Danger! Government considering new funding model A disaster for kids with special needs?
NOW YOU ARE really worried. In fact, alarmed. Something twigs your memory and you remember that Kindergarten and early primary teachers have raised similar concerns for years. They teach young students who come to school with particular needs, but without any prior assessments. The dearth of learning plans, long waiting lists for assessment, and lack of meaningful supports can be overwhelming and counter-productive—for both teachers and students. Such a move for the whole K–12 system looks like it’s in the works. The idea of decategorizing students’ identified needs has been part of educational discourse for many years. However, now a new funding model could help make it a reality. And it could turn out to be a funding model that your union strongly disagrees with.
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By Glen Hansman, BCTF President and Michal Rozworski, BCTF staff
Imagine it’s September. You have a new class and you have little information about any of your students and their learning needs. Your administrator says not to worry because not having information will give you the chance to get to know your students without any judgment or preconceptions. You wonder about class composition and are told that doesn’t matter since students are no longer labelled. You ask about supports and resources and how you will know what’s needed for your students. You receive a smile and a shrug. That’s what you get for trying to do your job, you find out.
New model might break the link between funding and identified needs Last year, the Ministry of Education announced a funding model review and appointed an independent panel to develop a new funding formula.
