How to get a plan d'intervention in Quebec

If you've moved from another province, or you're in Quebec's English school system, the vocabulary trips everyone up. There's no "IEP" and no "IPRC" here. Quebec has its own plan — and honestly, it's a simpler idea than the name suggests.

It's called a plan d'intervention

The written plan of your child's goals, the supports put in place, and who's responsible for what is the plan d'intervention. It's for a student who is handicapped or has an adjustment or learning difficulty — the category Quebec calls EHDAA. Every school board and English/French service centre in Quebec runs on the same framework, because it comes from the province's Education Act.

Here's the key point: the school principal is responsible for the plan, and they must build it with you, with your child, and with the staff who work with them. Your seat at that table isn't a courtesy — your participation is a right, written into section 96.14 of the Education Act.

You don't need a diagnosis to start

This is the part that saves families the most stress. The plan d'intervention is built on what the school can see, not on a medical diagnosis. So you can start the conversation now, even while an assessment sits on a waitlist. A diagnosis can sharpen the plan and clarify needs, but "we're still waiting on the evaluation" is not a reason to do nothing.

How it works, step by step

1. Flag the needs. Talk to the teacher or the principal. Put what you see at home in writing.
2. The school assesses needs. It gathers what teachers and staff observe — and your observations too.
3. The plan d'intervention is established. Clear goals, concrete means, named people responsible, timelines — decided with you, not for you.
4. It's implemented and reviewed. The plan is a living document: it's evaluated and adjusted regularly, and at least once a year. If something isn't working, it changes.

Your role — and your backup

You have the right to take part at every stage. Each centre de services scolaire also has an advisory committee for EHDAA services (mostly parents) — a place for information and recommendations to improve services. You're not alone in the room.

If you disagree

Start by raising it again with the principal. If it stalls, you have recourse: file a complaint with your centre de services scolaire, then, if needed, go to the regional student ombudsman (protecteur régional de l'élève) and the Quebec Student Ombudsman (Protecteur national de l'élève). As always — in writing, and keep your copies.

Part of our guide: How to get an IEP for your ADHD child in Canada · En français : Comment obtenir un plan d'intervention au Québec.