The Education department is holding off on changing the educational assistant (EA) allocation process for next school year following criticism from education groups.
Education Minister Jeanie McLean defended the decision to change the procedure and policy for divvying up EAs last week — referring to it as a “minor” and “administrative” update — but made a 90-degree turn late in the week.
On Friday afternoon, McLean notified the groups via letters dated March 15 about the department’s decision to pause the process in order to gather feedback and understand their reaction.
McLean spoke with reporters about the reversal in the Yukon government cabinet office on March 18.
“I definitely want to hear our partners, you know, and taking the time, just to ensure that we’re getting this right,” she said.
“We want to really take the time to ensure that we’re hearing the concerns and to work to get folks back onto the same page.”
While McLean indicated that “a lot of conversations” happened over the last year, she needs to better comprehend the issues before the department moves forward on “substantive changes” to the EA allocation process.
She reiterated the work is part of the department’s response to a 2019 auditor general’s report.
“That is part of the work that we’re talking about today in terms of reimagining special education,” she said.
The minister was responding to leaders from the five groups — Yukon Association of Education Professionals, LDAY Centre for Learning, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, Autism Yukon and the Association of School Councils, Boards and Committees — who had signed a March 6 letter to the minister.
The letter’s authors claim the decision to change the process was made unilaterally, without public consultation and absent of ongoing talks with key stakeholders. The letter claims the changes in their present form will lead to “inequitable and diminished critical services.”
Ted Hupé, head of the education union, previously told the News the changes would provide an EA for every class regardless of needs in that class and some students who are currently getting support through an EA won’t be eligible for one under the new process.
As a result of the changes, Hupé suggested the minister was “ill informed” and had “low-quality leadership” in her department. He considers the “reimagining inclusive and special education” agenda to be a facade.
In her defence, McLean told the News the department has set out to ensure students don’t fall through the cracks, those who get support now should continue to receive support and more EAs will be added to the education system next school year.
The opposition parties welcomed the department’s decision to hold off on the changes.
The Official Opposition advocated for the minister to pause the process and release a consultant’s review of EA allocation.
Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon wondered how McLean will mend relations between her department and the educational community.
“I think the minister is going to need to do a lot of work to repair the damage that’s been done,” Dixon told reporters in the lobby of the Yukon legislature on March 19.
McLean pledged to keep partners “completely in the loop” and ensure there are “no surprises.”
McLean couldn’t give a timeline for releasing the review but said partners can expect to receive a copy soon, before it goes to reporters or the public.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com