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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09c Delegation Cynthia Pohran re Special Education Delivery and OCDSB BudgetOTTAWA- CARLETON ASSEMBLY OF SCHOOL COUNCILS DELEGATION TO THE BOARD DATE: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 TOPIC: OCASC Position with regard to Special Education Delivery and the OCDSB Budget 2000/2001 Presenters: Cynthia Pohran - Chair of OCASC, Lamar Mason — OCASC Representative on SEAC and Chair of the OCASC Special Education Committee The presentation will strongly urge Trustees to REJECT the proposed further implementation of the Special Education Delivery Model for 2000 -2001 and MAINTAIN all specialized classes for exceptional students that existed in 1999 -2000. This request is made until such time as a thorough analysis can be done of the impact on student learning of implementation of the staff - proposed Special Education Delivery Model. Although the arguments for this request will be sufficiently developed in the upcoming presentation, Trustees will note that the OCASC recommendation and position is BUDGET NEUTRAL. It simply asks the Board not to disburse the current congregated classroom teachers, but rather MAINTAIN their assignment. The staff - recommended decrease in Special Education for $1.6M would not be affected based on the OCASC recommendation. In addition, the Assembly members strongly recommend the Board take immediate action to request all schools identify those students who are waiting to receive Special Education services and/or assessments regarding their academic requirements. The Assembly members also recommend that these waiting lists be compiled centrally so that the OCDSB can accurately determine the extent of its Special Education service needs. The OCASC position on the Special Education Delivery Model has been established with a strong majority vote on a motion brought forward by the OCASC Special Education Committee by the direction of Assembly members on the March 9, 2000 general meeting. Assembly members identified Special Education as the third most important priority for the OCASC in October 1999. Our members and their school communities are not unfamiliar with this subject. Their children, along with their educators, live with the reality of the Special Education Delivery Model outcomes and impacts within the classroom on a daily basis. The OCASC recommendations on the Special Education Delivery Model were framed within the following context: I. The members of OCASC believe that the OCDSB does not have sufficient evidence to determine the impact to date of the new Special Education Delivery Model on the learning of exceptional students and students in the regular classroom as a result of increased integration of exceptional students; and II. The OCDSB Report 00 -058 clearly indicates that the teachers assigned to ensure the success of this new model in terms of the educational outcomes of students are experiencing significant difficulties. The motion was also presented with an introduction from the OCASC Special Education Committee Chair and SEAC Representative, Lamar Mason, in order to give members further information upon which to base their debate and vote. Information was also provided at the March 9 OCASC meeting. The following voting procedure was outlined and adhered to by members. The approval of the procedure is identified by the fact that absolutely no school council member raised an objection to the procedure regardless of the vote cast. OCASC e-mail voting procedure for motion on Special Education Delivery Model: a) a quorum of responses (i.e. in favour, against, or abstentions) were received by unique school councils prior to the deadline (Thursday, March 23, prior to or by noon) b) school council representatives identified themselves by replying with: • his/her name; • the name of his/her school council; and • his/her vote (i.e. IN FAVOUR, AGAINST, ABSTENTION) PLEASE NOTE: The abstention vote was just as necessary in this "virtual" meeting in order to determine quorum, but will not be addressed in this presentation. c) NO school council member in good standing objected to the identified process. School council members followed these procedures and the results have been published on the School Council Bulletin Board on BEAM for utmost transparency with the Board. The final vote was 75 "IN FAVOUR" of the OCASC motion and 1 "AGAINST ". This result is clearly among our strongest positions and sends a clear message to the Board. We would also ask the Trustees to consider that the result was provided within four and a half days (i.e. Sunday night to Thursday noon) with many school councils undertaking further telephone consultation and/or holding special "emergency" school council meetings. (N.B. In addition, school council members were assured that their views would be represented if received prior to Monday, March 27 noon and school councils are still responding.) Although the e-mail procedure precluded debate, it did not eliminate the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers to those questions. School council members have asked questions and consulted with school council members and/or the community as to the needs of exceptional students and the current challenges of the increasing dismantling of the current delivery model in the many months preceding the presentation of this formal motion. Many school council members offered additional comments and/or insight to their individual school community situation and/or position. Many of these points will also be brought forward during the presentation.