Or should I waive the right to an IPRC this year?
Yes, you should attend the annual IPRC?
The initial Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) for a student may take place at any time in the year, but the annual Review typically takes place at the end of the school year, in April, May or June. By law the parents or legal guardian must be invited to the IPRC meeting, and many schools will try to accommodate parent availability, by rescheduling, if the invitation date is not convenient. Participating in the meeting is very important and you should make every effort to attend.
No, you should not waive your right to attend the IPRC?
You may also be offered the option of waiving your right to an IPRC. At the IPRC the members will review the strengths and needs and assessment information, about the student, to determine whether the student still meets the criteria to be identified as exceptional. The members will also discuss the placement and consider whether it needs to be changed. For most students, the exceptionality will be unchanged and the placement in a regular class will be the same. You may decide that the current placement and Individual Education Plan (IEP) are meeting your child’s needs and you may be undecided about whether you need to attend the IPRC. By attending the meeting you are showing your interest in your child and remaining engaged with the school staff.
Yes, you should attend the IPRC at transitions to new schools, if your child’s needs have changed, or the placement will change.
In some cases your child’s needs or the available placement options may change. Some school boards have special programs in self-contained classes that are only available for students in specific grades, for example classes for students with Learning Disability. Or your child may be facing a change in school at the end of Grade 6 or Grade 9. For these important events you should plan to attend the IPRC and be involved in decisions about identification and placement. For example, you can ask to visit the available placement options. You need to be part of these important decisions and to be informed about next year’s placement.
Should I be involved in the IEP?
Following the decision of the IPRC, and the change or placement or start of new grade, an Individual Education Plan must be developed or reviewed. You should be part of the IEP development, including transition plans to support your child through the changes. Remember, your participation in the IPRC process, and any decisions made, will support your child’s success at school.
[…] The Identification, Placement and Review Committee must meet at least once per year to review the student’s identification and placement. As the needs of a student who has been identified as exceptional are significant and likely to be long lasting, in most cases the category of exceptionality will remain the same throughout the student’s school career. However, at each annual review, new information or updated assessments may be presented that requires consideration about the exceptionality. For example, a young student may be identified as exceptional, Physical Disability but as they mature it may become clear that they are intellectually gifted. The exceptionality may change to Intellectual: Giftedness. This is one of the reasons that parents should participate in every annual IPRC review. For more information on the parent role check the article, Should I attend the Annual IPRC? […]