Guide
Contact your child's teacher or principal in writing to request a meeting. Ask for the Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) to attend. Put the request in an email so you have a dated record.
Gather your child's diagnosis report, therapy assessments, and any notes from clinicians. Write a brief summary of what your child struggles with at school. Include examples of situations where accommodations would help.
Write a letter to the principal requesting specific accommodations. Reference the Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.2, and your child's right to appropriate support. List each accommodation clearly and explain why it is needed.
Request an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) meeting if the school has not initiated one. The IPRC will formally identify your child as exceptional and recommend a placement. You have the right to attend and present evidence.
After accommodations are agreed upon, check in with the teacher monthly. Ask your child how things are going. Review the IEP at each reporting period to confirm accommodations are being applied consistently.
If the school fails to implement agreed accommodations, put your concerns in writing to the principal. Escalate to the school board's special education department. You can also file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
Ontario Ministry of Education
Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide (ontario.ca/education)
Ontario Human Rights Commission
Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities (ohrc.on.ca)
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
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement