The Program Planning Process: A Guide for Parents
Supporting Student Success
Student Services
A document created by the Nova Scotia Department of Education
Delivered to you by:
“Education is more successful when there is a
partnership between home and school.”
Department of Education Program Planning Guide for Parents Committee
• The educational success of individual students is best achieved
through a team approach to planning and programming.
• Proper programming and planning need to be carefully and
thoughtfully constructed to create a specific, individual academic
plan for many Nova Scotian students.
• This collaboration is called the Program Planning Process, and it is
vital in ensuring the appropriate and successful implementation of
the Special Education Policy.
• Parents are an integral part of the individual program planning
team. The information collected and discussed can ensure that
extremely specific and individual programs will be created to
structure and offer academic success to your child…our student.
Supporting Documents
•
•
•
•
•
•
The program planning process
bears it’s foundation from the
following documents:
Education Act
Public School Programs (PSP)
Special Education Policy
Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms
If you would like more information
regarding these documents, please
contact your child’s school, the
HRSB or the Student Services
Division of the Department of
Education
All Students have the right to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
An Appropriate Education
A Quality Education
Qualified Teachers
An Inclusive Education
An Individual Program Plan if Needed
Accountability from all Teachers and Administration
•
These rights are enforced when effective collaboration takes place between parents
and school staff/personnel. Parental involvement in a child’s education helps the
child increase his/her self confidence, feelings of self-worth and helps create an
opportunity for success in school.
The Program Planning Process
•
When a program planning team collaborates during the creation of a specific
educational plan, those who have responsibility for the student’s learning need
to attend. These participants are:
•
•
•
•
•
parent(s)/guardian(s)
principal and or the vice principal
all subject teachers, including resource or learning centre teacher
if appropriate, the student
other professional staff involved ( school board and community agencies)
•
During the individual program planning process, the learning styles, strengths
and needs of the student at hand will be addressed. Students with special needs
will be supported through programming either via documented adaptations or
specific individualized outcomes.
Synopsis of the 8 Stages of the
Program Planning Process
Stage 1: Some children may come to school already having been assessed
and or with established programming information as derived from their
involvement with personnel from outside agencies or from another school.
Some may already be in school and are just now being observed by their
classroom staffs as having atypical learning needs.
Stage 2: The classroom teachers explore a myriad of instructional
strategies in an attempt to facilitate improved student learning. This
presumes a reciprocating process of assessment/instruction, further
assessment/instruction.
Stage 3: If classroom teachers require further support to meet the needs
of a student, they may wish to refer the student to the school based
program planning team.
Stage 4: At this stage the individual program planning team reviews the current
information, as well as the student’s strengths and needs. The team now decides on
future actions that need to be taken in terms of programming for the student. Team
members should be those who have responsibility for the student learning
including the parents and sometimes, the student. An administrator should lead the
meeting and act as the mediator. It is at this time that the team would decide if an
Individualized Plan would be needed/appropriate. The meeting may also highlight
the need for change in instructional strategies or assessment in a prescribed course.
The chairperson now designates responsibility to team members to develop the new
revised program.
Stages 5&6: During the fifth and sixth stages of the program planning process,
Individual Program Plans (IPP) are developed and implemented in the
classroom. This development should be contrived through the key members of
the individual program planning team, including the parents/guardians.
Stages 7& 8: These stages are meant for the reviewing and monitoring of the
adaptations/individual program plans. Continuous monitoring must take place
throughout the year.
Adaptations vs. Individual Program Plan
•
Adaptations are teaching strategies
that are developed in one or more of
the following areas:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Assessment/evaluation
Class organization
Environment
Motivation
Presentation
Resources
Adaptations are not noted on the student’s
report card or transcript.
Adaptations are documented in the students
cumulative record
There are no changes to the PSP outcomes
A copy of the adaptation form will be sent
home to the parent/guardian
The adaptations will be constantly monitored
and evaluated for effectiveness
•
•
•
•
•
An IPP may involve any or all of
the following:
•
Following the same general curriculum
outcomes but at a significantly different
outcome level than would be expected for the
grade-level in which the student is enrolled
Deleting of a specific curriculum outcome or
outcomes when the deleted outcome(s) is/are
necessary to develop an understanding of the
general curriculum outcome
Where there is a need, providing
programming for outcomes that are not part
of Nova Scotia’s public school program (e.g.,
behavior programming, life skills)
Adding new outcomes where students require
enrichment
An IPP is indicated on the student’s report
card and/transcript. A copy of the IPP is filed
in the student’s cumulative record.
