Special Education Report

Literacy and Mathematical Literacy are the foundations of success for all students and early identification of a student’s learning needs are critical to effective intervention. Knowledge about a student’s strengths and needs guides teachers and support services staff in providing effective programming by linking assessment to practice. Instructional strategies that include differentiated instruction, and match the learning profiles of students ensure access to learning for all children. As a result of the  expert panel reports in Literacy and Mathematical Literacy, the focus has been on professional development and learning resources to enhance the capacity of teaching and support staff to assist students with diverse learning needs and at-risk factors through greater precision and personalization.

The Dufferin-Peel Guidelines for Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting describe assessment as the process of gathering information from a variety of sources including assignments, demonstrations, projects, performances, and tests that accurately reflect how well a student is achieving the curriculum expectations.

Dufferin-Peel educators and support services staff, in consultation with parents, can initiate both formal and informal assessment measures that may enhance effective programming and support student achievement. Specific assessments may require signed consent prior to the initiation of the assessment measure.  Information regarding consent, timelines, and the process of the communication of results, will be shared.

The Ontario Ministry of Education's Growing Success resource document is founded on Seven Fundamental Principles to ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students. The document supports assessment practices and procedures that: are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students; support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit   are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students; are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course; are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning; provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement; develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.   Dufferin-Peel promotes positive school climates and endeavours to establish effective lines of communication among home, parish and school community. Keeping the student at the centre, Special Education and Support Services practice is rooted in the home school community and supports students by promoting accessibility, honouring diversity and mutual respect and by demonstrating transparency and fairness.