“Town Hall Meeting” Future Directions Delivery Model Students with Special Needs

Issues Commitment to success for all within the context of inclusion Students normally attend community school Support services according to need Finite resources Increasing demand for services within a context of decreasing enrollment

Striving to include all studentsStriving to include all students Organizing services so that students can attend their community schoolOrganizing services so that students can attend their community school Our Current Approach

Framework Guiding the Organization of Services The Education ActThe Education Act The Policy on Special Education (MELS 2000)The Policy on Special Education (MELS 2000) The QEP (Differentiation, Cycles, Teamwork)The QEP (Differentiation, Cycles, Teamwork)

Framework Guiding the Organization of Services Continued The Framework on Complementary Educational Services (MELS 2002)The Framework on Complementary Educational Services (MELS 2002) The Policy on the Evaluation of Learning (MELS 2003)The Policy on the Evaluation of Learning (MELS 2003) The Collective Agreements ( )The Collective Agreements ( )

A Continuum of Needs At risk / Students with Social Maladjustments / Students with Handicaps Learning Difficulties Vulnerable LD/MI/BD Codes (14-99) Prevention Intervention BLUE: MELS Categories BLACK: LBPSB Operational Categories

Classification of Special Needs (Ministry of Education, Leisure, & Sport) Two broad categoriesTwo broad categories –Students in Difficulty (Learning/Behavior/Mild Intellectual Delay) –Students with Social Maladjustments/ Handicaps Identification procedures and funding differ for both categoriesIdentification procedures and funding differ for both categories

LBPSB Statistics ( ) Approximately 11% of student population has identified special needsApproximately 11% of student population has identified special needs Total Population: Total Population: –Students in difficulty (LD/BD/MI): 1953 –Students with Social Maladjustments/Handicaps: 777

STUDENTS “IN DIFFICULTY” TOTALPOPULATIONPERCENTAGE STUDENTS “IN DIFFICULTY” STUDENTS “HANDICAPPED” STUDENTS“HANDICAPPED”TOTALPOPULATIONPERCENTAGE

Support at School Level SchoolSchool –Classroom Teachers –Resource Teachers –Integration Aides –Sp. Needs Technicians –Behavioral Technicians –Spiritual Animators –Planning Room * –Guidance Counsellors* –In-School Alternate Programs* –Work Study Programs * Secondary school only

Board –Student Services Special Needs Consultants, Psychologists, Speech - Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, FSSTT, Health Promotion TeamSpecial Needs Consultants, Psychologists, Speech - Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, FSSTT, Health Promotion Team REACH ATTACHMENT Program**REACH ATTACHMENT Program** School Board and External Agency Support * * Elementary school only

–Educational Services Curriculum ConsultantsCurriculum Consultants Early Literacy Intervention ProgramEarly Literacy Intervention Program Summer Literacy CampSummer Literacy Camp Summer SchoolSummer SchoolExternal –Health & Social Services Agencies –Community Groups School Board and External Agency Support Continued

Options Maintain current modelMaintain current model Refine current modelRefine current model –Develop new approaches for specific clientele (e.g. behavior) –Explore alternative programming for students Develop and implement a different modelDevelop and implement a different model Re-distribute existing Board budgetsRe-distribute existing Board budgets

Impact of Present Board Policy and Practices An individualized approach to successAn individualized approach to success –Based on identified needs, not category A high quality of service is costly (in time and $$)A high quality of service is costly (in time and $$) A culture of appreciation for diversityA culture of appreciation for diversity

Impact Continued Over-representation of students with Special Needs in Elementary Bilingual programOver-representation of students with Special Needs in Elementary Bilingual program Over-representation of students with Special Needs in certain secondary school programsOver-representation of students with Special Needs in certain secondary school programs Need for on-going professional development to build capacityNeed for on-going professional development to build capacity

Future Directions…..