PROVINCE TO DO MORE FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

VICTORIA – The Province will provide an additional $3.7 million as part of a plan to increase support for students with special needs, Education Minister Tom Christensen said today.

“Government is committed to improving achievement for all students, including those with special needs,” said Christensen. “By providing districts with additional support we are helping students with special needs achieve their best.”

The four key components of the plan for supporting special education are:

· $1.5 million for students with special needs who either move from one district to another or who are identified after Sept. 30.

· $1.2 million for specialized speech equipment.

· $1 million for a range of special needs equipment.

· An annual report that monitors the progress of special needs students.

The plan builds on government’s commitment in the throne speech to increase funding for special education students by a projected $28 million next year to nearly $260 million. Since 2001/02, special needs funding has increased by almost $75 million.

The Province will provide funding to school districts for any additional special needs students who have transferred into a district or who have been identified after the Sept. 30 enrolment report. Districts with a decline in special needs students since Sept. 30 will see no change in funding. The projected $1.5 million in additional funding will come from the Ministry of Education’s 2004/05 budget.

The Province will provide Special Education Technology B.C. with $1.2 million from the current ministry budget to provide up to 110 young adults with speech generating devices. The technology allows the user to push a button and have the computer speak for the person. This equipment will be available for students who are either completing or have completed secondary school within the last four years to help them with their transition into adulthood.

School districts will also share a $1 million special equipment grant. The grant is provided to districts each year and may be used to provide extraordinary equipment such as lifting devices, Braille writers and closed caption machines to students with varying degrees of special needs. The $1 million in funding will come from the ministry’s 2004/05 budget.

“This equipment will support the unique requirements of students with special needs and help increase their ability to learn,” said Christensen.

An annual report called “Special Education Report – How Are We Doing?” will monitor student progress to help educators identify areas where students are succeeding and where more attention needs to be focused.

Premier Gordon Campbell recently announced a $150 million increase in funding for schools next year. The government will require school boards to work with educators, parents and school planning councils to provide a plan showing how the added funding will be allocated. The plan will also have to ensure there are improved services to support special needs students.

Since 2000-01, the Province has increased funding to B.C. public schools by more than $440 million: $305 million for district operating grants and $138 million for special, one-time grants. During the same period, enrolment has declined by more than 29,000 students.

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For information on AchieveBC, visit http://www.achievebc.ca online.

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Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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