The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadman Champion, Tuesda Speciai education svstemi needs work: chair By HERB GARBUTT Special to Thse Champion The Province's systemr for dis- tributing special education fund- ing should be scrapped, says Halton District School Board Chair Ethel Gardiner. "We have to jump through boops to serve the neediest kids," Ms Gardiner said. "The funding formula should meet the needs of the children rather than the chul- dren having to meet the needs of the fund- ing formula." Ms Gardiner is wniting a letter on bebaif of the board to the Ministry of Education and Training to express its concerno about the special education dlaim proceas. However, Halton MPP Ted Chudleigb said the current syatemn is working and provides accountability to taxpayers. "If (achool boards) clairned 10 kida when oniy eight do (require funding), it would be easy money," Mr. Chudleigh said. "We're juot asking tbern to justify what they dlaim." Under the current system, achool boards must evaluate ail cbildren they feel should qualify for apecial education funding. The evaluation procesa consista of psychologi- cal, speech and behavioral assesarnents. The Province then evaluates dlaims and sets funding according to the numbêr of students and level of need of those stu- dents. The Province guaranteed ftanding levels through this year but next year the dlaims wii be used to detennine how much fund- ing the board receives. The Halton District School Board (HDSB) recently announced it spent an estimated $575,644 processing 745 dlaims. Mr. hdeg said that figure seerned a ittie high but Brenda Kearney, HDSB superintendent of student services, said other boards spent roughly the same. She said that rnoney cornes out of the special education budget, rather than being spent on the children it is intended for. Ms Keamney said the short frarne boards are given to procesa dlaims also create problerna. Once achool boards receive the criteria frorn the Province they have about fsve weeks to aubmnit the dlaims. Ms Kearney aaid a lot of that work bas to be cornpleted by apecial education teachers, which takes thern out of the classrcomr. 'There'a a huge amount of paper work," ahe said. "It literally cripples the aystern for five to six weeks." Ms Kearney and special education supervisory officers frorn boards across the province assembled a discussion paper offering solutions to problerna in the process and sent it to the ministry. She ssid it was favourably received and is waiting to bear ifsa working group will be established. One of the suggestions is that students be re-evaluated every tbree years instead of every year. "Why sbould we have to subrnit the dlaim year after year if it bas been approved?" Ms Keamney asked. Both Ms Keamney and Ms Gardiner aee the need for a verification proceas. The HDSB bad 76.2 per cent of its dlaims accepted, jus( above the provincial aver- age. But under the dlaims proceal h board expecta its funding to be cut by $1t million next year. It has received $10 mil- lion in special education funding the last two years. However, Ms. Gardiner said the onus for assessment sbould be on the Province. Thschoo1 bp Vd fou 1 sEul identify cbildren that require special education ser- vices," she said. "If (the Province) wants to have a monitoring service, they're wei- corne to corne to the clasa any tirne." Mr. Chudleigb said boards are better equipped to bandie tise evaluation proceas. Another of Ms Gardiner's concerns is that because dlaims are subrnitted Dit the end of a achool year to establish funding for thse next year, any student who movea to a new board or joins the achool systerni in kindergarten or junior kindergarten has no funding aiiocated for thern. Marilyn Forater-Lo Turco of Acton, whose 1O-year-oid daughter Sara bas Downs Syndrome, said Usis causes stress at the beginning of each achool year. e,, --------- Sara's evalua- tion requires ber to bave one-to- one educationai assistant (EA) But when Sars arrived the for tbe tiras day of school at Robert Little Public Schooi in EhlGrie Acton, she bad EhlGrio only haîf-tirne support because there was a new atudent, wbo aiso needed support. "Every year ese go tbrough this," Ms Forater-Lo Turco said. "(l'e board) bas to do extra digging and rob Peter to PSY Paul. Tbey go fisbing at other schools where (EAs) bave been freed up.- Sara now bas baif-time support in the rnorning and one-on-one in the afternoon after the board sbuffied its resources hetween schools. However, Ms Forater-Lo Turco said Sara now deais with tbree to four different peo- pie in course of a day and the inconsisten- cy between instructors will hinder her developrnent. "The goals for ber learning this year, t don't expect ber to meet tbem. That's notbing againat the people working with ber because tbey're great. Tbey've juat been banded an impossible task." y, November 14, 2000 -7 Be sure to check out interestiflg Tuesday features about local people and events on page 8 every week in The champion. the new 2001 taurus se T*he Tais lias aied Noe stars - the hghlest possole U.S. govemment crash test raing - for front eipact for bolli diver and front passenger - three years in a row 1 safety is only one of the surprises The 2001 ford taurus se has a unique standlard personal saf.ty aystem with special sensors that determine hove mucli energy is needed to deploy air bags, depending on the severity of the accident. There are, as well, safety beit usage sensors, and driver's Seat position sensors, so both driver and passenger get the protection they deserve. 3.OL OHV V6 engin-e - Electronic 4-speed automatic with overdrive - 6-way poser driver's seait with lumbar support * 16" Eturrinum 5-spoke wheels - SecuriLockii Anti-theft system - 4-wheel ABS Air conditiorang - Rear child seat tethers WEHAVE TUE RIGHT LOASE PAYMENiT FOR YOU Easeo 3% anwl ieeate oe36 ets~ IMeeiily Do»s Paisse orss I«d Wh « per month/36 month lease M6 $ !2 80$,6 $4,995 Oown Payment plus $350 Secuiity Oeposit and $890 Freigrit - " 17Y. -. xta expectmore qualifiait leseres, se apfissed olidil. Total lasse obligationis $ 15,7594t15,9?3161,5. Some soidiios aid a siegelrstricton oi 60,00005 rier 36 sessiis apfly A charge 010 o enls per km oser mileage restition eplies, pi apflicabole laies Fiîsl moihs sasisl aid $3501$450/$525 ssiuilî deposil îequlîed. tuai exclodes lîeighl ($80),1 licene inlsasoe, administration tes and ai applicable laxes. Dealer mai laise loi less. Lie mitn time ie Aller may As caicelJed ai any lise hAou notice. tee Deale odtal.Thhiesi firotn.ti l I5A milpoact 1aus$ fe lodive and font par~e in A..j Sj iessi MaoalAa s içt alet ianisi less ssilletsqoJf ilal fDlA. PtO. Ba 2A0QAalos>I. OntaoîLJE povva justable =als ÀM