• IPRC stands for Identification Placement and Review Committee

• The IPRC is composed of at least three people, including the school principal or a supervisory officer.  Usually the committee consists of a school principal (as IPRC Chair), your special education consultant, and special education resource teacher

• IPRCs for students in small classes or those with complex needs CANNOT be waived. An IPRC meeting must be held annually to review the students' placement and ensure they continue to be in the most appropriate setting.

1. Requesting the IPRC Meeting (Initiation)

The IPRC meeting can be requested by parents/guardians in a written request to the school principal. Alternatively, a school principal may request an IPRC, provided they give parents 10 days' notice in writing.

2. Scheduling and Notification

• Within 15 days of receiving a written request for an IPRC, the principal must:

1) acknowledge the request

2) give the parent a copy of the Parent's Guide to Special Education (also linked below)

3) notify parent of approximately when the IPRC will meet.

• Written notification of the specific date, time, and location of the IPRC meeting must be sent to parents, by the IPRC chair (usually the school principal) at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

3. The IPRC Meeting

• All 3 IPRC members must attend an IPRC meeting. Parents and other invitees may also attend.

• Parents/guardians are entitled to be present at and participate in all committee discussions.

• The committee reviews assessments (educational and potentially health or psychological assessments) and considers any information submitted by the parents or the student (if age 16 or older). When making a placement decision, the IPRC must first consider whether placement in a regular class with appropriate special education services will meet the child's needs. Placements considered range from a regular class with indirect service to a special class program for 100% of the day or a referral to a provincial demonstration school.

4. Post-Meeting Decision and Agreement

• After the meeting, parents receive two copies of the IPRC Statement of Decision.

• If parents agree with the identification and placement decision, they must sign and return one copy of the IPRC decision to the school.

• If parents do not sign (or notify the principal of decision to appeal) within 15 days, the identification and placement outlined in the decision will proceed.

5. Appeals Process

If parents disagree with the IPRC's identification or placement decision, they may appeal the decision using the following steps:

• Requesting a Second Meeting: Parents may notify the IPRC and principal in writing within fifteen (15) days of receiving the written IPRC decision to arrange a follow-up meeting.

• Filing an Appeal (Post-Second Meeting): If parents remain dissatisfied after the second IPRC meeting, they may file a notice of appeal with the Director of the Board within fifteen (15) days of receiving written decision of the 2nd meeting.
  - OR -

• Filing an Appeal (Original Decision): a parent may appeal the original decision by giving written notice to the Director within thirty (30) days of the original decision, choosing to forgo a request for a second meeting.

6. Appeal Board Meeting (if needed)

• Appeal Board Meeting: Once a special education appeal board is established, the chair will arrange a meeting no later than 30 days after the chair has been selected, unless a later date is consented to by both the parent and the Board.

• Appeal Board Recommendation: The appeal board must make its recommendations within 3 days of the meeting ending.

• School Board Decision: The School Board must decide what action it will take within 30 days of receiving the appeal board's written report. Parents who still disagree may then appeal to a Special Education Tribunal.

6. Annual Review

• The identification and placement of every exceptional pupil must be reviewed at least once a year at the annual IPRC review meeting. 

• Parents may also request a review of the placement at any time after the placement has been in effect for three (3) months by applying in writing to the appropriate principal.

• A placement is only valid for one year. A family can choose to waive the option to have their annual review provided it happens within the year. After this time, an IPRC must be held to consider identification and placement. 

• An IPRC can only be waived if there is no change to a student's identification or placement. The waiver form must be signed and placed in the OSR.  Note: IPRCs for students in small classes or those with complex needs CANNOT be waived. An IPRC meeting must be held annually to review the students' placement and ensure they continue to be in the most appropriate setting.