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Education Guide
Start high-school planning with your teen's goal after graduation. Ask guidance which courses keep that goal open, which supports can be written into the IEP, and which deadlines apply to your teen's cohort.
Case file
What's happening
Start high-school planning with your teen's goal after graduation. Ask guidance which courses keep that goal open, which supports can be written into the IEP, and which deadlines apply to your teen's cohort.
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
2 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.
Ontario course pathways depend on grade, subject, and the student's cohort. Ask guidance to show how each course affects college, university, apprenticeship, workplace, or community goals before you choose.
For students who may not pursue the standard OSSD, Ontario offers the Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) requiring 14 credits and the Certificate of Accomplishment for students who complete individual learning goals. These alternative credentials are legitimate pathways and should not be viewed as lesser — they represent the diversity of student needs and aspirations.
Your teen's IEP should evolve each year to reflect changing needs. In high school, accommodations may include: extended time on tests and assignments, use of technology (laptops, speech-to-text software), modified group work expectations, alternative formats for demonstrating knowledge, reduced course load spread over five years, and a home-base room for sensory regulation.
As teens develop self-awareness, involve them in IEP discussions. Understanding their own accommodation needs and being able to articulate them is a critical life skill — especially for those heading to post-secondary education, where they will manage accommodations independently. Start building this self-advocacy in Grade 9.
Ontario requires schools to include a transition plan in the IEP for students 14 and older. This plan should address post-secondary education, employment, and community living goals. For autistic students, transition planning should begin in Grade 9 and become increasingly specific each year.
Key transition actions include: visiting post-secondary campuses and employment sites, participating in co-operative education or volunteer placements, developing life skills (banking, cooking, transit use, self-care), connecting with adult service providers before aging out of child services, and applying to Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) by age 16. See our transition-to-adult-services guide for detailed steps.
Ontario Ministry of Education
Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements (ontario.ca/education)
Ontario Ministry of Education
Policy/Program Memorandum 156: Transition Planning for Students with IEPs
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.
Yes. Ontario students with disabilities can remain in high school until the end of the school year in which they turn 21. This extended time can be used to complete credits, develop life skills, participate in cooperative education, and prepare for the transition to adult services. Schools must continue providing IEP accommodations throughout.
This depends on your teen's cohort, goals, strengths, and supports. Ask guidance to map each course to the next step it keeps open or closes. Include your teen in the decision.
In high school, students see multiple teachers who may not all be aware of the IEP. At the start of each semester, confirm that all teachers have received the accommodation list. Establish a primary contact at the school (usually the special education resource teacher) who monitors implementation. Teach your teen to self-monitor and report when accommodations are not being provided.
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