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A8 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday June 9,1999 y Special ed. plan approved a By Dennis Smith SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has approved a special education plan but promises to review its operation every year. The three-year plan is a general guideline and tfiere will be regular public consultation on its implementation, according to HDSB officials. • "The Special Education Advisory Committee will be involved in the regular planning and the 18 implementation issues identified by S E A C super­ intendent B re^a Kearney told a recent board meet­ ing. The plan will be reviewed annually. The advisory committee, which represents school associations, expressed about 70 concerns with the 100-page plan. Some were handled through revisions, while others were considered implemen­ tation matters. | Plan proposals concerning funding, program continuity, adequacy of programs, the intake com­ mittee and geographic reorganization were major concerns of public delegations. "The move to equity of access is good, provided students are not limited by geography," said adviso­ ry committee chair Sylvia Langlois. "Exceptions should be allowed in the interest of students and via­ bility of classes." The plan recommends dividing Halton into north, east and west areas for delivery of most ser­ vices. Reduced travel time, better availability and familiarity with staff, plus earlier assessments were cited as advantages. Supporters of New Central School's gifted pro­ gram in Oakville opposed dividing it geographical­ ly. Kearney assured delegations and trustees the gifted program would remain at one location next year. Trustees will be consulted if the 144-student program grows and eventually needs to be split. Use of funding was another big concern. "Support grants should go first to the children they've been claimed for and only afterwards should they go towards other special education funding," said advisory chair Langlois. Oakville trustee Debbie Marklew expressed con­ cern funding intended for learning was going towards health and safety. "Students are not getting the learning time they've been funded for," she said. Kearney said the education ministry appears to be shifting from per student funding to allowing funds to be used for all special education children. "The allocation process has to follow the min­ istry direction, which may be going the opposite way," she said. Langlois said continuation of services were lack­ ing for students in areas like the primary language centre and gifted programs. "We feel Halton is not offering the full range of placements for all levels." There was also harsh criticism of the special edu­ cation plan from the president of the Learning Disabilities Association of Halton. "The present levels of teachers allocated to spe­ cial education at both elementary and secondary lev­ els are inadequate. Many parents report their chil­ dren may only see a special education resource teacher once a week and some not at all, " said Barbara Heal. "The elementary staffing numbers do not allow for any intensive, daily withdrawal pro­ grams. What makes these children's education spe­ cial?" The only support for many secondary students with learning disabilities is peer tutors, she added. Heal said satellite centres were becoming learn­ ing centres rather than intensive learning environ­ ments. She said some students may lose satellite centre placements after Grade 10. "A year ago you cut the secondary special edu­ cation resource teachers by 45%," she noted. "We are puzzled who will serve these students if you return them to a resource support placement at the end of next year." Heal was also critical of educational assess­ ments, noting her daughter has not had a formal one in the past four years. Board officials say they're facing a lack of provincial support for special education. "Funding is being maintained at 1998/99 levels," said Burlington trustee David Bird. "This is irre­ sponsible and doesn't take into consideration increases in students and programs." 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