School District 43 may just have struck a chord with its plea for more targeted funding for children with special needs as well as more consistency and clear standards for programs that support these kids.
Finally, it seems someone is listening to all these efforts at advocacy as, last week, B.C.'s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services unanimously adopted SD43’s recommendation for more money and supports in this area.
SD43 isn’t the only district with a growing number of children with identified special needs but Coquitlam district officials make a good case for more provincial money because if we are going to make schools inclusive, we have to back this up with proper funding and supports.
The board of education is often vilified for not doing enough, such as not requiring applied behavioural analysis training for all education assistants who work with children with autism, as some other districts do; or having waiting lists for children who need assessments. SD43 also spends more on students with learning disabilities and other vulnerable students than it gets from the province and, thus, has to borrow from other funding allotments to ensure supports are in place.
But resources are always stretched thin. Without fees from international students, it’s questionable whether the district could cover these costs without incurring a deficit.
These issues and more are behind SD43’s plea that all districts be treated the same when it comes to vulnerable students.
Thankfully, it appears their cry has been heard because the standing committee recommended increased funding for early identification, the provision of support programs, and the training and recruitment of specialized teachers.
As well, it recommended in its report last week that clear standards should be established, and appropriate supports should be fully funded for students with special needs in both public and independent school systems.
Will these recommendations bear fruit in future budgets?
It’s hard to say. The province has a lot of promises on the table and more education funding wasn’t top on the list for those who responded to a survey.
But a majority of people do seem to agree that without an appropriately funded education, B.C. will neither be competitive in the global economy nor a truly just society.
