Overview
Large numbers of children and youth come to school with diverse and intensive
needs. These children and youth require a broad range of social, health,
cultural and justice services to remove barriers to their learning. Availability
of services can compromise these students’ opportunities for success in school
and later in life.
Historically, students with special needs or students who required intensive
supports were provided with educational programming only if they had a medical
diagnosis. This created inequity as some students with a medical diagnosis did
not require specialized programming; others without a medical diagnosis did
require specialized programming. In order to respond to this challenge, the
Ministry of Education changed its funding model in the 2006-07 school year.
School divisions now provide educational programming for students based on the
needs of the student and his or her ability to be successful in school. The new
model benefits all students by providing programming that aligns with identified
needs.
Levels of support
As part of the new funding model, students with intensive needs are divided into
two different levels of supports: Level I and Level II. The difference between
these levels relates to a student's needs and the supports in place to meet that
student's needs. Students in Level I require occasional supports from the
school, school division and outside agencies. Students in Level II require more
frequent supports. With the transition from the medical diagnosis model to the
needs-based model in 2006-07, the number of students in both levels increased.
Provincially, in the 2008-09 school year, a total of 7,304 students required
intensive supports. This is an increase of 8.3% over 2007-08, and of 46.5% since
the medical diagnosis model was last used in 2005-06.
The most prevalent disabilities in 2008-09 were intellectual disabilities and
pervasive development disorders, affecting about 19% and 12% of the students
with special needs, respectively. The proportion of students requiring intensive
supports increased to 4.6% of the student population in 2008-09.
Multi-disciplinary Approach to Student Support
Many human service agencies and ministries assist school divisions in providing
equitable opportunities to students with intensive needs. Administrators,
classroom teachers, qualified special education teachers and educational
assistants work in schools with intensive needs students. Teams of
speech-language pathologists, psychologists, consultants, occupational
therapists, physical therapists, social workers, counsellors, nurses, English as
an Additional Language specialists and others often work within a school
division. The ministries of Health; Social Services; Corrections, Public Safety
and Policing; and, Advanced Education, Employment and Labour collaborate to help
students with intensive needs.
Assessment and Growth
Teachers and other professionals develop and implement programs for students
with intensive needs by developing an
impact assessment profile, and by administering diagnostic, formative and
summative assessments. Based on that information, a
Personal Program Plan is developed
and supports are put in place for the student.