June 29, 1999
(Education)

Minister addresses student assistant support

"The commitment that parents of children with special needs will be fully apprised of the level of services available for them prior to the end of the school year has been kept," said Minister of Education Judy Foote. In September, 1998 former Minister of Education, Roger Grimes assured parents that they would know the level and type of service available for their child from either a special education teacher, a categorical special education teacher, an itinerant teacher or student assistant. However no commitment on the precise number of hours from each of these educators or service providers was made because of the significant number of transfers of students among schools during the summer period.

"Our special needs students are among the most vulnerable in society. Their parents deserve certainty with respect to their eligibility for assistance," said the Minister. "This is why allocations identifying the students who are eligible for student assistant support were sent to each of the school boards on May 31. Boards were notified of eligible students with severe behavior disorders on June 18, along with the total number of hours allocated to each school. It was important that school boards were in a position to advise parents before the end of this school year as to whether their child will receive student assistant support for the coming school year."

The budget approved for students assistants has increased for the 1999/2000 school year to $8 million, an increase of 23 per cent or $1.5 million over the past two years.

The number of hours allocated to some boards for next year were reduced because of efficiencies gained by closing schools and consolidation of services to students; declining enrolment in the group of students requiring these services and an increase in the number of special education teachers providing support to these students. "All students who require the services of either a special education teacher, a categorical special education teacher, an itinerant teacher or student assistant will receive such," said Minister Foote.

Media contact: Nancy Healey, Communications, (709) 729-0048.

1999 06 29         5:10 p.m.