Transcript Program Planning in NS Schools PowerPoint

Program Planning in NS Schools
– a Team Approach
AVRSB, 2012
What is the NS Program Planning Process?
• An 8 stage team approach to planning an
appropriate education for students with
specific needs, and to ensure effective
transitions from the early years to adult life
• Based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, the NS Education Act, NS Public
School Programs (PSP), and NS Special
Education Policy
Members of the Program Planning Team
• Parent(s), guardian(s), family
members
• School principal or designate
• Teachers - classroom, subject,
specialist, resource, etc.
• Other professional staff involved
• Student (if appropriate)
• Other additional members
Why is Program Planning Important?
• Students with specific needs are supported to
achieve their learning outcomes. (Students are
more likely to succeed if members of the program
planning team work together)
• Learning Outcomes are statements of what
students are expected to know and be able to do
at various points in their school career. These can
be PSP outcomes or developed specifically for an
individual student (individualised outcomes).
The NS Program Planning Process
Stage 1
Screening and Identification
• Teacher or other(s) identify
challenges or areas of need
affecting student success
• Information related to the
student’s learning is gathered and
considered (student’s strengths,
challenges and interests,
assessments, records, history, etc.)
Stage 2
Exploration of Instructional Strategies (including
Documented Adaptations) by Classroom Teacher(s)
• At the classroom level, the teacher(s)
tries different, common teaching
strategies or resources to address the
challenge(s) – Adaptations (which do
not change the curriculum outcomes)
• These adaptations can be in the areas
of organization, environmental,
presentation/instructional, motivation,
assessment and/or resources
Stage 3
Referral for a Program Planning Team Meeting
• If further planning is required, a
referral is made for a Program
Planning Team Meeting (student)
summarizing student information,
area(s) of concern, strategies tried to
date, questions to be addressed by
team, etc.
• Referrals can be initiated by the
student, parent(s)/guardian(s),
teacher(s), guidance counselor, etc.
Stage 4
Program Planning Team Meeting
• Includes all team members (with
family involvement)
• Team works collaboratively to share
and use all information related to the
student’s learning and decide on
further action, if needed
• Team may decide to gather more
information/refer for further
assessment and/or services,
suggest/develop adaptations beyond
those tried at Stage 2, or suggest
developing an IPP for the student.
Stage 5
Individual Program Plan Development
• In accordance with NS Special
Education Policy 2.6
• Based on student’s strengths and needs
• May involve deletion of curriculum
outcomes, adherance to the same
general curriculum outcomes at a
significantly different specific outcome
level, or addition of new outcomes
• Some students may require a
combination of adaptations and an IPP
Stage 6
Implementation of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP
• Involves instruction, assessment
and reporting of the outcomes
• Program Planning Team members
assume certain responsibilities for
implementation of the Adaptation
Plan and/or IPP
Stage 7
Monitoring of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP
• Ongoing monitoring of the Adaptation Plan
or IPP, student learning and progress, and
assuring that outcomes are appropriate is
necessary
• Changes that do not alter the student’s
learning outcomes can be made and should
be recorded and shared with team
members
• Changes that do alter the learning
outcomes need to be referred back to the
PPTeam
Stage 8
Review of Adaptation Plan and/or IPP
• Involves evaluating and reporting student progress towards
meeting the learning outcomes
• Adaptation Plans are reviewed at least once per year and IPPs
are reviewed at least twice per school year (before each
reporting period or within each semester). Also IPP progress
must be reported at every report period as designated by the
school calendar. Classroom/subject teacher is responsible for
evaluating and reporting the student's progress of SIO’s.
• Outcomes achieved – develop/move on to new ones (either
individualised or PSP)
• Outcomes not achieved – explore plan and consider revising
outcomes and/or other areas
End Thoughts
• Student learning varies in many ways. To
accomodate these variations, schools and
teachers use a continuum of services to address
the specific strengths, challenges, interests and
learning styles of all learners.
• To do this, we diversify, differentiate, adapt and
individualise.
SUCCESS!