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Student-Specific Planning & Plans
Building Pathways for Every Learner
Student-Specific Planning is at the heart of inclusive education in Manitoba. It ensures that every learner, regardless of ability, background, or need, has a clear and meaningful pathway to success.
This page outlines the purpose of Student-Specific Planning, the types of plans that may be developed, and the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the process.
Through collaboration and shared decision-making, Student-Specific Plans (SSPs) provide a roadmap that connects each learner’s strengths, needs, and goals to the right supports, strategies, and outcomes.
Whether the plan focuses on adaptations, behaviour, transitions, curriculum modification or individualized programming, the goal remains the same: to create inclusive learning environments where every student can participate, progress, and thrive.
Appropriate Educational Programming (AEP)
In Manitoba, all students have the right to appropriate educational programming as outlined in Manitoba Regulation 155/2005.
For most students, Appropriate Educational Programming means access to the provincial curriculum. Some students may need additional supports to participate fully in classroom learning, while a smaller number may require highly individualized learning outcomes, either in addition to or in place of the provincial curriculum.
Appropriate Educational Programming is a collaborative process through which school communities design learning environments and provide the necessary resources and services to support the lifelong learning, social, and emotional needs of every student.
School principals are responsible for ensuring appropriate programming for all students in their schools. As part of this responsibility, each principal must designate a case manager to coordinate the development, implementation, and review of each Student-Specific Plan (SSP).
For more detailed information, please explore the provincial documents from Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning by following the links provided below.
What Is Student-Specific Planning?
Student-specific planning is the process through which members of student support teams, including educators and parents, collaborate to meet the unique needs of individual students.
The purpose of student-specific planning is to help students attain the skills and knowledge that are the next logical step beyond their current levels of performance.
A Student-Specific Plan (SSP) is a written document that records this process.
SSPs are living documents that evolve as students grow, guiding instruction, assessment, and communication between home and school.
The Team Around the Student
Student-Specific Planning is a shared process that places the student and family at the center of every decision.
Image source: Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning (2023), Standards for Appropriate Educational Programming in Manitoba (p. 6). https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/specedu/aep/
When a Student Specific Plan(SSP) Is Required?
According to the Standards for Appropriate Educational Programming in Manitoba (2022), a student specific plan (SSP) is required when:
  • It is determined that a student requires student-specific outcomes in addition to the provincial curriculum
  • In K to Grade 8, it is determined that a student is eligible for the EAL or Littératie française designation in a subject, modification of expected learning outcomes in a subject, or individualized programming
  • In Grades 9 to 12, it is determined that a student is eligible for the English as an Additional Language (E) designation, Littératie française (L) designation, the Modified (M) course designation, or the Individualized Programming (I) designation
  • It is determined that a student has an identified need and requires adaptations consistently in order to meet or approximate the learning expectations of the provincial curriculum
  • A student has been suspended out of school more than two times during a school year
  • It is determined that a student has special learning needs and abilities that require student- specific planning and documentation
Student-Specific Plans: Which One Is the Right Plan?
The Addressing Student Diversity visual framework helps educators understand how programming and supports are organized for all students in Manitoba schools. It illustrates how inclusive education operates along a continuum of supports: from universally designed learning environments that meet the needs of all students, to more intensive and individualized programming for a smaller number of students with complex learning needs.
This framework reminds educators that inclusion begins with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and responsive classroom practices, and expands through adaptations, modifications, and, when necessary, individualized programming. Each level ensures that students receive the right type and intensity of support to promote participation, engagement, and success in school.
Types of Student-Specific Plans
The table below has a summary with some of the most used Student Specific Plans:
From Planning to Practice
Plan
Develop comprehensive student-specific outcomes and strategies
Implement
Execute supports and adaptations in daily instruction
Monitor
Collect data and track student progress regularly
Reflect
Analyze effectiveness and identify needed adjustments
Revise
Update plans based on evidence and student growth
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