• Previous
• Next
• Section Contents

Canada : Organisation/control of education system

Last updated: 13-Sep-2005
2.1 Organisation and control of system/structure
2.1.1 Control
2.1.2 Funding
2.1.3 Private sector education
2.1.4 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION

---

This information is intended to provide the background context of structure and control, within which the curriculum and assessment frameworks are implemented.

2.1 Organisation and control of system/structure

2.1.1 Control

See section 2.1.1 of the mainstream Canada Archive.

2.1.2 Funding

See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream Canada Archive.

2.1.3 Private sector education

See section 2.1.3 of the mainstream Canada Archive.

2.1.4 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION

Alberta

Types of provision

Students with special educational needs are defined as those being in need of special educational programmes because of their behavioural, communicational, intellectual, learning or physical characteristics; students who may require specialised health care services; or students who are gifted and talented.¹²

The integrated classroom is viewed as the most appropriate placement for students with special needs in many places, because of increased opportunities for the student with special needs to participate with same-aged peers. However, students with complex or severe learning and/or behavioural needs, including the gifted and talented, may be provided with a placement elsewhere if it is deemed in their best interests.¹⁴

Funding and control of provision

Alberta Learning provides funding to school jurisdictions for programmes and services required by students with special needs. Local school boards make decisions regarding the allocation of funds and are held accountable for the provision and allocation of funds to schools. The principal and staff of a school may make final funding decisions. Funding is provided for three separate areas, as follows:

Basic Instruction Funding

• Every school board receives the same amount of funding per student for basic instruction.
• Basic instruction funding includes special education funding for students with mild and moderate disabilities, and who are gifted and talented.¹³

School boards are expected to use a portion of the basic instruction funding, plus any additional funding received for students with special needs, to provide appropriate programmes and services for all students with special needs.¹³

Severe Disabilities Funding

• Available to school boards and approved private schools for each student who meets the definition and who is provided with a programme in accordance with an individualised programme plan (IPP), see 5.5.1.
• Funding is provided for some additional costs of staff, learning resources and some equipment associated with programmes for students with severe disabilities.¹³

Early Childhood Services (ECS) Programme Unit Funding

• Available for children with severe disabilities who on 1 September, are at least two years six months old, but younger than six years old.
• Available for a maximum of three years and designed to provide continuous support up to Grade/Year 1 (age 6/7).
• Available to approved operators of an Early Childhood Services (ECS) programme.¹⁴

Alberta Learning is responsible for establishing a basis for the provision of equitable access to appropriate and effective education programmes for all students, including those with special educational needs. Alberta Learning has established the following requirements and expectations of school authorities:

• school board policy and procedures
• screening for early identification of special needs
• referral of students with special needs
• assessment
• student placement
• individualised programme planning and implementation
• programme outcomes
• transition planning
• co-ordinated services for children
• health-related support services
• dispute resolution and appeals.¹²

Health-related support services

Each school jurisdiction has policies, insurance and written procedures regarding the provision of health-related support services for students with special needs. Decisions regarding the provision of such services depend on whether the service is characterised by essentially educational or medical needs. Services catering for medical needs are the province of the local health authority. Parents, school staff and the local health authority work together to meet the needs of the student during the daytime. School staff assisting with the provision of health-related support services need written authorisation. They also need to be appropriately trained in administering health-related support services.¹⁴

Size of provision

In a recent survey of over 1,100 elementary schools in Alberta, 11,033 classes responded. Of these:

• 71 per cent reported having students with special needs
• those classes reporting having students with special needs reported an average of three of four children per average class (of around 24 children) with mild or moderate special needs and around 1 child per class with severe special needs
• 38 per cent of classes reported having students with mild or moderate special needs
• seven per cent of classes reported having students with severe special needs.

In addition, there are 402 special needs classrooms, catering for 4,587 children in an average class size of just over 11.

This data and further details of the survey are available at http://www.learning.gov.ab.ca/k_12/special/ClassSize.asp

British Columbia

Types of provision

Students with special needs are defined as those who:

• have disabilities of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature
• have a learning disability or
• have exceptional gifts or talents.²²

Inclusion and integration

The principle of inclusion is adopted in British Columbia schools to support equitable access to learning by all students and the opportunity for all students to pursue their goals in all aspects of their education. The practice of inclusion transcends the idea of physical location and incorporates basic values that promote participation, friendship and interaction.¹⁶

