Under the Ontario Education Act, every student with special needs is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and access to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
Ontario 2026 · Waterloo Region
IPRC request template
Copy this letter and send it to your child's principal to start the 30-school-day clock.
What is happening
students across six Waterloo Region municipalities, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Wilmot, Wellesley, and Woolwich
schools (elementary and secondary) with dedicated Special Education Resource Teachers (SERTs) and ASD-specific programming
minimum Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT), your first point of contact for IEP and IPRC requests at your child's school
What rule or duty applies
These are legal or regulatory requirements WRDSB must follow. They are distinct from the advocacy recommendations elsewhere on this page.
Sets the formal process for identifying a student as exceptional and recommending a placement. Requires 10 days written notice before the meeting.
Requires a written Individual Education Plan within 30 school days of an IPRC identification, with annual goals, accommodations, and modifications.
Mandates a transition plan in every IEP for students aged 14 and older, covering post-secondary education, employment, and community living goals.
Requires every board to maintain a Special Education Advisory Committee with parent and community representation, open to the public.
Ontario law requires WRDSB to provide an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for every student identified with an exceptionality, and to hold an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) meeting to make that identification. These are not optional, they are legal entitlements.
WRDSB is not required to automatically initiate an IPRC, a parent or the principal must make the request. If your child has an autism diagnosis and is struggling at school, send a written request to the principal asking for an IPRC meeting. Keep a copy of all correspondence. The board must respond.
Student attends a regular classroom with accommodations, EA support, and SERT resource time. Best for students who can access grade-level curriculum with supports in place.
Student is in a regular class but is withdrawn for small-group or one-to-one instruction in specific subjects. Allows targeted support without full removal from peers.
Specialized classroom with lower student ratios, Applied Behaviour Analysis principles, and staff with ASD expertise. For students requiring intensive, structured programming not achievable in a regular setting.
WRDSB's ASD-designated classes apply ABA-informed instructional strategies including discrete trial training, prompting hierarchies, reinforcement systems, and data-based decision-making. Staff in ASD classes typically hold Special Education qualifications and receive ABA-specific professional development. Programming is individualized to each student's IEP goals, not a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
ASD class placement does not preclude integration with non-disabled peers for portions of the day (lunch, physical education, arts). Integration opportunities should be documented in the IEP where appropriate.
KidsAbility Centre for Child Development is Waterloo Region's designated children's rehabilitation centre and the primary community-based partner for school-aged autistic children. KidsAbility and WRDSB coordinate across several service areas.
KidsAbility's Autism Services team provides OAP-funded services including behaviour consultation, speech-language therapy, and occupational therapy. Families access these through AccessOAP registration. KidsAbility therapists can consult with your child's WRDSB school team and attend IEP meetings as external professionals when invited.
KidsAbility offers school-based consultation where therapists work with SERT staff to develop strategies aligned with the child's IEP. This includes classroom observation, sensory accommodation recommendations, and communication strategy coaching for EA and classroom staff.
KidsAbility's Transition Services team coordinates with WRDSB during key school-to-adult life transitions, connecting families with Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) and adult autism services. Early referral to DSO (before age 18) is strongly recommended.
KidsAbility's Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) specialists work with non-speaking and minimally verbal autistic students. AAC devices funded through Assistive Devices Program (ADP) can be used in WRDSB classrooms, ensure this is documented in the IEP accommodations section.
Myth: An autism diagnosis automatically grants EA hours
Fact: EA allocation is based on the IPRC placement decision and documented functional needs in the IEP, diagnosis alone is not sufficient.
Myth: EAs are assigned to one child all day
Fact: Most EAs support multiple students and rotate through classrooms. A dedicated full-time EA requires documented intensive needs.
Myth: EA hours cannot be reduced without notice
Fact: EA allocation can be changed at an IEP review. Parents must be informed and can request a meeting to discuss changes.
What records should be kept
Escalation ladder
Work through these in order. Always escalate in writing and reference your earlier correspondence.
Rung 1
Your first point of contact. Every WRDSB school has at least one SERT. Raise the concern with them in writing first.
Rung 2
If the SERT cannot resolve it, or you need an IPRC, request it from the principal in writing. Keep a copy and note the date.
Rung 3
If the school-level response is inadequate, escalate to WRDSB's Special Education team directly, attaching your earlier written requests.
Rung 4
Bring a pattern of unresolved issues to the Special Education Advisory Committee for a systemic response, not just your individual case.
Rung 5
If you disagree with an IPRC placement decision, you have 30 days to request a hearing before an independent three-member panel.
Rung 6
The Ombudsman reviews how the board handled your complaint. The HRTO hears applications alleging a failure to accommodate disability in education services.
Visit the OmbudsmanOntario regulations mandate transition planning in every IEP for students aged 14+. WRDSB often begins informal transition planning earlier for autistic students, ideally in Grades 7-8, to prepare for high school and eventually post-secondary life.
| Stage | Transition Focus | Key Contacts |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary → Secondary | School visits, new SERT relationship, course pathway planning | Elementary SERT, Secondary SERT, Guidance |
| Secondary → Post-Secondary | College/university disability services, employment, community living | SERT, Guidance, DSO, KidsAbility Transition |
| Age 14 Mandate | Formal transition plan required in IEP by law | SERT (leads), parents, student |
| DSO Referral | Register early, long waitlist for adult developmental services | Developmental Services Ontario Waterloo Wellington |
Developmental Services Ontario (Waterloo Wellington) manages the waitlist for adult autism and developmental services. The waitlist can exceed 10 years. Register your child before age 18, ideally at 14-15, even if you believe they may not need adult services. You can decline services later; you cannot move up the waitlist retroactively.
| Factor | WRDSB | Waterloo Catholic DSB |
|---|---|---|
| Student Population | ~65,000 students | ~35,000 students |
| IEP/IPRC Rights | Identical (mandated by Ontario Education Act) | Identical (mandated by Ontario Education Act) |
| ASD Class Availability | Multiple ASD classes across geographic areas | ASD programs available; fewer locations |
| School Eligibility | All families in district boundaries | Catholic faith families (or discretionary admission) |
| SEAC | Active, public meetings, Autism Ontario representation | Active, separate SEAC body |
| KidsAbility Partnership | Yes, formal school support coordination | Yes, KidsAbility serves all Waterloo Region children |
The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is your systemic voice within the school board. Use it alongside your individual IEP/IPRC rights for a two-track advocacy approach.
SEAC meetings at WRDSB are open to the public and held throughout the school year at the Education Centre. Agendas are posted in advance. Attending gives you insight into board-level special education decisions before they affect your child's school.
Autism Ontario's Waterloo Region chapter holds seats on WRDSB SEAC and can amplify individual family concerns to the board level. Their parent advocates can also attend IEP and IPRC meetings with you as a support person.
Keep a dated log of all school communications, emails, meeting notes, phone calls. Ontario's Education Act timelines (10 days IPRC notice, 30 days for IEP) are legally binding. Documentation protects you in any dispute.
If your school-level SERT is unable to resolve a concern, you can escalate to WRDSB's Special Education team directly. The board employs Coordinators of Special Education who oversee programming at a system level.
What is the next action
Whether you are requesting your first IPRC, navigating an ASD class placement, or connecting with KidsAbility for the first time, Ontario gives you clear rights. Start with a formal autism diagnosis if you haven't already, schools respond faster with documentation in hand.
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
Under the Ontario Education Act, every student with special needs is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and access to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four
$965M
Ontario allocated to the Ontario Autism Program in 2026-27
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement