BC CASE April 2011

Ministry Update

• Special needs funding• Updates to Manual• Demographic trends• Evergreen Certificate• High Incidence File Review• Effective Practices Report – Students with

Learning Disabilities• Early Learning and FDK

Special Education Funding

Unique student funding for special needs• Level 1 – $32,000 to $36,600• Level 2 – $16,000 to $18,300• Level 3 – $8,000 to $9,200

• Total unique student funding to boards in 2010/11 for 24,260 unique students (23,905 funded FTEs)

• Increase of approximately $11 million

Updates to Manual

Updates to Manual•No changes to categories or guidelines• Language changed in several places to reflect current approach to letter grades and percentages for students with special needs

•Definition of speech-language pathology now matches the Health Professions Act, Health Section (94/2010)

•Appendices have been revised/brought into currency

Demographic trends – 1 yearDependent/Deafblind down 0.2 %Mod to Profound Intellectual down 6.2 %Phys Dis/Chronic Health Imp up 5.0 %Visual Impairment down 2.9 %Deaf/Hard of Hearing down 4.4 %Autism Spectrum Disorder up 7.4 %Inten Beh Inter /Ser Mental Illness down 1.4 %Learning Disability up 1.9%Mild Intellectual Disability down 4.3%Mod Beh Support/Mental Illness down 5.4%Gifted down 8.3%Overall Provincial Enrolment(Sept 30)

down 0.7%

Demographic Trends – Prov. Inc. Rates– 2010/11

Dependent/Deafblind 0.12%Mod to Profound Intellectual 0.35%Phys Dis/Chronic Health Imp 1.22%Visual Impairment 0.06%Deaf/Hard of Hearing 0.21%Autism Spectrum Disorder 0.95%Inten Beh Inter /Ser Mental Illness 1.28%Learning Disability 3.15%Mild Intellectual Disability 0.39%Mod Beh Support/Mental Illness 1.08%Gifted 1.27%All categories 10.07%

Ministry Update – Evergreen Certificate

In 2009/10, 1,065 BC School Completion (Evergreen) Certificates were issued to students who had successfully met the goals of their educational program other than graduation.

What’s Coming

Adjudication

• Use of technology important for independence• Should begin early and be supported by IEP goals

and strategies• Success should be monitored and assessed.• Decision not to use technology should be made only

after significant effort and support• Made by educators in consultation with other

support team members.• Information will be posted in the in the Handbook of

Procedures for 2011-12, on the adjudications website and on the Just-in-CASE wiki.

Ministry Update – What’s Coming

• Modules on using software for exams

• Revised ESL standards

• Modernized safe schools web pages

• Guidelines for transitions from youth justice programs back into schools

Concerns we hearReferring to “adapted” or “modified” students

Our response... these terms are strategies, not students• Adaptations are a form of accommodation, and

modifications are applied to learning outcomes, not to students

• CASE can be leaders in terminology use

Assertions that students with special needs indentified in high incidence categories are “unfunded”

Our response... Boards asked for a simpler funding formula with more autonomy – hence mixed funding model

• These students ARE a priority• Levels of support should be based on student needs,

not categories

Personalized Learning

Imagine an education system……. Recognizes and responds to the uniqueness of

every single learner Flexibility in where, when, and how learning

takes place Parents are effectively engaged in their

child’s learning Teachers are facilitators of learning Supported by technology

Personalized Learning

What the Ministry will be focusing on in the coming year re: personalized learning and special needs:

What does personalized learning mean in terms of fostering effective instructional practices for students with special needs?

What does this mean in terms of curriculum, large scale and classroom assessments, performance standards and reporting?

Personalized learning

Regarding students with special needs, things to consider... What parts of their educational program need

to be personalized to their learning needs? In personalizing for all, what would the

benefits be for students with special needs? In personalizing for all, what challenges do

you see, and how can they be best managed? How should a personalized learning plan

relate to an IEP?

Other questions for us?

www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/