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)
School Support
Plain-language school guidance, the record to keep, and the next step available to your family.
An IEP (Individual Education Plan) is the school's written plan for your child. Ontario Regulation 181/98 requires it to be developed in consultation with you (s. 6(2)) and to set out specific expectations, the program and services your child will receive, and how progress will be reviewed (s. 6(3)). After a placement, the plan must be completed and sent to you within 30 school days (s. 6(8)). Two different problems look similar: an IEP that is too weak, and a decent IEP that staff do not follow. Your records — what the plan says versus what actually happens — tell you which fight you are in.
Read the IEP against reality
Line by line: which supports are actually happening? Mark each item delivered / partial / not happening, with examples.
Request a review meeting in writing
Use the IEP review letter — it cites the consultation duty and asks for a date within 5 business days.
Bring specifics, ask for specifics
Vague goals produce vague support. Ask for measurable expectations and named services with frequencies.
Confirm every change in writing
After the meeting, ask for the updated IEP and confirm in writing anything agreed verbally.
For students 14 and older
Ask for transition steps for post-secondary options, employment, and community living. Put dates and responsible staff in the IEP.
I am requesting a meeting to review my child's IEP. Which parts of the current plan are being delivered as written, and which are not? I would like the reviewed plan to state specific expectations, the exact services and their frequency, and how progress will be measured and reported to me. When will I receive the updated plan in writing? Please reply in writing within five business days.
Most IEP problems resolve at the school level with written pressure; the superintendent letter cites the board's duties when they don't.
See the full escalation ladderSOURCE
e-Laws • 1998-04-01
SOURCE
Government of Ontario • 2024-01-01
SOURCE
Ontario Human Rights Commission • 2018-03-01
Last updated: 2026-07-04
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
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
22.5%
Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), 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