While classrooms are overflowing with students in need, a major reform of funding for services dedicated to them is planned for the start of the 2023 school year, sparking much hope but also concern in the school network.
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The Journal reported yesterday that in some classes more than half of the students are struggling or have special needs.
The teachers are desperate for changes to better reflect the needs of each individual student when putting together the groups.
For its part, the Ministry of Education has been working for several years on a major reform of the funding of services for students with special needs, which will come into force in 2023-2024.
In a recent letter sent to unions, Quebec reaffirms its intention to start this major change at the start of the school year.
Project “294”
Dubbed “Project 294” in the ministry’s registry, this reform aims to change the conditions for granting grants to students in difficulty, who, according to the latest data, number almost 250,000.
Currently, students with special needs are specifically supported due to a diagnosis.
Quebec wants to establish new criteria for awarding grants to be able to offer services to students more quickly without having to wait for a good and proper evaluation.
This reform is “awaited with great impatience” among professionals in the school environment, who for years have denounced “inconsistencies” that “create a lot of frustration”, affirms Sophie Massé, vice-president of the Federation of Professionals and Education Professionals from Quebec (FPPE -CSQ).
For example, an autistic student can “generate” 10 to 15 hours of support from a specialist teacher. However, that student may not need that level of support if they do well in class, unlike a student in the room next door who is undiagnosed but has persistent seizures. .
By putting aside the assessments and associated paperwork, professionals should be able to devote more time to prevention and intervention, which could also make the school network more attractive in a context of shortage, Ms Massé hopes.
pilot projects
However, there are still many threads to be tied before this sweeping reform becomes a reality.
However, pilots announced by Quebec this year at about fifteen school service centers had not started as of October, according to information shared with the school network by the Department of Education.
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