Special Education Programs & Services

Students with mild behaviour needs are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register with age-appropriate peers serviced by the Behaviour Resource staff member assigned to the school.

Transition Diagnostic Program (TDC)

There are students who are on waiting lists for mental health programs (Section 23 or residential) or are unable to cope in their home school due to chronic suspension, peer and adult conflict, opposition to authority, neglect of duty, emotional stress, negative view of their current situation or general inability to meet the current school demands.  These students demonstrate a need for an individualized program, and diffusion of current placement in their home school.  The Transition Diagnostic class is a one year placement available in specific locations for specific age groups.  The program focus is academics at the appropriate level, social skills, conflict resolution, problem solving, empathy training, self-regulation, self-advocacy, and transition planning.  Implementation of the program is in collaboration with the classroom teacher, special education teacher, and Behaviour Resource Worker with additional supports as required.

• Download the “Transitional Diagnostic Centre” (Elementary) Brochure [PDF]
• Download the “Transitional Diagnostic Centre” (Secondary) Brochure [PDF]

Tutorial Program

The Tutorial Program is designed to respond to the behavioural needs of students for whom the secondary school has been providing service over time and for whom the school is considering more intensive and/or comprehensive services.  Students with other needs could be enrolled in the program as a means of providing positive peer role models.

Features of the program include:

• Reduced teacher/student ratio.
• The use of Independent Learning Centre courses.
• Behaviour Resource staff support.
• Focus on conflict resolution, stress management, self-regulation, and self-advocacy.

Students aged 4 to 21 with a mild to moderate learning disability are assisted in their home school with a program adapted to meet their needs.  These students may be fully integrated in the regular class with appropriate accommodations and/or modifications or may be withdrawn from class for part of each day for specialized instruction.

Implementation of their program is a  collaboration between classroom teacher/subject teacher and the Core Resource (special education) Teacher with additional supports as required.  Mode of delivery ranges from regular class monitoring to resource withdrawal.  The program focus is literacy and numeracy development, self-advocacy, learning skills/strategies, and the use of assistive technology, if required.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

• Download the Elementary CORE Resource Program Brochure [PDF]
• Download the CORE Resource Teacher Role (Secondary) – Parent Guide Brochure [PDF]

Students aged 4 to 21, with a mild intellectual disability are assisted in their home school with a program adapted to meet their needs.  These students may be fully integrated in the regular class with appropriate accommodations and extensive modifications to curriculum expectations or may be withdrawn from class for part of each day for specialized instruction.  Implementation of their program is a  collaboration between classroom teacher/subject teacher and the Core Resource (special education) Teacher with additional supports as required.  Mode of delivery ranges from regular class monitoring to resource withdrawal.  The program focus is literacy and numeracy development, self-advocacy, learning skills/strategies, and the use of assistive technology, if required.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

Students with physical challenges are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register with age-appropriate peers.  They have a program focused to provide the required special assistance necessary for educational achievement.  The individualized program supports ongoing needs such as self-help skills, use of assistive devices, social and physical development.  Implementation of the program is a  collaboration between classroom teacher and special education teacher with additional supports as required.  Mode of delivery ranges from regular classroom monitoring to resource withdrawal.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

When a student requires more intensive support that includes ongoing direct physical/occupational therapy, school board personnel may facilitate the application of the parents to Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) or to the Children’s Treatment Network.

Download the “Practices of York Catholic District School Board’s Health Information” Brochure [PDF]

Students aged 4 to 21 years with mild intellectual disability are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register usually with age-appropriate peers.  They have a program focused to provide specialized instruction to support academic learning, daily living skills, vocational skills, social skills, independence, and transition planning.  Implementation of the individualized program is a  collaboration between classroom teacher and the Core Resource Teacher with additional support, as required.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Physical or Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

Students aged 4–21 years with a developmental disability are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register usually with age-appropriate peers.  The program focus is functional literacy and numeracy at the appropriate cognitive level, daily living skills, communication, social skills, self-regulation, independence, vocational skills, and transition planning.  The individualized program supports ongoing needs; such as communication and physical challenges.  Implementation of the uniquely designed program is a collaboration between classroom teacher and the special education teacher with additional supports as required.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing are assisted in a variety of settings that reflect levels of skill acquisition, geography, and homogeneous groupings.  They have a program focused to provide specialized instruction in language, speech, auditory learning and auditory management for students with significant permanent hearing loss.

Itinerate teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing provide direct service through resource/withdrawal on a regular basis to students enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register with age-appropriate peers.  Emphasis is placed on supporting and augmenting the regular class curriculum with the inclusion of an alternative curriculum as required; such as speech, language acquisition, auditory learning, and auditory management.  Sign-Language Facilitators or Educational Assistants support the implementation of the students’ individualized programs.

