Intensive Support Programs (ISPs) at all grade levels are designed to support students who have similar behavioural, communication, intellectual, or physical needs (exceptionalities) who have a placement of “Special Education Class” through an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) decision.

While access to this level of support is by the decision of an  Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), in very few cases, if the student has medically complex or other complex needs and if requested by the parents/guardians/caregivers of the student, a  Special Education Program Recommendation Committee (SEPRC) meeting may be held to determine a temporary program placement. In all cases, as per Regulation 181/98, the committee will first consider if a student’s needs can be met in the regular class with appropriate support before considering a placement in an ISP.

The number and location of ISPs are determined by the number and location of students who need this level of support across the TDSB. ISPs are located in local school settings and are staffed with a Special Education teacher and support staff as needed. Students in ISPs receive special education support for at least 50% of the day and are expected to be integrated into regular classes based on their strengths and needs.

It is expected that students in ISPs will continue to be included in all aspects of school life. In most cases, a student's need for an ISP is limited as the student is expected to reintegrate into the regular program. The ISP placement is reviewed annually.

Early Years Intervention Program

The Diagnostic Kindergarten Program (DK) is a program serving Kindergarten age students who have extremely complex and/ or medical needs in the area of intellectual, communication, and fine/gross motor skills, including persistent challenges in daily living. The Diagnostic Kindergarten Program is designed to provide targeted education for students to access the Ontario Kindergarten Program. Diagnostic Kindergarten programs have one teacher, an educational assistant and a noon hour assistant. For more information, see the  TDSB Special Education Plan.

Intensive Support Program (ISP) Locations

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Programs Map
• Diagnostic Kindergarten (DK) Programs Map
• Developmental Disability (DD) Programs Map
• Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) Programs Map 
• Learning Disability (LD) Programs Map
• Gifted Programs Maps
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) Programs Map
• Physical Disability (PD) Programs Map
• Behaviour (BEH) Programs Map

Congregated Sites and Maps

A small number of classes are in Congregated Sites, where intensive special education programming is provided for the full school day to meet the needs of students with very complex needs. These may include a combination of intellectual, physical, medical, communication, and /or behavioural needs. View the  Congregated School Sites Map.