1. 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:

2. “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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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!

16. 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 self-advocate 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, 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!

17. 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

18. Minimizing and Resolving Conflict
Nova Scotia Department of Education The Program Planning Process: A Guide for Parents 2006

19. 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?

20. *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

21. 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.