What Dalton and Dave did today with $2.1 million

NEWS RELEASE - SAULT MPP DAVID ORAZIETTI

************************* David Orazietti MPP announces $2,103,000 in new funds and new accountability to benefit students with special needs in Sault Ste. Marie and area

(Sault Ste. Marie) – The Provincial Government is investing $100 million more in new special education funding and measures to ensure that every dollar will reach the students who need it, Sault MPP David Orazietti announced today.

"What this means locally, is that students with special needs, will receive the additional support they need," said Orazietti.

"As someone who has worked in education for 10 years, I know firsthand how important this funding is to special needs children in our community."

In the Sault area the following funding will be provided for students with acute special education needs:

- Algoma District School Board - $933,000

- Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board - $681,000

- Conseil Scolaire du District du Grand Nord de l’Ontario -$489,000

Each year, Ontario school boards submit claims to the Ministry of Education to cover the costs associated with students who have acute and severe disabilities – under the Intensive Support Allocation (ISA).

Between 2001 and 2004, Ontario school board claims for ISA funding doubled despite the fact that enrolment declined overall.

In response to this situation, the McGuinty government launched a review to determine if funds were indeed being used to benefit students with acute special education needs.

The review found:

• Between 2001 and 2004, claims for ISA funding doubled from 27,000 to 54,000

• School boards estimated in June 2003 that they would need a $63 million increase to address ISA students, which skyrocketed to a $162 million increase just four months later – an increase of almost 160 per cent

• Two-thirds of all school boards placed all or part of their special education funding in reserves. In 2002/03 approximately $80 million was placed in reserves.

In order to ensure special education investments get to students who need it, the Ontario Government is moving forward with the following measures:

• the additional $100 million announced in this year’s Budget will immediately flow to school boards to cover this year’s ISA claims. This brings the total increase in ISA funding to $162 million this year

• new conditions will apply to special education funding including requirements that surpluses be spent helping the students the money was intended for

• the current ISA system will be replaced over the next year with one that focuses on more outcomes, local decision-making and reduced administrative requirements • a Provincial Equity and Effectiveness Fund would be established to support unmet needs and help support staff training and results. This fund would be made possible by reinvesting board special education surpluses

• an Effectiveness and Efficiency Office will be established in the Ministry of Education to ensure accountability through periodic audits and to support a higher level of cooperation between the ministry and boards

"Improving our education system was a key commitment and this important announcement helps to support our local students while we continue to work with school boards to improve outcomes," said David Orazietti MPP.

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