Integration is one way to achieve inclusion. This process encourages students with special needs to participate and interact fully with other students in local (neighbourhood) schools and to develop friendships. Integration involves placing students with special needs in classrooms with their age and Grade/Year group peers, then providing them with the necessary support, accommodation and adaptations, determined on an individual basis, to enable them to be successful. However, this does not mean that students with special needs must spend 100 per cent of every day in neighbourhood school class placements with their age and Grade peers. The goal is to meet their educational needs and the educational needs of all students. The emphasis on educating students with special needs in neighbourhood school classrooms with their age and Grade peers does not preclude the appropriate use of resource rooms, self-contained classes, community-based training or other specialised settings.¹⁶

Alternatives to the integrated classroom

Students with special needs should only be placed in settings other than a mainstream class in a local school with their age and Grade/Year group peers when the school board has made all reasonable efforts to integrate the student, and it is clear that a combination of education in such classes and supplementary support cannot meet their educational or social needs, or where there is clear evidence that partial or full placement in another setting is the only option, after considering their educational needs or the educational needs of others. Such evidence could include frequent and significant disruption of the learning environment despite appropriate classroom interventions, or the possibility of physical harm to others.¹⁶

Size of provision

In British Columbia in 1994/95, special education services were provided to nearly 11 per cent of the public school student population, of whom over 23 per cent had severe learning disabilities and over 34 per cent were classified as gifted.¹⁸

In the 2003-03 school year, 10.4 per cent of the student population were enrolled in special education programmes. That is, these students either had physical, behavioural or learning disabilities or were classified as 'gifted'. (http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/k12datareports/keyinfo/ski0203.pdf)

Funding and control of provision 

The Ministry of Education in British Columbia provides funding for special education programmes and services, and works with school boards to achieve the goal of "an education system that provides students with opportunities for a quality education in a cost-effective manner".¹⁶ In 1994/95, 419 million Canadian dollars were allocated for special education programmes throughout the province; about six million of the funding went to staff development grants for teachers, teaching assistants and administrators.¹⁸

The Ministry coordinates resources, specialised technologies and services, staff development and financial support to organisations, which provide direct services to students with special needs. It does all of this through the Special Education Branch.¹⁸

Within the Ministry, the Special Education Branch:

• sets standards;
• assists in developing and implementing policies;
• develops guidelines and procedures;
• monitors trends in research and practice;
• reviews and evaluates programmes and services;
• manages an array of provincial services for students with special needs;
• supports professional development; and
• participates in long-term planning and priority-setting for special education in British Columbia.¹⁶

Within school districts, local school boards are responsible for ensuring that special education services and programmes are delivered to any of their students who require them. Such programmes and services are an integral part of the total school system, and are organised to ensure that services generally available to all students and their parents are also available to children with special needs and that access is as seemless as possible.¹⁶

Local policies and procedures should include:

• a description of services and special programme options available in the district;
• procedures used to identify, assess and plan for students with special needs;
• procedures used to effect special placements should they be needed;
• reporting and record-keeping procedures used to track Individual Education Plans;
• procedures used to include parents and other service providers in identification, assessment and planning;
• procedures to be followed in evaluating and reporting on the progress of special needs students;
• procedures for evaluating special education services and programmes;
• internal appeal procedures available to parents or guardians;
• specialist staff assignments and job descriptions that include any necessary specialist qualifications; and
• procedures to be followed in evaluating personnel in specialist assignments.¹⁶

In accordance with British Columbia government policy, most students with special needs are educated in their local mainstream school, alongside their peers. In instances where school district size or location make it impossible for schools to provide the range of services their special needs students require, school boards plan collaboratively with other districts.¹⁶

Many other services for students with special needs are provided by community-based agencies or other Ministries. A spectrum of support services - including childcare workers, school nurses and other specialists - is available through arrangements with the Ministries of Health, Social Services and other Ministries.¹⁶

Ontario

Funding and control

Ontario has a student-focused approach to funding which is designed to protect funding for special education, that is to say that, as a result, school boards are required to use special education funding only for special education. This approach to funding aims to ensure that students' needs are identified and addressed in a consistent manner throughout the province.²¹

School boards are provided with a Special Education Grant, which provides two types of special education funding:

• The Special Education Per Student Amount: This is general special education funding, which is based on a school's board enrolment. Although the funding may be used specifically for students with special needs, it is based on a board's total enrolment, counting all students, not just those in special education programmes. This funding is for programmes that address relatively common exceptionalities that do not require a high level of financial support for the individual student.
• The Intensive Support Amount: This is intensive support special education funding provided for students who require high-cost specialised programmes and services and support. These funds assist boards to customise educational plans for their high needs students. Funding stays with the student if he or she moves to another school board. It covers a range of programmes and services, such as specialist teachers for the deaf, blind and deaf-blind, as well as educational assistants, child and youth workers and other support staff who provide intensive and one-to-one support. It may also cover the cost of equipment such as Braille converters, special adaptors for computers and special systems for some deaf/hard of hearing students.²¹

 

• Previous
• Next
• Section Contents