Frequently Asked Questions

• Here's the link to the complaints procedure WQSB By-law 18
• School board contacts can be found on the Western Quebec School Board website.  
• The Ombudsman may be reached at: https://westernquebec.ca/fr/ressources/ombudsman-2/  
• You may also contact the Chair of SEAC for additional information or resources. Refer to the Contact Us page.

Go to the Special Needs page on the Western Quebec School Board website.

Remember that documentation is key.  All of your concerns and requests should be made in writing (even after a meeting or phone call) and whatever materials were presented in support of the concern or request should be attached to your written document.   

• If you don’t receive a reply within three weeks, forward what you’ve written to the school on to the next level of Administration, with a note that you are still awaiting a reply. (In the WQSB that would be the Directors of Education).
• If your request is refused, then make sure to ask that the decision is communicated to you in writing and that an explanation of the decision with pertinent documentation in support of that decision is provided by the school.  Decisions, whether to take action or to refuse to take action in support of your child’s special needs, should be evidence-based and communicated to you in advance.  
• If a teacher or administrator makes references to school/board policy, Ministry Guidelines, or requirements of the Education Act, they should specify the provision and a link to or copy of the referenced material should be provided.  
• If you believe there has been an error or misunderstanding that led to the negative decision, again in writing try to communicate that to the school or ask for the Director of Complementary Services to get involved.  
• Ultimately, the formal complaint process is available when a satisfactory solution has not been reached.  

Get into contact with a member of Transportation at the school board, solutions are available such as a stipend, or other modes of transportation ie: Van.

The following is a list of some information that you will need to know about your child starting school for the first time: 

• School programs; 

• Skills and knowledge your child will need to make the entry to school successful; 

• School information (e.g., procedures related to inclement weather, safe arrival, transportation, snacks, recess, policies on parent volunteers, assessment, report cards, parent-teacher interviews);

• Non-school services information (i.e., child-care services, community supports, Public Health services, parenting courses available in the community). 

For additional information on what information you need to know about your child starting school contact your local school principal or consult the school's website.  

 The distribution model of special education services in Québec is decentralized, which means that availability of resources (i.e., finances and staffing) is dependent in large part on decision-making at the individual school level.  The Complementary Services Parity Committee which brings together school level and school board personnel (but on which there is no parent representation) meets each year to divide some of the provincial funding among schools.  Many factors are taken into account, including the number of students with special needs at a school, the type of needs represented, the regular complement of staff, as well as the likelihood of being able to find and pay for additional staff or the possibility of relying on community services like a CLSC or La Ressource.   Also, schools may apply for various grants that can affect the amount and type of resources available to students attending there.  

Ultimately, the planning and resources at a particular school will determine the type and organization of classes and services offered, and even influence changes in pedagogical policies around the approach to students’ special needs when they could implicate staffing.  In short, no two schools will be organized the same way even if they both serve students with similar disabilities.  Sometimes, the school board is just tasked with making sure that funds provided directly to schools by the provincial government are spent according to the parameters and formulas set by the Ministry of Education.  The Complementary Services Department at the school board does, however, have professional staff that schools and parents can call on to consult or help in cases where solutions are needed that the school may not see a way clear to offer.  As a parent, you should always feel free to ask at every level about possibilities to get your child’s special needs appropriately addressed. 

Students, parents, and educators all play important roles in the effective planning and implementation of a child’s learning. Communication plays a huge role in this. Through ongoing consultation with the parents, school staff and students themselves, any concerns about a child’s learning should be evident and clearly communicated. This should be part of a continuous process of dialogue in the development and implementation of a child’s IEP. For more information go to the IEP button on the menu. 

If you know your child has special educational needs you should contact your local school and ask to speak to the principal to find out how and when to enrol your child and to plan what additional programs and services should be organized. 

No, you cannot hire someone on your own to assist your child at school. The school principal ensures that qualified staff is assigned to teach at your child’s school. 

No. You will not have to pay for the special education programs and services that the school board offers your child. 

If you believe that your child needs additional learning support at school you will want to contact your local school and speak to the principal and/or the classroom teacher.   

Some children may require more time and support to be successful in learning. If your child is receiving a special education program, the IEP can include accommodations that can allow for additional time to learn.  

Parents should be meeting regularly throughout the school year with teachers and possibly other school board staff, at certain reporting periods, for updates on their child’s progress. At these times, teachers and parents could discuss how successfully their child was interacting with others. Parents and teachers can, of course, do this more informally on a request basis.   

The school will invite you to share information and observations about your child’s behaviour and learning in a variety of settings.    

Parents are not obligated to accept the proposed arrangements for special education of their student. Parents have the right of refusal without fear of reprisal or withdrawal of regular, expected support from their student in the classroom. If there is open, constructive dialogue that puts the child’s needs at the centre of all decisions, then creative and positive solutions can be found.    

Parents and caregivers have a right to contribute to the IEP.  Make suggestions and be prepared to back up your request with reasoning based in data, recommendations by specialists, your research into best practices, etc.  If a compromise cannot be found at the school level, you are not obliged to sign the IEP when asked to do so and can ask for input or support in elevating your concerns.