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Education Guide
Ottawa families should ask the home school for the current OCDSB special-education contact, program list, and IPRC process. French Immersion and French-language schools are different pathways.
Case file
What's happening
Ottawa families should ask the home school for the current OCDSB special-education contact, program list, and IPRC process. French Immersion and French-language schools are different pathways.
Ask for it in writing today
Whatever you decide to request, put it in writing and date it — a verbal answer leaves no record. The School Support Navigator can draft a letter for your specific situation.
What records to keep
A dated log of calls, emails, and meetings matters more than memory once a dispute runs past a few weeks. The Parent Documentation Toolkit walks through what to track.
The rule or duty that applies
3 governing sources for this topic, listed below with what each one covers.
The escalation ladder
If the first request does not resolve it, there is a standard next step — from the school, up through the board, to the Ombudsman and the Tribunal.
The evidence
4 verified figures for this topic, sourced below.
What to do next
A short list of concrete next actions, including where to raise this with your MPP.
OCDSB offers autism special education classes from kindergarten through secondary school, and places them in designated schools. The current plan lists six students in each ASDP class and ten in each ASDCSP class. It lists one teacher with special education qualifications and educational assistants as available resources.
Placement in specialized programs is determined through the IPRC process. Parents can request an IPRC review at any time. The school team provides recommendations based on the student's assessment data and current functioning.
For students who do not need a self-contained program, OCDSB provides in-school support through Learning Support Teachers (LSTs). LSTs work with classroom teachers to implement IEP accommodations and modifications.
At OCDSB, elementary programming is moving toward English with Core French and Early French Immersion, while Middle French Immersion is being phased out. French-language education has separate admission rules tied to section 23 rights. Families without rights-holder status may still apply, and the board's admission committee reviews the request.
CEPEO offers special education programs and services for students with special needs. Its Omer-Deslauriers secondary school says it offers three autism classes.
If a French Immersion change is suggested, ask for the reasons and accommodations in writing. A disability diagnosis alone should not decide program placement.
OCDSB lists Learning Support Consultants and an Autism/Developmental Disabilities Team as district-level supports. Learning Support Consultants work with their schools to build capacity to support students. Learning Support Services staff also work with teaching staff and parents or caregivers to meet the needs of students and schools.
CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) is a key partner for autism diagnosis and treatment in the Ottawa region. CHEO's Autism Program provides assessments, parent training, and research-based interventions. The hospital coordinates with school boards on transition planning.
OCDSB's current special education plan lists Autism Ontario, Ottawa Chapter in its Special Education Advisory Committee membership. The plan also describes ongoing liaison with CHEO Development and Rehabilitation for students entering from Children's Treatment Centre services.
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Special Education Plan and Learning Support Services (ocdsb.ca)
CHEO
Autism Spectrum Disorder Program (cheo.on.ca)
Ontario Human Rights Commission
Guidelines on accessible education and French-language education rights
Escalation ladder
This is general information, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed at any rung. It is the same escalation path used across End The Wait Ontario's School Support Navigator.
Put your concern in writing to the principal. Most issues resolve at this level once there is a dated, written record — and every later rung will ask what you raised here.
If the principal does not respond in writing or the issue continues, escalate to the board's superintendent responsible for special education, attaching your correspondence with the school.
The board level: the Director of Education, and in parallel the board's SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) for systemic issues. Suspension appeals also live here — with a 10-school-day notice window (Education Act, s. 309(3)).
Since September 1, 2015, the Ontario Ombudsman takes complaints about school boards. It reviews how the board handled your concern — bring your dated chronology and the record of the steps you already took.
The HRTO hears applications about discrimination, including disability discrimination in education services. Applications must be filed within one year of the incident (or the last in a series) — Human Rights Code, s. 34(1). This site provides general information only; get advice from the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (hrlsc.on.ca) or a lawyer before filing.
Ask the school to put any proposed change in writing. The family has an important consent and advocacy role, but placement and program rules may also apply. Ask what accommodations were tried.
You can get a referral from your family doctor, paediatrician, or nurse practitioner. CHEO's Autism Program accepts referrals for children and youth. Wait times vary. You can also request a school-based assessment through OCDSB while waiting for CHEO.
No. Specialized ASD programs are located at specific schools across Ottawa. Students are transported to the nearest school with the appropriate program. Contact OCDSB Learning Support Services for a current list of program locations.
Next steps
Commitment to Accuracy: Our data is verified against official government reports (FAO, MCCSS), peer-reviewed scientific literature, and accessible public records. Last updated: March 24, 2026.
Next Steps
Now that you know how it works, here's how to navigate it for your child.
Related Resources
Can autistic students get an educational assistant (EA)?
VerifiedSchools may assign EAs based on IEP needs, but 47% of families report insufficient supports. EA availability varies by board and often fails to match clinical needs, leaving many autistic students without necessary classroom support.
Source: Ontario Education Act & OAC · Verify Link
What rights do autistic children have to timely services in Ontario?
VerifiedCanadian Charter of Rights (Section 15) protects against discrimination based on disability. The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits unequal treatment in services. OHRC has investigated the OAP waitlist as potential systemic discrimination. Families can file human rights complaints for unreasonable delays.
Source: Canadian Charter, OHRC · Verify Link