Behaviour Intervention Program (BIP)

Special Education Service Delivery Model in the OCDSB: A Guide for Parents
Of Students Requiring Behaviour Intervention
Description
 
The Ministry of Education defines the exceptionality of Behaviour as:
A learning disorder characterized by specific behavior problems over such a period of time, and to such a marked degree, and of such a nature, as to adversely affect educational performance, and that may be accompanied by one or more of the following:
a) an inability to build or to maintain interpersonal relationships;
b) excessive fears or anxieties;
c) a tendency to compulsive reaction;
d) an inability to learn that cannot be traced to intellectual, sensory, or other health factors, or any combination thereof.
 
The OCDSB supports students in a variety of ways, including in a regular class environment or a specialized program class environment. These students may have some of the following characteristics: impulse control challenges, profound difficulty making and keeping friends, puts self or others at risk for safety, challenges authority, refusal to follow rules and/or routines. The OCDSB Behaviour Intervention specialized program class is for those students who, in addition to targeted Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions, would still benefit from a specialized program class.
 
Here Is What We Do To Support Students with Behaviour Intervention Needs (Tiered Intervention Approach)
 
There is no specific time requirement for each intervention; the length of time an intervention should be tried is dependent on the individual strengths and needs of the learner. Which interventions are tried also depend on the individual strengths and needs of the learner; there is no one-size that fits all.
 
School Based Support (Tiered Intervention) MAY include but not limited to:
· Classroom Teacher
· Learning Support Teacher
· Learning Resource Teacher
· Principal/Vice Principal
· Educational Assistant
· Early Childhood Educator
· ESL Teacher
· Multi-Disciplinary Team (Psychologist, Speech/Language Pathologist, Social Worker, etc.)
· Parent(s)/guardian(s)
 
 
Classroom based supports (Tier One Interventions) for students with Behavioural Intervention Needs in the regular classroom MAY include but not limited to:
· Identification of strengths and needs
· Classroom observation and tracking
· Parent/guardian consultation/feedback
· Classroom assessments
· Differentiation of instruction, environment and/or assessment (e.g. ability grouping, visual supports, use of assistive technology)
 
School based supports (Tier Two Interventions) for students with Behavioural Intervention Needs MAY include but not limited to:
· In-School Team Meeting Referral
· Targeted, precise specific instruction to adhere to need (Example: small group instruction)
· Development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
· Educational Assessment (e.g. Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, fourth edition (WIAT III), Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL-4))
· Specific differentiated supports in place for areas of strength and need (Example: modify tasks based on ability, social skills building activities, use of assistive technology, visual schedules and cues)
· Continued parent/guardian consultation
· Consultation with other departments (i.e. Curriculum Services, Business and Learning Technologies, Facilities and Planning)
 
 
Other school based supports (Tier Three Interventions) for students with Behaviour Intervention Needs MAY include but not limited to:
· Cognitive Assessment (e.g. Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, fourth or fifth edition (WISC-IV/V))
· Counseling (social emotional support as needed)
· Continued development of IEP
· Parent/guardian consultation/feedback
· Multi-Disciplinary Meeting/Updated action plan (e.g. type of assessments used; SEA application; further opportunities to work with other learners; intensive school based support strategies; student-centered project based learning opportunities; referral for community agency support; specialized program class referral)
 
Criteria for Specialized Program Class: Behaviour Intervention Program
 
 
Specialized Program Classes Available
Grades 1 - 12
Class Sizes
Grades 1 - 12 - eight (8) students per class
 
Assessments, Documentation, and Student Profile for Referral
 
Cognitive Assessment
To ensure best practice, current psychological assessment (within the last 2 years) or verification from a psychologist/psychological associate that an assessment completed more than two years ago continues to be valid is required. The OCDSB will prioritize assessment, for students being considered for a referral to specialized program classes for the following school year, based on need by the multi-disciplinary team and parent consultation. We support this process internally.
Criteria:1) a low average or higher intellectual ability. 2) may have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), 3) may have a diagnosis of a Disruptive, Impulse-Control, or Conduct Disorder (e.g. oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, antisocial personality disorder).
 
