More Students on Individual Program Plans for Learning
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey has asked department staff to work with school boards to ensure Individual Program Plans, or IPPs, are meeting the needs of students in schools across the province.
For the first time, the minister is releasing data on the Individual Program Plans today, Dec. 2, which shows a steady increase in the number of students on plans over the last 10 years.
The Individual Program Plans are based on a student's strengths and challenges with academic courses, life skills, enrichment or social development. They can range from a single subject to all areas of programming, depending on student needs.
The plans are developed in partnership with schools and families through school planning teams when students need additional support to meet the learning outcomes. They are reviewed at least twice a year as a student progresses through the education system.
Program planning teams include a school principal or vice-principal, classroom teachers, resource teachers, other professionals and family members to determine a student's progress.
"Individual Program Plans are important to ensure students get the help and support they need, but it concerns me that they are increasing in every board, even with declining enrolment," said Ms. Casey. "I have asked staff to work with school boards to find out if students are being put on plans for the right reasons and at the right time in their learning."
While the number of plans being offered by school boards in Nova Scotia is in line with national statistics, they have steadily increased during the past decade, from 5,943 students in 2004-05 to 7,084 in 2013-14.
Current data also shows that the need is greater in some areas of the province and among minority groups, including African Nova Scotians and the aboriginal community.
The department will work with school boards to ensure the criteria is being applied consistently and that the right supports are in place, including supports for transitions through the school system and after high school.
"We will need to look at the criteria, the increasing numbers of plans, the role of parents, and most importantly, whether the learning needs of the students are being achieved," said Ms. Casey. "We know there are many students who require extra supports, but we need to make sure we have the right balance to help them succeed and achieve their goals."
The data, which shows the number of students on Individual Program Plans over the last 10 years, will help inform the Minister's Action Plan, the response to the Minister's Panel on Education Report, in January.
The department has created a guide for parents to help with understanding Individual Program Plans, which can be found at http://studentservices.ednet.ns.ca/sites/default/files/program-planning-process.pdf .
A breakdown of the number and percentages of program plans by school board can be found at http://www.ednet.ns.ca/ .