A copy of the final, approved IPP will be
given to the parent/guardian
•
•
•
•
•
Roles and Responsibilities
• Each member of the program planning team has a role and specific
responsibilities in terms of collaborating and communicating useful
and specific/pertinent information to the team. After collecting this
important data, an individualized plan can be created for the student.
• Parents:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Should be involved from the beginning in the program planning process
Need to share with the team their child’s strengths, needs and future aspirations
Should share information that supports effective transitioning
Should inform the team of any outside agencies/professionals that are involved with the child
Pertinent information about family circumstances and educational history that could effect
educational learning, should be communicated
Need to carry out the specific elements of the program plan that is the parent’s responsibility. i.e.
structured homework times, parent/child reading etc.
School Administrators
• The school administrators will assume a leadership role in
the program planning process
• They need to ensure that all parties/team members are
notified of the time, place and nature of the individual
program planning team meeting
• The administrative representative will chair the program
planning meetings and act as a leader and positive
facilitator
• The administrator will ensure that minutes are being taken
• They will also ensure that the program plan developed
through the individual program planning process is
implemented, tracked and monitored.
Teachers and other
Professionals
• Participate in the program planning process for students for
whom they have responsibility
• Implement the program as required
• Track, monitor and report on student progress
• Review student records to support transitioning and
programming
Supporting Parents/Guardians as Effective Members
of the Program Planning Team
• As a vital member of the
program planning team,
you as parents should
think about how you can:
• Prepare for your participation in
the program planning team
meeting
• Support the program plan that
has been created specifically for
your child both in school and at
home.
• Follow-up on your child’s
progress
Prior to Program Planning
Meetings
• Share information about your child to the team to help
support effective programming
• Identify any successes or challenges that you may foresee
happening throughout the school year
• Consider the main hopes/goals for your child this year
• Make notes to bring to the program planning meeting so
you can communicate all of your feelings/thoughts
• Please advise the school before the meeting if you want to
bring a friend or support person with you.
• Please share general/pertinent information e.g., changes in
family circumstances such as additions, deaths, illnesses,
moving etc.
During Meetings
• Ask for clarification of the roles
and responsibilities of all
meeting participants
• Ask about your child’s
performance at school
• Consider other points of view
during the meeting
• Remember that your child may
react differently in different
circumstances and
environments. His/her behavior
at home may vary from the
behaviors observed at school.
• Be positive!
Following Meetings and Monitoring Student
Progress
•
•
•
•
•
•
Talk with your child regularly about what he
or she is doing in school, both academically
and socially
Support your child in becoming a selfadvocate through an understanding of his /her
strengths and needs
Provide, when appropriate, learning
opportunities at home that are consistent with
the learning that is taking place in school
Support the teacher’s expectations and the
classroom routines by reinforcing such
behaviors at home
Maintain close contact with the classroom
teacher’s regarding your child’s progress via
phone, e-mail homework notebooks and
journals
Read your child’s report card carefully. If you
do not understand any part of the report,
contact your child’s school for more
information
•
KEEP IN FREQUENT CONTACT WITH ALL
SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED WITH
YOUR CHILD’S PROGRAM!
Transition Planning
•
Transition planning is the planning that should be consistently taking place
each year in regards to setting your child up for success in a time of change.
• Transition milestones occur when a student moves from home to school, grade
to grade, school to school, community to school, or from school to community.
• As a parent, your help, advice and support in dealing with transitions is vital.
At the end of the day, your loving encouragement, and home support is what
will help your child through any anxieties or worries they may be feeling.
Knowing that a parent cares and is involved, is sometimes the best remedy in
relieving academic and social related stress
• Transition Planning for Students with Special Needs: The Early Years
through to Adult Life ( Nova Scotia Department of Education 2005) is a
resource to support individualized program planning at key transition stages
Minimizing and Resolving Conflict
Nova Scotia Department of Education The Program Planning Process: A Guide for Parents 2006
Some Questions to Consider
• What is a typical day in school
like for my child?
• Has my child been attending
classes regularly?
• Has my child been completing
class assignments?
• How do teachers describe my
child’s learning style?
• Is my child working at or
meeting the specific curriculum
outcomes? If not, why not and
what would be the best way to
proceed?
*Is my child meeting the outcomes outlined in his or her IPP?
If not, why not and what would support my child’s learning?
*Are there any potential social issues with peers I need to be
aware of?
*What can we be doing at home to support my child’s learning?
*How can we support my child to move toward greater independence?
Questions created by the DOE Program Planning Guide for Parents Committee
Thank-You
• On behalf of the Halifax
Regional School Board we
would like to thank you for
taking an active interest in your
child’s well-being and
education.
We value your input,
sincerity, support and
collaboration. Teamwork
between schools and parents is
what creates a successful
learning and social environment
for students…and students and
their needs come first.