HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.3 Appendix A to Report 23-068POLICY P.019.GOV
TITLE:SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Date Authorized: 29 May 2006
Last Revised: 25 April 2023
Last Reviewed: 25 April 2023
COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND EQUITY
The District recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this policy and the associated work promotes
and protects Indigenous, equity, and human rights and to seek to address and eliminate racism and
structural and systemic barriers for students, staff, and community.
1.0 RATIONALE
To establish a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) as required by the Education
Act and Ontario Regulation 464/97.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
For a full list of terms used in this policy, please refer to Appendix A.
3.0 POLICY
Terms of Reference
3.1 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall:
a) make recommendations to the Board in respect of any matter affecting the
establishment, development, and delivery of Special Education programs and
services for exceptional pupils of the Board;
b) participate in the Board's annual review of its Special Education Plan;
c) participate in the Board's annual budget process as it relates to Special
Education; and
d) review the Board's financial statements related to Special Education.
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Appendix A to Report 23-068
4.0 SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES
Composition
4.1 The Board shall appoint three trustees to the Special Education Advisory Committee.
4.2 One representative and an alternate voting member nominated by each of the following
Local Associations shall be appointed by the Board for the duration of the term of the
Board:
a)Association for Bright Children,Ottawa Region Chapter (ABC);
b)Down Syndrome Association,National Capital Region (DSA);
c)Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton (LDAO-C);
d)Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD/ONE);
e)Autism Ontario,Ottawa Chapter;
f)Inclusion Action in Ontario (IAO);
g)VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children (VOICE);
h)Easter Seals Ontario;and
i)Ontario Parents of Visually Impaired Children (OPVIC).
4.3 The Board shall not appoint more than twelve (12)representatives under section 4.2.
4.4 Where there are more than twelve (12)Local Associations within the area of the
jurisdiction of the Board,the Board shall,upon the recommendation of the Selection
Committee,select up to twelve (12)Local Associations that shall be represented.
4.5 The following additional voting members who are neither representatives of a Local
Association nor members of the Board or another committee of the Board shall be
appointed by the Board for the duration of the term of the Board:
a)One representative and one alternate nominated by the Ottawa-Carleton Assembly
of School Councils (OCASC);
b)Up to three (3)community representatives,upon the recommendation of the SEAC
selection committee;and
c)Up to two (2)members to represent the interests of Indigenous students with
special education needs,as selected by the Indigenous Education Council.
4.6 All members and alternates,nominated or appointed,to the Committee must be eligible
to vote for the members of the Board,be resident in the jurisdiction of the Board,and
not be employed by the Board.
4.7 If a member is absent for three consecutive regular meetings of the Committee,without
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prior authorization by resolution,the member relinquishes their seat.
4.8 If a Local Association is without representation for six months,that Local Association
will lose its membership on the Committee.An association which has relinquished its
membership in this manner may reapply at a later date,if there is renewed interest.
4.9 Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled upon approval by the Board of an eligible
candidate nominated by the association.When there is a vacancy,a quorum will consist
of the majority of the members remaining qualified.
4.10 In the event of a community representative vacancy during the four year term,the Board
shall reconsider a community representative application(s)who interviewed during the
most recent selection process for community representatives.
4.11 If both the representative and the alternate of a member organization are present,only
the representative may participate in the meeting and vote.
4.12 In addition to the membership appointed under paragraphs 4.1 to 4.5,the Committee
shall include a non-voting representative from each of the following groups:
a)Council for Exceptional Children;
b)Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers'Federation;
c)Ontario Secondary School Teachers'Federation (Teachers'Bargaining Unit);
d)Ontario Secondary School Teachers'Federation (Professional Student Services
Personnel);
e)Ottawa-Carleton Secondary School Administrators'Network;
f)Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Operations Committee;and
g)Ontario Secondary School Teachers'Federation (Student Support Professionals).
Non-voting representatives may participate in the discussion,but may not make or vote on
motions.
Quorum
4.13 Quorum shall be the majority of the appointed members.
Reporting Procedure
4.14 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall normally report to the Board through
the Committee of the Whole.Notwithstanding this reporting structure,the Committee of
the Whole may review and comment on the reports and/or any recommendations from
the Special Education Advisory Committee,but cannot alter the recommendations or
reports.
In addition,the Special Education Advisory Committee may send a report with
recommendations directly to the Board or to the Committee of the Whole,Budget where
the normal reporting procedures would not allow for timely consideration of the
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recommendations by the Board.
4.15 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall have the right to appoint a non-voting
representative to the Committee of the Whole and the Committee of the Whole,Budget.
Meetings
4.16 Where SEAC has an appointed representative on a committee,it is expected that SEAC
will participate in discussion on an issue through their representative during deliberation
on the item and shall not appear before the committee as a delegation or as a public
questioner.
4.17 The Special Education Advisory Committee shall meet at least ten times during the
school year.
4.18 A notice of each regular meeting shall be provided to all members of the Committee at
least five (5)days before the meeting.
5.0 APPENDICES
Appendix A:Policy Definitions
6.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Education Act,1998,§57
Ontario Regulation 464/97
Board By-laws and Standing Rules:Standing,Special Purpose and Ad Hoc Committees
Policy P.010.GOV:Community Involvement on Board Standing Committees
PR 538 GOV:Appointment of Community Representatives and Local Associations to the
Special Education Advisory Committee
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APPENDIX A:POLICY DEFINITIONS
In this policy,
Local Association means an association or organization of parents that operates locally
within the area of jurisdiction of a board and that is affiliated with an association or organization
that is not an association or organization of professional educators,but that is incorporated
and operates throughout Ontario to further the interests and well-being of one or more groups
of exceptional children or adults (Ontario Regulation 464/97,Section 1).
Additional Members means members who are neither representatives of a local association
nor members of the board or another committee of the board (Ontario Regulation 464/97,
Section 2[5]).
Community Representatives means members of the community who have knowledge of
special education issues,an understanding of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s
(OCDSB)programs and services,and an appreciation of the role and responsibilities of the
SEAC.The Community Representatives advocate in the interest of all special needs students,
and do not represent the interests of any particular exceptionality.
SEAC Selection Committee means a committee comprised of the three trustee members
appointed by the Board to serve on the SEAC.The Selection Committee will be responsible for
selecting and recommending to the Board,the Community Representatives and Local
Associations to serve as members of SEAC for the duration of the term of the Board of
Trustees,and where a vacancy arises for the balance of the term of the Board of Trustees.
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