Nunavut IEP Meeting Checklist: How to Prepare for Your ISSP Meeting

You've been called in for your child's ISSP meeting — Nunavut's version of an IEP meeting. The Student Support Teacher, the classroom teacher, and possibly the principal will be there. They'll have a document ready. They'll explain it, ask for your signature, and the meeting will move along quickly.

If you walk in without preparation, it's easy to feel like you're just there to sign off on what they've already decided. If you walk in prepared, you're a full member of the team — which is exactly what the Nunavut Education Act intends.

Here's how to prepare.

Before the Meeting: Documents to Gather

From the school (request these in writing before the meeting):

• A copy of the most recent ISSP draft, if one exists. You should never see this for the first time at the table.
• Your child's most recent progress reports and any assessment results in the school's file
• Any previous ISSPs — look at what was promised and compare it to what was actually delivered
• The teacher's documented observations that prompted this meeting

From home:

• Your own written summary of what you've observed at home: behaviors, struggles, strengths, sleep patterns, emotional regulation, what helps
• Any medical or clinical reports you have (assessments from specialists, pediatric notes, private evaluations)
• Notes from previous meetings with school staff
• A list of questions you want answered — written down, not just in your head

Know in advance:

• Which type of plan is being proposed: IAP (accommodations, standard curriculum), IEP (modified curriculum), or IBP (behavior-focused). These are not the same thing.
• Whether your child's high school transcript will be affected. An IEP is noted on the transcript; an IAP is not.

Your Rights Walking In

Under the Nunavut Education Act:

• You have the right to participate in Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun. If the school staff don't speak your language, the school is responsible for providing interpretation. You don't have to accept a meeting conducted in a language you're not comfortable in.
• You have the right to bring a support person — a family member, a community Elder, or an advocate. You don't need to ask permission. You can simply bring them.
• You have the right to disagree with and refuse to sign the proposed ISSP. Your signature means you consent to the plan as written. If you're not satisfied with the plan, you can ask for changes before signing.
• You have the right to request an adjournment. If the meeting moves faster than you can process, or if you need time to review a document that was handed to you at the table, you can say: "I'd like to take this home and review it before I sign. Can we schedule a follow-up for next week?"

At the Meeting: Questions to Ask

About the type of plan:

• Is this an IAP, an IEP, or an IBP? What's the reason for choosing this type?
• If it's an IEP: will this affect my child's high school transcript? What would need to be different for my child to be on an IAP instead?
• Has this plan been reviewed against the Inuglugijaittuq inclusive education principles?

About the goals:

• How will this goal be measured? What data will be collected?
• Who is responsible for collecting that data — the teacher, the SSA, or someone else?
• What is the timeline for each goal? When will we check in on progress?
• Do these goals reflect what my child needs most right now?

About the supports:

• How many hours of SSA support per day is my child receiving? Is this written into the plan?
• What happens if the SSA is absent, reassigned, or leaves the school?
• What assistive technology is being provided? Who will train my child and the teacher to use it?

About implementation:

• Who is responsible for making sure this plan is actually followed?
• What should I do if I notice the plan isn't being implemented?
• How will I be notified if something in the plan changes?

About reviews:

• When is the next formal review scheduled?
• Can we schedule term-by-term reviews instead of annual ones?

Red Flags in a Proposed ISSP

Watch for these warning signs before you sign:

Vague goals. "Will improve reading" is not a goal. "Will decode 45 English sight words with 85% accuracy by Term 3" is a goal. If the goals can't be measured, they can't be enforced.

No SSA hours. If your child genuinely needs SSA support, it should be written in hours, not in vague language like "SSA support as available." Unquantified support can disappear when the school faces budget pressure.

The plan you've never seen before. A draft ISSP should be shared with you before the meeting, not handed to you when you sit down. If this happens, ask to adjourn and review it at home.

Pressure to sign immediately. You are not required to sign on the day of the meeting. If anyone implies otherwise, that is incorrect.

No review dates. The ISSP should include specific dates for formal reviews. "Annual review" without a date is not a commitment.

After the Meeting

Whether you signed the plan or asked for changes:

• Get a copy of everything — the signed ISSP, the meeting notes, any assessment results shared at the meeting
• Write down what was said verbally that isn't in the document — commitments the teacher made about daily routines, assurances about SSA allocation, promises about reviewing goals early
• Set a reminder for the next review date. Don't wait for the school to contact you.
• Document at home — keep a brief log of what your child reports about school, any regression or concerns you notice, and any incidents where the plan doesn't seem to be followed

When Things Go Wrong After the Meeting

If the ISSP is signed but not being implemented — the SSA hours aren't being provided, the accommodations aren't in place, the teacher doesn't know what the plan says — your escalation path is:

1. Written request for an immediate meeting with the teacher and Student Support Teacher
2. If unresolved: written request to the principal
3. If unresolved: escalation to the District Education Authority (DEA)
4. If the DEA can't resolve it: formal Request for Review to the Minister of Education
5. Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal if you believe your child's rights are being violated based on disability

At any point, you can contact the Representative for Children and Youth (RCYO) at 1-855-449-8118 or the Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society (NDMS) at 1-877-354-0916 for independent advocacy support.

Walking In Prepared Makes a Difference

The power dynamic in an ISSP meeting shifts significantly when you arrive knowing what to ask, what to look for, and what you're entitled to refuse. The school has the document ready and the language mastered. You level the field by knowing that language too.

The Nunavut IEP & Support Plan Blueprint includes a full ISSP meeting preparation checklist, a question script for the table, and templates for following up in writing after the meeting. Get it at /ca/nunavut/iep-guide/.

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