Educational Assessment
To ensure best practice, an educational assessment (within the last 12 months) is required. The educational assessment may be included as part of a psychological report. An educational assessment may be completed at your child’s school.
Criteria: 1) evidence that academic achievement is being negatively impacted due to severe non-compliant behavior. 2) evidence of accommodations required for learning.
In secondary (grade 9 – 12) student must meet the criteria for a Secondary Adaptive Program.
 
Social/Behavioural Assessment
A Social Work Assessment, completed within the last two years, is required in a referral.
Academic Profile
The student requires accommodations which address non-compliant behaviours. An alternative program may have been developed to address the student’s needs. A current report card and current Individual Education Plan (IEP) are required in a referral. Also required are a CANS (Child/Youth and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) profile, and a Behaviour template (completed by the school) that indicates how frequently and to what degree negative behaviours occur. Also, an attendance summary and a suspension summary are required.
Social/Behavioural Profile
Social and behavioural factors warrant being explained as part of a referral process. This information is to provide a fulsome picture of the learner. These social/behavioural characteristics may be observed within the classroom and/or at home, and may include a need to develop self-regulation skills and/or compliancy (e.g. following rules and routines, staying on tasks, maturity, interpersonal skills).
 
Additional Supporting Information
Additional information may be helpful to provide a fulsome picture of the student. This information may be relevant to the student’s needs and programming requirements. Additional supporting information may include most recent IPRC Determination Record, any strategies that have been developed to address self-regulating behavior (e.g. Safety Plan, Behaviour Management Plan) and any other evidence or assessments supporting a referral.
Specialized Program Class Referral Process
 
Referral Process for the Behaviour Intervention Program Specialized Program Class for OCDSB students:
· Deadline for a referral to a Behaviour Intervention Program Specialized Program Class is determined by Learning Support Services. (usually the beginning of April)
· OCDSB referrals are coordinated through the multi-disciplinary team at your child’s school.
· All questions relating to this process can be directed to your child’s current school.
· Referrals will be considered throughout the year (not only April) on a case by case basis. Once the Behaviour Intervention Program committee has confirmed that the student meets criteria, if space is available an offer for placement may be made at that time.
Referral Process for the Behaviour Intervention Program Specialized Program Class for non-OCDSB students:
· Parent(s)/guardian(s) should discuss a possible referral with the principal at their OCDSB community school.
· Deadline for a referral to a Behaviour Intervention Program Specialized Program Class is determined by Learning Support Services, as above
· Please review OCDSB current criteria for our programs on the OCDSB website prior to requests for referral consideration.
· The referral documentation must be completed as a joint effort between parent(s)/guardian(s), OCDSB community school, and child’s current school
· Preference for placement is given to OCDSB students who meet criteria
· Referrals will be considered throughout the year (not only April) on a case by case basis. Once the Behaviour Intervention Program committee has confirmed that the student meets criteria, if space is available an offer for placement may be made at that time.
 
Other Information Regarding Referral Process
· The committee begins reviewing referrals in April for placement in the following academic year. Referrals are not considered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parent(s)/guardian(s) participate in this process, their input is required as part of a referral form.
· Those students who meet criteria will be placed dependent on availability and home address. All those who have met criteria and who have not been placed will remain on a wait list and will be placed throughout the year as spaces become available (wait lists do not carry over to the next academic year)
· Referrals may be submitted at any time throughout the year and will be reviewed by the Behaviour Intervention Program committee upon their next meeting. At that time, if the student has met criteria, a placement may be offered, depending on availability
· Please note: further information about referrals can be provided through Learning Support Services (LSS) upon request.
Final Note:
We support learners in a variety of ways within the OCDSB. We recognize that each learner has their individual strengths and needs and that what works for one may not work for another within a similar profile. We allow external referrals to the specialized program classes and welcome students within the Ottawa area to consider any OCDSB school as we endeavor to support our learners, both within the regular class program and within a specialized program class.
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