor, etc.

Stage 4Program Planning Team Meeting

• Includes all team members (with family involvement)

• Team works collaboratively to share and use all information related to the student’s learning and decide on further action, if needed

• Team may decide to gather more information/refer for further assessment and/or services, suggest/develop adaptations beyond those tried at Stage 2, or suggest developing an IPP for the student.

Stage 5Individual Program Plan Development

• In accordance with NS Special Education Policy 2.6

• Based on student’s strengths and needs• May involve deletion of curriculum

outcomes, adherance to the same general curriculum outcomes at a significantly different specific outcome level, or addition of new outcomes

• Some students may require a combination of adaptations and an IPP

Stage 6Implementation of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP

• Involves instruction, assessment and reporting of the outcomes

• Program Planning Team members assume certain responsibilities for implementation of the Adaptation Plan and/or IPP

Stage 7Monitoring of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP

• Ongoing monitoring of the Adaptation Plan or IPP, student learning and progress, and assuring that outcomes are appropriate is necessary

• Changes that do not alter the student’s learning outcomes can be made and should be recorded and shared with team members

• Changes that do alter the learning outcomes need to be referred back to the PPTeam

Stage 8Review of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP

• Involves evaluating and reporting student progress towards meeting the learning outcomes

• Adaptation Plans are reviewed at least once per year and IPPs are reviewed at least twice per school year (before each reporting period or within each semester). Also IPP progress must be reported at every report period as designated by the school calendar. Classroom/subject teacher is responsible for evaluating and reporting the student's progress of SIO’s.

• Outcomes achieved – develop/move on to new ones (either individualised or PSP)

• Outcomes not achieved – explore plan and consider revising outcomes and/or other areas

End Thoughts• Student learning varies in many ways. To

accomodate these variations, schools and teachers use a continuum of services to address the specific strengths, challenges, interests and learning styles of all learners.

• To do this, we diversify, differentiate, adapt and individualise.

SUCCESS!