Funding system sets up `winners and losers,' says chair continued from p.1 the special education High Needs allocation, resulting in a "significant reduction in funding" to the Halton public board. The projected cumulative impact is $18.5 million over four years. It began in 2014-15 with $1.34 million less in High Needs funding, $3.58 million less for the current school year, $5.6 million less for 201617 and a projected reduction of $8 million for 2017-18. Amos said the reductions are due to a redistribution of existing funds among boards by the provincial government with the majority of boards incurring special education expenditures in excess of their allotted funding. "This system is setting up winners and losers. School boards should not be pitted against each other for something this important," the chair stated in her report to the board. "More and more students with special needs are being identified and entering our schools and we need to provide supports and services so they can all succeed. Halton's public board provides special education services to more than 10,500 students. Those receiving specialized instruction and care can include children with a physical disability, mental, developmental or language challenge. "The number of Halton students with special needs continues to increase, and those students are presenting with even greater needs, while at the same time our funding is 7 | Thursday, June 2, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com This system is setting up winners and losers. School boards should not be pitted against each other for something this important. Halton District School Board chair Kelly Amos decreasing," said Amos. "This disparity between funding and student need is making it very difficult for the Halton District School Board to meet those student needs, as the funding required is not keeping pace with the needs." She said making matters worse for the Halton District School Board is it is the lowest funded (per capita) school board of the 72 public boards in Ontario, even though Halton is one of the few student enrolment growth boards in the province. "The HDSB has always been fiscally responsible and this funding challenge has made the last two years' budget processes very difficult, and the government needs to be made aware in a public awareness campaign," said Amos. She said she got the idea for an awareness campaign for special education funding from the Durham Public School Board, which has a similar current campaign titled #FundtheNeed. Amos said she's reached out to a Halton MPP and it might be necessary for trustees to have a meeting with an area MPP this fall to explain their dilemma and ask how the government can help fix Halton's special education funding woes. At the May 18 board meeting, Burlington trustee Amy Collard said the board's Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) should be involved in any possible public awareness campaign, and a committee to develop a plan. Halton Hills trustee Jeanne Gray said the message has to be clear about needing additional money for special education that is not at the expense of other board funding. "We've seen a campaign like this in the past," but it only resulted in a redistribution of money from the education ministry, Gray noted. "The clear message has to be we need more money not a re-jigging of the (funding) pot." Amos said her idea would be different from previous funding awareness campaigns in that "... We really haven't involved the community in the past." Oakville trustee Ann Harvey Hope agreed with a public awareness campaign, but said what is really needed is an explanation of the ministry's funding formula for school boards. KICK BACK TONIGHT 21 beers on tap including Domestic, Import and local Craft Beers Too! ABBEY ARMS GlEn ABBEY'S OnlY AuthEntic BRitiSh PuB! 481 North Service Rd. @ 4th Line, Oakville 905-825-1109 www.abbeyarmspub.ca Pools, Spas and Leisure Products Replacement pool lineRs* 12' 14' 16' 18' 20' X X X X X 24' 28' 32' 36' 40' Rect Rect Rect Rect Rect 999 1199 $ 1399 $ 1599 $ 1999 $ $ Replacement pool heateR* $1,099 fRom 12' x 24' Inground Kidney Shaped pool $27,999 installed* Vinyl or Fiberglass available AbOVE GROUND pOOLS INSTALLED fROm $2299* HOT TUbS fROm $1599* *Limited time offer, No dealers please, Quantities Limited *Restrictions apply check in-store for details, not applicable on prior sales. Products may not be exactly as shown. 905.815.5252 504 IROQUOIS SHORE ROAD, UNIT #1, OAKVILLE, ON L6H 3K4 www.leisureindustries.ca