Student Support Services – Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What should I do if my child is experiencing learning difficulties?
  2. How do students avail of the services of a student assistant?
  3. How do students access assistive technology?
  4. What should I do if my child requires special transportation to and from school?
  5. When can a student access textbooks in alternate format?
  6. What should I do if I feel my child needs to see a school counsellor?
  7. Can my child receive funding if he/she has to attend another school outside of their community?
  8. Do I have a right to home-school my child?
  9. Are there any services available if my child is unable to attend school because of medical reasons?

 

1. What should I do if my child is experiencing learning difficulties?

Meet with your child’s teacher to discuss your concerns.

Your child’s teacher may recommend strategies to implement at home and at school to address the concerns.

If needed, the administrator of the school can facilitate discussion with all of your child’s teachers, including the special education teacher.

As needed, the special education teacher, school counselor and/or school psychologist will complete assessments to determine the most appropriate programming for your child.

If required, the district program specialist for student support services can facilitate a meeting with the school team to discuss programming

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2. How do students avail of the services of a student assistant?

The student assistants are provided based on individual student profiles of needs that are submitted to districts for approval.

Schools submit individual student applications to district offices.

Districts assign student assistant hours to schools based on the number of students approved, the severity of the needs and the school’s special education teacher allocation.

Student assistants are provided to school districts to support teachers in meeting the physical, personal care and behaviour management needs of students with severe needs.

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3. How do students access assistive technology?

Software programs and devices are provided on application and approval to support student-specific needs.

The Department of Education provides specialized technology to students who have been diagnosed with an exceptionality.

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4. What should I do if my child requires special transportation to and from school?

You should meet with the administrator of the school to discuss the issue.

The administrator will give you a form to be completed by your child’s doctor.

Your child’s doctor will have to verify on the form that your child is unable to avail of regular transportation or cannot walk to school.

The administrator will send the completed application to the district office, who in turn will submit the application to the Department of Education for approval.

Special transportation is provided for students where regular transportation is not an option or available and the student is not capable of walking.

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5. When can a student access textbooks in alternate format?

The student’s education planning team at the school level submits an application to the Department of Education.

The Department of Education provides textbooks in digital format to students who have been diagnosed with a learning disability/print disability.

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6. What should I do if I feel my child needs to see a school counsellor?

School counselors are allocated to school boards on a student ratio of 1-500.

You can call your child’s school to set up an appointment with the counsellor.

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7. Can my child receive funding if he/she has to attend another school outside of their community?

Bursaries are available to students when high school programming is not available in their home community.

$500.00 a month is provided to assist the student with board and logging in another community where high school programming is available.

You should contact the administrator of the school your child wishes to attend to receive an application form.

The completed application form is submitted by the school district to the Department of Education for approval.

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8. Do I have a right to home-school my child?

Parents have the right to home-school their child.

You must contact your school district’s Director of Education for approval. Approval must be renewed each year.

If approval is granted the child will be registered at his or her local school and provincially prescribed textbooks will be provided free-of-charge.

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9. Are there any services available if my child is unable to attend school because of medical reasons?

Home tutoring services are available to students who can not attend school for a minimum of four weeks due to medical reasons.

Funding is provided for ten hours of tutoring per month to assist the student in keeping up with his/her school work and ease the transition back to school.

The tutor has to be a qualified teacher.

You should contact the administrator of your child’s school for an application form.

You will need a note from your child’s doctor to verify the medical reason and the timeframe that your child is unable to attend school.

The completed application is sent to the district and then to the Department of Education for approval.

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