Special Education Crisis at the Toronto District School Board

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 8, 2012) - "We are pleased that the People for Education released their Special Education Report on what we refer to as 'that dirty little secret' -- thousands of undiagnosed children in the school system are in need of special education help", said John Weatherup, President of the 12,000-member CUPE 4400, Toronto Education Workers. "The latest figure we've heard was 3,000 children are on the waiting list, but the figure could be higher", Weatherup said.

As representatives of both Special Needs Assistants (Special Education) and Regular Program Educational Assistants, Local 4400 has long been aware of the growing need for more special education funding, the lack of serious analysis of the need, and the attempts of the TDSB to provide some bridging assistance to some of the most seriously challenged children prior to the assessment process taking place.

"If you look back at our position over the past several years, we have reminded the TDSB that the Regular Program E.A.s no longer serve in just kindergartens", said Unit C Vice President Anna Hutchison. She continued, "more and more E.A.s have been working with children who have not been diagnosed nor have been given Special Education help".

Unit C Vice President (and Special Needs E.A.) Giselle Burton asked "The question we have posed to both senior staff and Trustees -- which has never been answered -- is: what happens next year when the 430 laid off Regular Program Educational Assistants are no longer in the system?", Burton concluded, "The loss of that EA will impact on more than just the individual child because, without assistance, the teacher will have to care for the child AND all the rest of the children in the class."