Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision The second and third level supports that are required include: • delivery of professional development activities for teachers (in both First Nations schools and provincial schools); • special education services; • teacher training; • teacher recruitment; • alternative high school programmes; • Indigenous language curriculum and resource materials development; and • training for First Nations Education Authority members. 163 In 2009, former ADM Christine Cram expressed doubts as to whether a funding formula is the best way to fund education. 164 In addition to problematic formulas that lead to inequitable funding, the services excluded from those formulas mean increasing reliance on ineffective, short-term proposals. The Education Coordination Unit at the Chiefs of Ontario is currently working on adapting the funding formula created by the FNEC in Quebec for use in Ontario. Canada must work directly with First Nations to resolve the inadequacy of the current funding formula to ensure that resources allocated address the expressed educational needs of First Nations at all stages of the educational spectrum. Special Education “Our EA’s make a lot less compared to EA’s hired by the provincial school board. That’s just wrong.” (Northern Ontario First Nation member) The funding for Special Education is provided through INAC’s Special Education Program (SEP) according to an internal funding formula developed by the Ontario First Nations Special Education Working Group (OFNSEWG). This was a joint technical and advisory body mandated by the Ontario First Nations Education Coordination Unit to provide recommendations on issues, and specific strategies for political review and/or approval for action. The OFNSEWG represents a partnership 163 Ibid. 164 Funding Formula, supra note 158 at 2. 37 Chiefs of Ontario
Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision between INAC and First Nations in Ontario and includes representation from both. Funding for the Special Education Program (SEP) is a targeted allocation, meaning that funding is a full and final allocation that can only be spent on First Nation students who ordinarily reside on reserve and are assessed by an appropriate professional as having moderate to profound special needs not met within existing education programming and services. The yearly allocation for each First Nation is distributed at the outset of the fiscal year after Profound Ministry school costs are deducted. 165 The total funding allocation for Ontario in 2011-12 was $25,621,718. Of this total $1,779,766 was deducted for Profound Ministry schools, leaving $23,841,952 to be distributed among the First Nations as per the Special Education Funding Formula. The funding formula includes a base amount (based on the nominal roll from the previous year), a Special Education incidence rate, a northern factor, a remoteness factor, and a small school factor. First Nations manage this allocation based on local education policies and the Special Education needs of their students who attend both provincially funded schools and First Nation schools. However, a recent focus group session conducted by the OFNSEWG with front line special education administrators uncovered some glaring communication gaps at all levels which impact funding. These gaps contribute to inaccurate coding and misunderstanding of what the SEP is intended to cover; especially in the case where First Nations are paying tuition costs for students attending provincial schools. Focus group participants also drew attention to the fact that the audits do not reflect the inability of some First Nation communities to access the required expertise to assess student needs and therefore many potential special education students remain unidentified. The OFNSEWG continues to gather data to determine if the SEP allocation is sufficient to meet the needs of First Nations in Ontario. Canada must acknowledge and resolve the shortcomings of the audit process for the Special Education Program in order to ensure adequate funding is provided through a flexible funding authority based on valid information. 165 These are schools for the deaf and blind. Chiefs of Ontario 38
Page 1 and 2: Our Children Our Future Our Vision
Page 3 and 4: Our Children, Our Future, Our Visio
Page 41: Our Children, Our Future, Our Visio
Page 93 and 94:
Our Children, Our Future, Our Visio
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127:
show all

Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?