Gaps and challenges: A look at inclusive education

“Schools that include everyone promote harmony along with an appreciation for the differences that mark us individually and culturally. Segregation fosters unfamiliarity, distrust and disrespect, breeding grounds for harassment and bullying among kids and countries.”

–Helen Henderson, Canadian columnist

As young families, teachers and school boards work to meet the education needs of children with a variety of disabilities and learning needs, there are a variety of challenges and funding barriers to overcome.

Looking at recent date from People for Education’s Annual School Survey, done in the province of Ontario, its clear that factors such as geography, neighborhood income, and staff shortages all have an effect on appropriate accommodations and access to supports.

Safer and more effective
Crucial to making school environments safe, welcoming, academically effective, and inclusive for all student additional supports are being received by an estimated 16% of elementary and 28% of secondary students. And, there is generally an unhealthy ratio of 1 teacher to 39 special education students in elementary schools which rises
to 1:85 in secondary schools.

These realities can make doing the job ‘humanly impossible’ says one Educational Assistant (EA) in the wake of the tragic death of 16-year-old Landyn Ferris who lived with Dravit Syndrome which caused him to have severe seizures and the need for 24/7 supervision. Ferris was found alone and unresponsive in a sensory room at Trenton High School on May 14, 2024, according to his family.

Disproportionately affected
Ongoing staff shortages often mean that specialized teachers must fill in for their EAs and classroom teachers. This not only impacts promised individual assistance for children who qualify for it, but it increases risk levels in a number of areas.

How bad is it? According to the report, 40% of elementary and secondary schools report staff shortages of EAs every day. One elementary school principal from Central Ontario speculates that this is due to a lack of supply, “There are not enough SERTS [special education resource teachers] or qualified EA’s in the system. And if they are sick, neither position can be filled by qualified staff.”

Keeping children at home
This regular lack of appropriate resources can impact the capabilities of the school. Ultimately it results in increased requests by principals for parents to keep their child home with little or no notice. According to the data this occurs in both elementary and secondary school settings. Not only does this impact families by causing with routine adjustments, learning interruptions and socialization changes, but in many cases it also means that parents miss work, suffer financially and endure increased levels of stress.

Access to psychologists
A student’s first step is usually based receiving on an appropriate assessment, diagnosis and recommendations from a psychologist. Fact is, that in 2023-2024 only 26% of elementary schools reported they had regularly scheduled access to qualified personnel for these assessments This is a historical low in the province and highlights even more troubling data the percentage of schools with no access to a psychologist has increased from 13% in 2016-2017 to 20% in 2023-2024.

Naturally this lack of access to these professionals varies across regions. Urban schools, such as schools in the Greater Toronto Area, are more likely to have access to professionals on call, whereas schools in rural areas, such as Northern Ontario, are likely to claim no access at all. Availability can also vary with school size and student population, however numbers show that low-income schools tend to be smaller in size resulting in disproportionate waiting times for assessments.

Effect of family income
Generally, higher proportions of elementary school students receive special education support in neighbourhoods with low median family income.

This showcases an interesting dichotomy where lower-income neighborhoods are more likely to provide tutoring services and de-streaming resources to overcome the lack of scheduled psychologist appointments.

Lower-income parents and guardians are also less likely to pay out of pocket to have their children assessed privately. This cost can be as high as $3000 for psycho-educational assessments, which can be a significant burden for families already struggling. Of note: schools often don’t provide Individual Education Plans without an assessment.

Wise advice
In the face of adversity, shortages and frustration with ‘the system”, there are things you can do to make a difference for your child:

1. Advocate. It doesn’t have to be loud, just honest and consistent. The squeaky wheel often gets the oil. Keep speaking up in your own way.

2. Do your homework. Write down your thoughts and be organized and clear about what you want help with.

3. You know your child better than anyone else. It’s your job to proactively provide the school with the information they need to do their job.

4. Speak with someone you trust and learn from other parents. Those with similar situations and knowledge are excellent resources.

5. Use respect to get respect. Expect to be part of an ongoing dialogue. This is not a sprint but a journey. Stay informed, available and encouraging.

6. Try to build a good relationship with teachers. Lack of funding is not their fault so trying to make their job easier rather than more difficult is wise.

7. Be supportive. Know when its best to back off and let your child to speak for themselves.

It’s personal. Its emotional and it’s often slow moving and frustrating but don’t give up.

Anjolina Rankin-West is an intern at the Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF). Read the full at People for Education.ca