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Ontario schools are required to plan transitions for autistic students at every stage, from kindergarten entry to post-secondary pathways. Most families are never told this.
Transition planning is legally required, but children age out of school every year without one.
Registered
91,97491,974Children registered
Total registered in the Ontario Autism Program
MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information
Funded
20,71120,711Have active funding
Only 22.5% of registered children
MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information
Without active agreement
71,26371,263Without an active funding agreement
An administrative status; it does not confirm current service delivery.
MCCSS Ontario Autism Program figures, May 13, 2026, obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition under Freedom of Information
Verified , MCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Children registered | 91,974 |
| Have active funding | 20,711 |
| Without an active funding agreement | 71,263 |
PPM 156 addresses transitions that are especially challenging for autistic students. Each requires proactive planning, not reactive scrambling.
The first school transition. Planning should begin 6+ months before kindergarten. Connect OAP Entry to School program with school team.
Kindergarten guideGrade 8 to Grade 9 is often the most disruptive transition. New building, new staff, new routines. IEP must transfer with updated accommodations.
High school planningThe most consequential transition. Planning must start by age 14. Covers college, university, trades, employment, and community living.
Moving between schools (family move, program change) requires the IEP to transfer and a new transition plan in the receiving school.
Annual transitions to a new teacher and classroom. For autistic students, even this "routine" change can be highly disruptive without planning.
Moving from a self-contained classroom to integrated, or vice versa. Requires careful planning and gradual introduction to the new setting.
By age 14, the IEP must contain a transition plan addressing life after secondary school. PPM 156 specifies what must be in it.
What does the student want to do after school? College, university, trades apprenticeship, supported employment, community living? Goals must be specific, not vague.
Who does what? The plan must identify specific actions, who is responsible for each, and deadlines. Not "the school will help with transition", but "the guidance counsellor will arrange a college accessibility office meeting by November 2026."
The school must connect families with relevant agencies: Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), post-secondary disability services, vocational rehabilitation, and community living organizations.
For students who will need ongoing support, the transition plan should address daily living skills, transportation, financial management, self-advocacy, and community participation.
The plan must include clear timelines and be reviewed at least annually as part of the IEP review process. As the student approaches graduation, reviews should become more frequent.
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What is PPM 156 and how does it help autistic students transition?
VerifiedPPM 156 (2013) requires Ontario school boards to plan transitions at every stage - entry to school, grade to grade, and school to post-secondary or work. [Ministry of Education] For autistic students, transition plans must begin by age 14 and be included in the IEP, covering post-secondary goals, community agency connections, and independent living skills.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Education - PPM 156 · Open source record
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)
91,974
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
US$2.4M
Lifetime support costs for autism with co-occurring intellectual disability can reach US$2.4 million per person (Buescher et al.)
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
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