CALGARY—The NDP is raising concerns about the amount of funding available for special needs students in Alberta, as a projected rise in the student population this fall could put more strain on the education system.

NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman said on Monday that two families of Catholic school students with special needs approached Alberta’s official Opposition saying their children were turned away from returning for a fourth year of high school.

Albertans can access public education until they’re 19 years old, but these students were turned away because of a lack of sufficient resources and facilities, according to letters between the families and the Calgary Catholic School District dated May 2019.

The NDP said they’re keeping the students’ identities anonymous at the parents’ request, so the letters could not be independently confirmed.

Hoffman criticized the United Conservative government for not stating yet how much funding will be provided to Alberta’s schools this fall, and whether it will match the student population’s expected growth. Roughly 15,000 more students are expected at Alberta schools this fall, and the government’s plan to allow students up to the age of 21 to access public high school would increase that number further.

“I think it’s very devastating, I don’t think it’s right. I think that these students with severe special needs should have the opportunity to benefit from their fourth year as they’re entitled to under the current act,” said Hoffman, who called on Education Minister Adriana LaGrange to ensure enough funding is provided for these students.

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“At the same time, we have a government considering extending the age of access to 21, but they aren’t even meeting the age of access of 19 today.”

Calgary Catholic School District spokesperson Felicia Zuniga told Star Calgary via email Monday that they’re unable to discuss specific student matters, but the district works to meet the individual needs of all students.

“There are difficult decisions to be made at times for students that have already graduated from our school system. We have protocols in place to work with parents on their requests and parents have the ability to appeal our decisions. We are currently working through an appeal process with this family,” Zuniga said.

The new United Conservative Party government has promised to replace the current School Act with the Education Act of 2012, which was voted on but never officially acclaimed. One part of the act allows students up to 21 years old to access public education, which is a move supported by many Alberta teachers and education advocates.

Eryn Dewald has worked with families who’ve faced this same problem of trying to find a school their child can attend for a fourth year of high school. Dewald is the executive director of the Children’s Link Society, an information and resource service for families of children with special needs in Calgary.

“We cannot be turning people away because we say this school or our school system cannot provide adequate support to ensure your child gets a quality education,” Dewald said.

“Whether we’re working with external agencies and resources, whatever it takes, we need to make sure those children are all, regardless of whatever unique abilities they may bring, able to access a quality education.”

The Calgary Board of Education projects that extending the age of access to 21 could bring an additional 1,700 students into its schools, and the CBE is preparing a budget under the assumption it won’t receive an increase in funding from last year to match the enrolment growth. This gap means classroom sizes, which are sometimes already hovering around 30 to 40 students in Alberta, could continue to grow, and schools may struggle to have the necessary supports in place for these students.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association has always advocated for 21-year-old students to be able to access public education, said the group’s president Greg Jeffery. This is because it allows students to complete their education at their own pace, especially those who have complex learning needs. The change also makes it easier for students to upgrade their high school courses before post-secondary studies, Jeffery said.

But Jeffery is worried about funding to match enrolment growth.

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“The funding needs to come along with the student. It’s a positive move supported by teachers, but without funding, it’s going to cause some hardships,” Jeffery said.

In an email to the Star Calgary on Monday, LaGrange said she wasn’t familiar with the specific case Hoffman cited, but encouraged the family to reach out to her office.

“This is a board procedural issue. Our government respects the autonomy of school boards to make local decisions on policies and procedures which are in line with provincial legislation. In the event parents or a student wishes to appeal decisions made by school boards, there are processes in place for them to do so,” LaGrange said.

LaGrange added that information on funding will be provided to schools “in the near future.”

Don Brookwell, a special-education teacher in Red Deer, agreed that providing a few extra years of high school, especially to anyone pursuing a diploma, is a positive change. But Brookwell would prefer to see more government-funded programs that help transition students into adult life after graduation.

Training on things like finding work, feeling comfortable in a professional environment and setting a budget are important to help students with special needs prepare for adulthood, Brookwell said.

“We have to be very mindful that allowing students to be in school for years beyond when their peers have graduated might not be the best environment for them,” Brookwell said.

“It’d be a lot more positive to put the supports in place to allow them to transition when they’re ready into appropriate vocational programs so they can begin the next phase, which is working and being a positive part of the community.”

Brookwell added that students should have the choice to stay in school for as long as it’s the best environment for them, but that the key is to have positive alternatives, like supportive employment programs. These programs already exist in some Alberta schools, such as Red Deer College and Olds College.

“Parents are asking me, and have for decades now, not that they want their child to stay in school longer — they want to know what’s next,” Brookwell said.

“When you tell them that there are opportunities, then they’re thrilled. Because graduation is a joy … when you know your child is walking into the next stage of their life, positively supported. But if you don’t know where your child is going to go, and you have those fears and anxieties, then that’s a tremendous weight on these parents.”

At Children’s Link, Dewald says she has heard from an increasing number of teachers over the last few years who want more supports to work with students who have complex learning needs. This could include more training or more people in classrooms, whether they’re professionals or volunteers, to help them.

“It’s (about) making sure that when we say we individualized learning, we actually mean that, and we’re looking at children’s abilities and what’s needed for that child to do well and to thrive,” Dewald said.

“Until we do that, we’re going to see a continuation of teachers and parents just really struggling with, ‘How do we support our kids?’”

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