The ISSP Process in Nunavut: A Step-by-Step Parent Guide

Your child's teacher pulls you aside after school and says she's been noticing some struggles. She mentions something about referring your child to the "Student Support Team." You leave the conversation with a vague sense that something formal is about to happen — but no clear picture of what, who's involved, or what you're supposed to do.

This is where most Nunavut parents find themselves when the special education system first touches their family. The process has a clear structure, but nobody hands you a map. Here's the map.

What Nunavut Calls an IEP

Before walking through the steps, it's worth naming the terminology difference. In Nunavut, the governing document is called an Individual Student Support Plan (ISSP) — not an IEP. The process described below is what southern families might call the "IEP process," adapted to Nunavut's Education Act (2008) and its three-tier support framework.

Step 1: The Classroom Teacher Notices and Responds

The process begins in the classroom. When a student consistently struggles to meet curriculum expectations despite regular instruction, the classroom teacher is required to first try Tier 1 interventions — differentiated teaching strategies, modified presentation of material, and formative assessment — before escalating. The teacher is supposed to document what was tried and what effect it had.

This documentation matters. If things escalate later, this paper trail is the foundation of your child's ISSP. Ask the teacher what they've already tried and request a written summary.

Step 2: Referral to the Student Support Team

If Tier 1 interventions don't produce progress, the teacher brings the concern to the Student Support Team (SST), led by the school's principal and Student Support Teacher. This is the formal entry point into Nunavut's special education system.

You, as the parent, should be notified when your child is being discussed at the SST level. If you haven't been contacted and you suspect your child needs more than the classroom is providing, you don't have to wait for this referral. Under the Nunavut Education Act, parents have the right to formally request an ISSP at any time by submitting a written request to the principal. You do not need to wait for the school to initiate this.

Step 3: Consent and Assessment

If the SST determines that a formal specialized assessment is needed — a psychoeducational assessment, a speech-language evaluation, or an occupational therapy review — the school must obtain your written consent before proceeding.

Here's where Nunavut's geography creates a profound complication: itinerant specialists do not live in most communities. They fly in from Iqaluit or southern Canada, visiting communities once or twice a year for one to three weeks at a time. Wait times for a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment routinely run two to three years.

What this means in practice: your child does not need to wait for a formal assessment to receive an ISSP. The Education Act explicitly requires interim supports based on observed need, not a medical diagnosis. If the school tells you your child needs a diagnosis before getting help, that is incorrect.

While waiting for a formal assessment, apply to the Inuit Child First Initiative (ICFI) — the federal program that can fund a private assessment for your child, including the cost of flights to Ottawa or Winnipeg and boarding at a contracted house like Larga Baffin. ICFI has helped families bypass territory waitlists entirely.

Step 4: Drafting the ISSP

Once the SST agrees that formal supports are needed, they convene a meeting to draft the ISSP. This meeting includes the classroom teacher, the principal or Student Support Teacher, any available specialists, and you.

Under IQ principles — specifically Piliriqatigiinniq (working together for a common purpose) — you are a full member of this team, not a passive recipient of their decisions. You have the right to:

• Participate in Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun (interpretation must be provided if needed)
• Bring a support person, community Elder, or advocate
• Request changes to proposed goals before signing
• Refuse to sign an ISSP you believe is inadequate

What the ISSP must include

A properly drafted ISSP should specify:

• The type of plan: IAP (accommodations only, standard curriculum), IEP (modified curriculum and goals), or IBP (behaviour-focused)
• Measurable goals: Specific, time-bound targets — not vague statements like "will improve in reading," but something like "will read and comprehend 40 Inuktitut sight words with 85% accuracy by Term 3"
• Support allocations: The exact number of daily hours of Student Support Assistant (SSA) time, the assistive technology to be provided, and any other resource commitments
• Review dates: When the team will formally check in on progress

Vague goals and undefined supports are a red flag. Push for specificity before you sign.

Step 5: Implementation in the Classroom

Once the ISSP is signed, it becomes the legally binding roadmap for your child's education. The SSA, classroom teacher, and SST are all responsible for following it.

In practice, this is where things often break down. SSAs in Nunavut are sometimes reassigned mid-year due to budget shortfalls. Teachers turn over at an alarming rate — a student with complex needs may face a completely new teacher and a new SSA every September, requiring parents to re-educate the school about their child's needs from scratch each year. The RCYO (Representative for Children and Youth) has documented this pattern as a systemic problem.

Keep a copy of the signed ISSP. If the school stops following it, your first step is a formal meeting with the teacher and Student Support Teacher. If nothing changes, escalate to the principal. If the principal doesn't act, the DEA (District Education Authority) is your next step.

Step 6: Progress Monitoring and Reviews

The ISSP is not a one-and-done document. Nunavut uses a philosophy of assessment called Ilitaunnikuliriniq (dynamic assessment), which emphasizes continuous monitoring of a student's actual progress across developmental stages rather than static pass/fail grades. Progress should be tracked regularly and reported to you in plain language.

Policy calls for a formal annual review of the ISSP. Educational advocates consistently recommend asking for term-by-term reviews instead — three times a year rather than once — so you can catch problems while there's still time to respond within the school year. You have the right to request this.

At each review, come prepared with your own observations of your child's progress at home. Bring specific examples. If the goals aren't being met, ask directly: what changed in the plan, and why?

When Things Go Wrong: The Escalation Path

If the ISSP process stalls — the school refuses to create a plan, removes supports without justification, or won't hold a meeting — Nunavut law provides a formal escalation pathway:

1. Formal request to the Principal — put it in writing
2. Mediation through the District Education Authority (DEA) — your locally elected board is required to try to resolve disputes using IQ principles
3. Request for Review to the Minister of Education — if the DEA can't resolve it, you submit a formal written request
4. Review Board Hearing — the Minister establishes an independent board with the power to issue binding decisions
5. Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal — if you believe your child is experiencing discrimination based on disability, you can file a complaint that can result in ordered corrections or financial compensation

You can also contact the Representative for Children and Youth (RCYO) at any stage. The RCYO is an independent office that advocates for youth facing systemic barriers, and it has the authority to investigate and publicly report on failures in the education system.

The Bottom Line

The ISSP process in Nunavut follows a clear path — classroom intervention, SST referral, consent, assessment, planning, implementation, and review. What makes it hard is the gap between what the policy says and what resource-strained northern schools can actually deliver. Knowing the steps, knowing your rights, and keeping detailed records are your most effective tools.

If you're just entering the process, the Nunavut IEP & Support Plan Blueprint walks through every stage with plain-language scripts, meeting checklists, and escalation templates tailored to this territory. See what's inside at /ca/nunavut/iep-guide/.

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