Identification, Placement, and Review Committee
The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee:
- considers whether children meet the board criteria as exceptional pupils
- identifies the educational needs of the student
- recommends the type of placement for instruction (such as regular classroom, full time gifted classroom or other options)
A student can be referred to an IPRC on the request of a teacher or parent. (Make the request in writing; a simple template to use can be found below). The reasons you may want to request an IPRC are addressed in the FAQ section.
This committee is legislated by the Education Act under Reg. 181/98 to identify exceptional students, what there needs are, and how those needs can be met. For more in depth information please visit the following links.
- Ministry of Education - The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee
- Ministry of Education - Highlights of Regulation 181/98 (IPRC)
It is likely that you will be invited to attend a school committee meeting to discuss the evidence of intellectual giftedness before testing and/or before the formal IPRC; you should go prepared with your own observations and evidence. You also might like to read Re-Forming Gifted Education by Karen B. Rogers and/or Being Smart About Gifted Children by Dona Matthews and Joanne Foster.
The school or board should provide information to you about the operation of the IPRC in advance of the meeting; ask for the information if necessary.
Before the IPRC meets, materials and information are gathered to provide evidence related to the exceptionality; these may be anecdotal records, educational assessments, or reports. You should have access to these materials before the IPRC meets in order to look them over.
Be aware that you have the right to appeal the decision of the IPRC with respect to:
Identification (For example, they say that your child is not gifted and you have reason to believe otherwise. Often these issues will be around interpreting test results.)
Placement (For example, whether the child will go into a regular classroom or into a special class, part- or full-time; this decision should be based on what setting would work best for your child, rather than any limitations imposed by the board's Special Education Plan).
The IPRC will render a written decision that will be provided to you; if you agree, sign and return it; if you do not agree, DO NOT SIGN IT, but respond with a request for another discussion.
(For more information about the complaint process, you can read this section of the ministry’s website.)
For a full discussion of the rules and regulations related to the IPRC, see Special Education: A Guide for Educators, Part D.
Looking for information about IEP's? IEP Information
Template for Letter Requesting an IPRC
(Be sure to keep a copy of all letters sent to the school as well as notes taken at meetings including the IPRC)
[your address and date]
[name of principal and school address]
[date]
Dear [name of principal]:
We believe that our child [name of child] is gifted and would like for [him/her] to be considered by an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee. We understand that psychological testing may be required to better define [his/her] intellectual abilities.
OR
[He/She] has been tested by [name of psychologist] and we will make the test results available.
We would like to consider placement in [state desired placement i.e. a congregated gifted class.]
Sincerely yours,
[your signature]
Steps In The IPRC Process
1. Referral
Principals, teachers and parent/guardians may refer a child to an IPRC
If parent/guardians make a written request for an IPRC for their child principals must refer the child to the committee
It is appropriate to state the reason for requesting an IPRC
2. Assessment
An educational assessment of the child must be obtained and is prepared by an educational team and will include both formal & informal information gathered during the child's school years from both teachers and parent/guardians
The committee may obtain, with written parent/guardian permission, a health or psychological assessment of the child. Not all boards are willing to accept outside psychological assessments
ABC believes that parent/guardians should share any information with the school which may affect the determination of the committee and the school should do the same
Parents/guardians have the right to review the information in their child's OSR (Ontario School Record) at any time
3. IPRC Meeting
The board establishes the date and location of the IPRC
Parents/guardians should be informed well in advance in order to make arrangements to attend. Parents/guardians should be able to request a more convenient time
The committee shall be made up of three persons, including a supervisor officer or principal
Parents/guardians should attend. Where appropriate, the child may be interviewed and/or included
Parents/guardians should be present for all of the discussions of their child and be part of the decision-making process
The IPRC decision, regarding identification and placement must be forwarded in writing to the parents/guardians and the principal
Prior to placement, the parents/guardians must give written consent
4. Placement
"Placement in a special education setting must allow for a special education program and any special education services deemed necessary in meeting the identified needs of the exceptional pupil". (Special Education Information Handbook, 1984 p.52)
5. Review
At least once a year, the placement of each exceptional pupil will be reviewed by the IPRC. Parents/guardians must be advised in writing of any review and of the decision
A parent/guardian or the principal may request a Review by a Committee any time after a student has been in a placement for 3 months
Placement of an exceptional child cannot be changed without prior notice in writing of the proposed change, a discussion between the IPRC and the parent/guardian and written consent of the parent/guardian
More information about Parent Participation in the IPRC process can be found here.