Administrative Procedure 213

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Background

All children have the right to a quality education that supports personal growth and development as well as success in learning. An inclusive education system thinks and acts in ways that demonstrate universal acceptance and belonging for all students.
The Charter Board welcomes all learners to the School but also recognizes that the resources available may not provide the necessary support for a quality education for students with significant learning needs. In all cases of enrolment, the parents and School administration will place the best educational interests of the student as the priority in decision-making to enrol at VCS or recommend an alternate program within the larger educational community.
The following six principles are key to achieving the vision for an inclusive education system:
1. Anticipate, value and support diversity and learner differences. Welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments create a sense of belonging for all learners and their families.
2. Hold high expectations for all learners. Creating a culture of high expectations begins with an accessible curriculum and meaningful learning experiences.
3. Understand learners’ strengths and needs. Meaningful data gathering leads to enhanced understanding and responding to strengths and needs of the learners.
4. Remove barriers within learning environments. All education partners work together so that all learners are successful and able to participate in the school community.
5. Build capacity. Schools, families and community partners have relationships and resources that develop, strengthen and renew their understanding and abilities to create flexible and responsive learning environments.
6. Collaborate for success. All stakeholders, school staff, families and community partners collaborate to support the success of all learners.
In the Alberta context, inclusion means every student will be included in the school community and within that community may be placed in the setting that is best for the student at a particular time, based on the input of all parties.

Procedures

1. All students shall be given the opportunity to participate in all aspects of school life.
1.1 School life shall include all those activities to which students are exposed as part of their school experience.
1.2 Collaborative program planning and development will allow students to be fully participating members of the school community with programs and support in place which best suits their educational needs.
1.3 Appropriate screening and diagnostic assessment information contributes to a student profile that allows for planning, program development, and implementation. Information gathered at all levels of the system, beginning with the teacher and family and extending to other specialists, will allow teachers to program to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
1.3.1 Program planning and development will consider all relevant aspects of a child’s development. The School-based learning team will utilize collaborative practices based on the principles of wraparound to facilitate timely support and services within the pyramid of interventions for student success.
1.3.2 The School-based learning team may consist of the classroom teacher, parents, students (where appropriate), and other school staff aware of the students’ needs, and others as required.
2. The classroom teacher is responsible for all students in his/her classroom.
2.1 The classroom teacher is accountable for the development, implementation and evaluation of the student’s program
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2.2 The teacher provides meaningful educational experiences that supports and challenges the student’s levels
and styles of learning.
3. Parents will be given opportunities and encouraged to participate in their child’s education as an integral part of the
learning team to collaborate with program planning and implementation.
3.1 Before the teacher provides a student with significant program modifications, the school-based learning team,
and when appropriate the student, will collaborate to identify and provide effective instruction and support.
3.2 The School-based learning team will involve parents in the identification, referral and assessment process for
students requiring consultation or specialized assessments.
3.3 The Principal must obtain parents’ written informed consent for specialized assessments or referrals.
3.3.1 In cases when parents refuse consent, the Principal is to document and place in the student
record the reasons for refusal and/or actions undertaken by the School to obtain consent.
3.4 Using all relevant assessment data, the School-based learning team, in collaboration with parents and when
appropriate the student, will ensure that there is an individual program plan developed, implemented, monitored
and evaluated.
3.5 The Principal will identify whose responsibility it is to coordinate, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate
the School-based individual program and services.
3.6 The Principal must obtain written informed consent from parents to provide coordinated services to students,
when required, and as identified in students’ individual program plan.
3.6.1 In cases when parents refuse consent, the Principal is to document and place in the student
record the reasons for refusal and/or actions undertaken by the School to obtain consent.
3.7 A designate of the School-based learning team will arrange opportunities for regular communication and
feedback with the parents relating to the individual program plan throughout the school year.
3.8 Consistent with Administrative Procedure 390 – Appeals Concerning Student Matters and Board Policy 13 –
Appeals and Hearings Regarding Student Matters, a parent has the right to appeal decisions made by the
Superintendent and/or the Board which significantly affect the education of the student.
3.9 When a student is exceptionally vulnerable to severe reaction or injury, the Principal, with the parent(s) or
caregiver(s), is responsible for ensuring appropriate arrangements are made for the welfare of the student. To
fulfill this responsibility the Principal shall, as per Administrative Procedure 316 – Dispensing Medication to
Students:
3.9.1 Make reasonable provisions which will enable the student to receive special medical treatment as
required at school.
3.9.2 Request that the Superintendent locate a more suitable educational setting for the student to
attend school.
3.9.3 Normally, all students will receive their education in an age appropriate setting.
3.10 Usually, all students within any classroom are in the same grade. However, in some settings, including low
enrolment schools, family groupings of primary, intermediate and middle school may be desirable and
necessary. In multi-grade family groupings, teachers may rotate curriculum within a multi-year cycle so that all
the curricular outcomes are addressed within a two – three year education plan.
3.11 If the Charter Board determines it cannot meet the complex needs of a student in an education program provided
by the Charter Board or a funded program elsewhere, it shall, within ten (10) days of such determination, refer
the matter to the Complex Education Needs Tribunal as prescribed under Section 40 of the Education Act.
Decisions regarding the appropriate placement of a student must place the best interests of the student’s
learning needs as the highest priority.

References: Section 3, 11, 16, 25, 26, 33, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 52, 53, 56, 196, 197, 222, 225 Education Act
Student Record Regulation 225/2006
Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12
Standards for Special Education
Standards for the Provision of Early Childhood Special Education