Complex needs have been a big discussion between teachers and the provincial government over the last year.
Classroom size and complexity was the largest point of contention when it came to contract negotiations with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) and the government, resulting in strikes, work to rule and more.
And while binding arbitration between the two sides is set for later this month, it doesn’t mean the needs go away.
For Lindsay Klassen, the Saskatchewan education system has reached a breaking point.
This week Klassen was invited to the Saskatchewan Legislature by the NDP to share her experience as a parent who has a child with complex needs.
“I want to shine a light on the stories that aren’t being heard,” she said. “Our children are being pushed out of schools because of the lack of funding.”
Klassen explained how her son’s school in Saskatoon told her they don’t have the funding or resources to supply an educational assistant to take care of her son in the afternoon and instead sent him home.
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“It’s a system-wide issue,” Klassen said. “I’ve called the school board; I’ve talked to the school, and I even talked with a company called Inclusion Saskatchewan. From what I’m told there’s at least 500 students in Saskatchewan that this is happening to.”
When asked about taking her issues straight to the government, Klassen said hopefully change happens soon.
“To be honest I never imagined that I would be in this position myself. And I never imagined that I’d have to go this far with it,” she explained. “But I did feel it was necessary to speak up for my son and for all the families that are facing the same challenge.”
STF president Samantha Becotte said while we have seen some improvements with the education system over the last year, there is still a real shortage of professional supports.
“Schools are still triaging student needs and only those with the highest needs have access to EA supports and often times that might not be full-time support,” Becotte said. “If a student requires EA supports and doesn’t have access to it, then those responsibilities fall on the teacher in the classroom to provide additional help to that individual student.
“It means that they don’t have the time or capacity to get around to all of the other students in the classroom. And so, everyone’s education is impacted when we see chronic underfunding and cuts to the professional services that we have available to us in schools.”
In a statement from the Government of Saskatchewan, they say education is a shared responsibility between the Ministry of Education and locally-elected boards of education.
“The Ministry provides grant funding to local divisions while School Divisions are responsible for making staffing decisions to best support the local needs and priorities of the school which includes the hiring of staff,” the statement reads.
“From the nearly 9 per cent increase to the Education budget, Saskatoon Public Schools planned to hire 811 EAs for the 2024-25 school year which is an increase of 148 or 22 per cent from last year.
“The Government of Saskatchewan will continue to work with our School Boards to ensure that Saskatchewan students have the supports they need.”
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