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A "modified day" means your child attends school for less than the full day — an hour, a morning, a few afternoons. Schools often present it as temporary support while things settle. Under the Human Rights Code, your child has the right to equal treatment in education, and the board must accommodate disability to the point of undue hardship. The Ontario Human Rights Commission treats accommodation as a shared, ongoing process — which means a shortened day needs a written rationale, your informed agreement, review dates, and a real plan back to full-time. Without those, a "temporary" arrangement can quietly become the whole school year.
Ask for the rationale in writing
Why a shortened day, who decided, and is it recorded in the IEP?
Ask for the return plan
Request a dated, step-by-step plan back to a full day, with review dates and the supports needed at each step.
Track the hours
Log the hours your child actually attends each day. Missed instructional time, with dates, is the core record.
Send the modified-day letter
The generated letter below asks for the rationale, the record of your agreement, and the return plan.
I want to understand the shortened day. What is the written rationale, and is it in the IEP? Am I recorded as having agreed to this? What supports would my child need to attend full-time, and what is preventing them from being in place? Can you give me a dated plan to return to a full day, with review dates? Please reply in writing.
Answer four short questions and the Navigator generates this topic's letter with your details filled in, your incident chronology attached, and every legal reference cited — in Plain or Firm tone.
Build my plan and lettersRaise it with the principal in writing first; escalate if there is no written return plan after your request.
See the full escalation ladderSOURCE
Ontario Human Rights Commission • 2018-03-01
SOURCE
Government of Ontario • 2024-01-01
Last updated: 2026-07-04
Verified Facts
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