SEAC's Recommendations to Board:
From Sandra Mastronardi regarding 2019-2020 Special Education Budget:
That more opportunities be provided for Special Education Needs (SEN) Students to participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) / Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) special programs and extra-curriculars with a focus on providing equity-based skill learning based on their particular needs;
2) That funding be allocated to hire a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) to provide consultative services to schools, and to train and supervise resource staff in data collection as part of the current services offered to classrooms to assist teachers;
3) That at the very least, the Board maintain the current level of support staff and provide funding for them to obtain Registered Behaviour Training (RBT) certification on, at least, a voluntary basis, including the 40 hours of training and the examinations. These support staff are to be supported by the BCBA;
4) That an Inclusion Coach position be created to further support our Mission Statement, and the hiring/promotion of eight persons to the Inclusion Coach Position, focused on accommodating special education students in classrooms;
Annual Report on the Accessibility Standards Policy (A.35):
5) That the Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities be added to the Cross reference section of the Accessibility Standards Policy (A.35);
6) That a representative from SEAC be included in the Members of Accessibility Working Group;
Motion from Trustee Li Preti regarding Emergency Plan for accommodating Special Education Students and/or Students with a Physical Disability that may be excused from regular hours of School:
7) That the existing resources be trained and utilized more effectively in preemptive de-escalation to prevent behavioral based exclusions;
8) That the school Board provide assistance for alternate arrangements instead of calling parents/caregivers; and
9) That accurate data be collected to better assess the current impact and create a plan to move forward.