How to use this checklist

Work through it with the student in Grade 11 and Grade 12. Tick each item when done. Keep a copy in the student's file.

Grade 11: build the file

• Confirm the student has a current IEP.
• Confirm the IEP includes a transition plan. In Ontario, PPM 156 requires one for every student with an IEP.
• Locate the most recent psychoeducational assessment.
• Check the date of the assessment. Some colleges and universities ask for a recent assessment. Check each school's rules.
• List accommodations the student uses now.
• List assistive technology the student uses now.
• Start a short list of programs and schools.

Grade 12 fall: research and apply

• Find the accessibility office page for each school on the list.
• Note what documentation each office requires. For example, Carleton University's Paul Menton Centre asks for a psychoeducational assessment report for a learning disability.
• Note registration deadlines for each office.
• Practise the self-advocacy script with the student.
• Apply to programs.

Grade 12 winter: funding

Check these programs on Canada.ca. Rules change, so confirm before each school year.

• Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities. Canada.ca lists $2,800 per year until the end of the 2026 to 2027 school year. The student must show financial need and proof of disability.
• Note: that grant is not available to students from Quebec, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut. They have their own student aid programs.
• Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment. Canada.ca lists up to $20,000 per school year for education-related services or equipment.
• For that grant, gather proof of disability, a written confirmation of need and a cost document.
• A guidance counsellor is one of the qualified people who can confirm need.
• Ask the family to review the Disability Tax Credit on Canada.ca. It uses Form T2201 and applies to severe and prolonged impairments.
• Apply for provincial student aid. Federal grants flow through that application.

Grade 12 spring: register

• Accept an offer.
• Register with the accessibility office as soon as the offer is accepted.
• Send documentation to the office.
• Book an intake meeting with an accessibility advisor.
• Ask about summer transition programs.

Summer before first year

• Confirm accommodations are approved.
• Download any required assistive technology.
• Learn how to send accommodation letters to instructors.
• Learn how to book exams through the accessibility office.

Documentation record

• Assessment date: ________
• Assessor name and credential: ________
• IEP on file (yes or no): ________
• Schools and office contacts: ________
• Funding applications submitted (date): ________

Reminder on diagnosis

Counsellors and teachers do not diagnose. Only a licensed professional can diagnose dyslexia, usually a psychologist or psychological associate. Rules differ by province. In Quebec, a speech-language pathologist can also assess it.