HomeMy WebLinkAbout01b Notice of Motion Trustee S Macdonald re Centres of Excellent1) Centres of Excellence
STAFF ANALYSIS OF TRUSTEE MOTION
Prior to consideration of this motion, there are a series of important issues which must be
examined, including
• implications for use of space, including the prospect of displacing students from their
own community schools and present programs in order to provide space for a
congregated centre for clustered SELC classes;
• enrolment /critical mass /viability/overcrowding issues both for schools that would
potentially have such centres and for those schools which would not
• consultation issues, including necessary time to effect a meaningful consultation on all
the issues with parents /school councils and staff throughout the OCDSB;
• staffing allocations which would be made more complex by such a model.
• staff development issues, including the implication that this model does not provide
for in- service to regular classroom teachers
• additional transportation costs implied by this proposal.
There is simply not time to study the implications, provide solid information on the impacts,
make necessary decisions, and implement such a proposal for 2000 -01.
ILt
OTTAWA -CAKMN
DIVA= SCHOOL SOLID
TO: Chair and Members DATE: 22 March 2000
Committee of the Whole (Budget)
RE: Centres of Excellence
Trustee Sheryl MacDonald has given notice that she will move as follows at the 22
March 2000 Committee of the Whole (Budget) meeting.
Whereas a great many objections, based upon experience as well as research, have been
raised by students, parents, educators and associations about the advisability of a swift
transfer to an integration /inclusive model for special education;
Whereas serious concerns have been raised about the impact of an accelerated pace of
integration, not only on special education students but on students in the regular classrooms
into which students are to be increasingly integrated;
Whereas a great deal of the literature on integration suggests that its effective
implementation depends on small class sizes, limits on the range of exceptionalities, and
strong back -up support resources including persotmel which factors are not guaranteed by
the suggested delivery model;
Whereas an alternative model, colloquially entitled "Centres of Excellence ", offers some
promise of maintaining needed resource back -up without increasing overall program costs
(and indeed suggesting many cost efficiencies);
THEREFORE BE rr RESOLVED:
A. That the Special Education Advisory Committee continue to express its grave
reservations to the OCDSB trustees about the impact of the "New Delivery Model'
on student services and student achievement; (does not require Board approval)
B . The Special Education Advisory Committee support the SELC model as part of a
continuum of services, however, it requests
THAT the Board introduce the concept of "Centres of Excellence" to serve
exceptional students in cost-effective, congregated settings, to extend work already
done by staff;
C. THAT the Special Education Advisory Committee work with the OCDSB
leadership team and stakeholders to investigate the design parameters of "Centres
of Excellence" for exceptional students;
D. THAT any savings from the implementation of this motion that may be realized in
the proposed special education budget be retained within the special education
funding envelope.
Pdltin
joanMelancon James P. Grieve
Assistant Secretary of the Board Director of Education /Secretary of the Board