At the elementary and secondary level, students may be in a Hearing Centre, part-time, with a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing and assisted by a Sign-Language Facilitator or Educational Assistant.  Integration for those parts of the day when the students can meet with success is a planned, collaborative effort between the regular classroom teacher and the Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  Integration is supported by the Sign-language Facilitator or Educational Assistant.

Each school is serviced by a resource team that supports the professionals working with these students.  This team includes a Special Education Consultant (Hearing) and an Educational Audiologist, in addition to a representative from each of the Board’s services.

Download the “Hearing Programs and Services” Brochure [PDF]

At the secondary level, students with moderate to severe learning disabilities enroll in the Learning Strategies course at grades 9, 10 and either grade 11 or 12.  This credit course can be considered as one of the required compulsory or elective requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).  Some secondary schools offer the course as a laptop learning strategies course using assistive technology.  The program focus is literacy and numeracy development, study skills, test writing skills, self-advocacy, organization, time and resource management, career and transition planning.

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

• Download the CORE Resource Teacher Role (Secondary) [PDF]
• Download the Parent Guide – CORE Resource Teacher Role (Secondary) [PDF]

PEP is an experiential learning program intended for students aged 16 – 21 with special needs who require accommodations to overcome barriers in accessing work experience opportunities. Each experiential learning opportunity prepares the student for success in a future experience of greater intensity, sharper focus, and longer duration. Work placements are offered both in school and in the community, for students who are willing to learn job readiness skills and participate in transit training. Admission into this program is via application in consultation with the Itinerant Work Experience Teacher and Special Education teacher.

Download the Pathways to EmployABILITY Program (PEP) pamphlet

Students aged 10-18 years, with an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability, are congregated at an area school, with their like peers.  The students have a program that is extended beyond the depth and breadth of the classroom program.

The individualized programs address ongoing strengths and needs.  Implementation of the uniquely designed program is the responsibility of the Special Education (PACE) Teacher, at the elementary level.  At the secondary level, core subjects are delivered at an advanced degree by subject specialists.

Mode of delivery ranges from self-contained class, in each geographical area of the Board, in elementary to self-contained classes for Core subjects, in each geographical area of the Board, in secondary.

The program focus in the elementary level is to extend curriculum expectations in greater depth and breadth.  Higher order thinking skills, creative problem solving, varied use of technology, broadening literary genres and language composition are a few examples of program modifications.

At the secondary level, the school board has approved Advanced Placement (AP) courses (grade 12) and the Preparation for Advanced Placement (AP-Prep) courses (grades 9–11) as the PACE program’s curriculum extensions in the areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Science, and English. The focus of the AP-Preparatory Courses is to align the curriculum extensions/modifications with the Advanced Placement exams offered through the International AP College Board. Students will have the opportunity to take university destination courses and have the option of writing the exam which may allow them a university credit or advanced standing in certain universities. The AP-prep courses will provide excellent preparation in the areas of analytical thinking, widening students’ scope of knowledge and understanding, and facilitating strong language skills.

• View list of PACE schools
• Download the “PACE” (Elementary) Flyer
• Download the “PACE” (Secondary) Flyer
• Gifted Screening Process for Entry into the Program for Academic and Creative Extension (PACE) Elementary
• Gifted Screening Process for Entry into the Program for Academic and Creative Extension (PACE) Secondary 
• 2024 Parent Information Evening Presentation for Principals

Students aged 4-21 years with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register, usually with age-appropriate peers.  They have a program focused to provide specialized instruction relating to their environment and acquiring the full range of academic skills.  The individualized program includes strategies to support academics at the appropriate level, communication, sensory-motor integration, social awareness, self-regulation, and transition planning.   Implementation of the uniquely designed program is a collaboration between classroom teacher and the special education teacher with additional supports, as required.  The delivery of service ranges from resource withdrawal to special class full time (primary grades).

Each school is serviced by a Board resource team that supports the school staff working with these students.  This multidisciplinary team includes a Special Education Consultant and/or Special Education Department Head, a Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Behaviour Resource staff, and Psychologist.

• Download the “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Multidisciplinary Team” Brochure [PDF]
• Download the “Secondary School Programming for Students with the Autism Disorder Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” Brochure [PDF]

Students diagnosed as blind or low vision are enrolled in their home school on a regular classroom register with age-appropriate peers.  They have a program focused to provide required program adaptations and/or specialized instruction by a qualified teacher of the blind.  The individualized program supports ongoing needs; such as program accommodations, brailling, use of assistive devices, and mobility training.  Students are integrated into regular classrooms for 90% of their week.  Withdrawal occurs when required for special instruction which cannot be accommodated in the classroom setting.

Implementation of the program is a collaboration between classroom teacher, special education teacher, itinerant vision resource teacher and additional supports, as required.  Mode of delivery ranges from classroom monitoring to resource withdrawal.

Download the “Vision Programs and Services” Brochure [PDF]