Some Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) students with special needs are missing class because schools aren’t properly supporting them.
A source inside the board says principals are asking some families to keep children home until education assistants can be assigned.
The board is currently under provincial oversight after an audit found problems with its finances. The superintendent in charge of special education is on medical leave, which has left decisions about support staff stuck in limbo
The shortage of permanent education assistants, which hasn’t improved in more than a decade, is adding to the problem. The union representing TVDSB support staff says that more assistants are needed and that outdated processes are delaying help for students.
Some kindergarten students may not start school until January to make sure that they have proper support. Advocates warn that delays in therapy services are also leaving children behind.
