ABC POLICY STATEMENT

PARENT/GUARDIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Parents/guardians must be recognized as full, active and equal partners in the educational planning for their child.

ABC DEFINITIONS

A GIFTED PUPIL is one who has an unusually advanced degree of general and/or specific intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

A BRIGHT PUPIL is one who has the potential for unusual accomplishment in any of several areas, including intellectual and creative ability, musical, artistic and athletic performance and social and leadership skills.

GIFTED PUPILS

Gifted pupils require and have the legal right to an educational program which meets their intellectual, social and emotional needs.

EARLY AND ONGOING IDENTIFICATION

Early and Ongoing Identification procedures must include recognition of pupils who may be bright or gifted.

There must be formal and/or informal identification of gifted pupils in the primary grades and the provision of appropriate programs for them.

IDENTIFICATION OF GIFTED PUPILS

Exceptional pupils must be identified and this identification should occur when the need for a special education program is evident whether a specific placement is available or not.

Identification and placement in a program may occur at any time and should not be restricted to specific entry points or age.

IDENTIFICATION PLACEMENT AND REVIEW COMMITTEES (IPRC’s)

Identification Placement and Review Committees (IPRC) are an essential component in placing the exceptional pupil to ensure the delivery of appropriate special education programs and services.

The Association supports the process as described in Ontario Regulation 554/81, but believes that programs should be considered as well as placement.

APPEAL PROCESS

Identification and Placement are the means to deliver a Special Education Program. Identification and/or Placement may be appealed.

The Program must meet the needs of the pupil, and therefore the adequacy of the Program should be appealable.

PLACEMENT

A full continuum of Placement Options for pupils who are exceptional is the policy of the Ontario Ministry of Education, and is supported by ABC.

ACCELERATION

Grade acceleration or subject acceleration may be one option in addressing the needs of pupils who are gifted. It must be considered on an individual basis.

INTEGRATION/MAINSTREAMING

ABC supports the placement of exceptional pupils in a regular class if this provides the most enabling learning environment and, when this is one option within the continuum of placement options available.

ABC does not support MAINSTREAMING if this means full-time placement of all exceptional pupils in the regular classroom in the neighborhood school with age appropriate peers.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

A special education program for pupils who are gifted must be based on abilities and needs identified at the IPRC. The program must specify in specific terms what is to be accomplished, the mechanism and ways in which these will be accomplished, and evidence of pupil learning outcome.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM PLAN

A Special Education Program Plan is an essential component of a special education program for pupils who are gifted.

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

Services to support the implementation, development and maintenance of appropriate programs for gifted pupils must be provided.

TEACHERS

Teachers are the KEY to the success of a program.

Teachers of exceptional pupils require additional training to understand the needs of the pupils, the resulting educational implications and the methodology to teach them.

SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEES (SEAC)

The Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is a valuable and essential resource to each local school board. ABC endorses the concept of an advisory committee composed of parent/guardian representation as described in the Education Act (Ontario) (Sec. 182).

SEAC REPRESENTATIVES

SEAC representatives play a vital role and can impact greatly on the quality of programs and services for pupils who are exceptional.

FRENCH FIRST LANGUAGE EDUCATION

All ABC policies apply to French First Language education.

FRENCH IMMERSION

French Immersion programs are not gifted programs.

Pupils who are identified as gifted and who attend French Immersion programs will require special education programs and services.

FUNDING

Gifted education is special education and therefore must receive recognition in the deployment of special education funds.

Designation of funds for special education by both the Ministry of Education and school boards is essential in order to maintain the commitment to special education.

Policy Statements are taken from Association for Bright Children Policy Document 1991
PARENTS AS PARTNERS: AN INVESTMENT IN TOMORROW
Association for Bright Children of Ontario

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