Program and Student Services Branch Robert Fletcher Building 203 1181 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3G 0T3 T 204-945-7907 F 204-948-2291 www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12 February 2017 To: Superintendents of Schools Student Services Administrators Re: Funding of Schools Announcement 2017/18 Manitoba Education and Training s 2017/18 Funding of Schools Announcement on February 1, 2017 included information on changes to the Special Needs Level 2 and Level 3 categorical support: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/finance/schfund/index.html. No funding applications are required for 2017/18, with a few notable exceptions. This letter is being sent to provide further details on these changes. Student specific funding applications will continue to be required for Special Needs Level 2 and Level 3 categorical funding in the following cases: Level 3 Emotionally/Behaviourally Disordered (EBD3) funding; Unified Referral and Intake System (URIS) Group A (UGA) funding; School divisions who are seeking Level 2 or Level 3 funding payment from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) for students who are coded as non-supportable; or Level 2 or Level 3 funding for students attending the Whiteshell School District or a funded independent school. For 2017/18, school divisions will be provided with the same Level 2 and Level 3 funding amount that was provided in 2016/17 excluding EBD3 and UGA funding. For the above four exceptions the current funding process will apply. Information regarding deadlines for submission of 2017/18 Level 2 and 3 funding applications will be sent out soon. As in the past, applications for EBD3 and UGA are accepted at any time. For 2017/18, the Level 3 funding amount is set at $21,130.00 per eligible pupil and the Level 2 amount is set at $9,500.00 per eligible pupil.... /2
- 2 - School divisions will receive a September 30, 2016 final report of funding results in the coming weeks including the pie charts as have been sent out in previous years. There will not be a 2017 spring preliminary funding round (with the exceptions noted above). School divisions may still send in applications for the June additions round for the 2016/17 year by June 30, 2017. As Special Needs Level 2 and Level 3 funding will no longer be based on student specific profiles of need, school divisions will not be required to send in funding verification forms nor a June attendance summary for students who received Level 2 or Level 3 funding this year. However, if a school division is requesting reinstatement of Level 2 or Level 3 funding for 2016/17 due to an increase in a student s attendance, reinstatement requests can be submitted by June 15 for the January to June 2017 period as per the usual reinstatement process. The funding process, guidelines and forms can be found at http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/specedu/funding/index.html. This is an exciting time in the field of student services. Ending the student specific application process for Level 2 and 3 funding will avoid the negative labeling of students by funding category, save staff time in preparing and reading funding applications, and will allow for predictable levels of funding as school divisions plan for and provide appropriate educational programming that is inclusive of all students. It is hoped that this change in funding process will allow for more opportunities for innovation in service delivery models that will further enhance equity and inclusion in Manitoba schools, while supporting high levels of achievement for all students. SSAAM continues to offer opportunities for professional development and conversations to support its members and the field as school divisions transition to the new funding model. As always, Manitoba Education and Training staff are available to work alongside school divisions to plan for new ways to meet needs identified in local student, classroom and school profiles of need. In addition, The Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) has begun their journey towards a needs based model and has shared an interim report that you may find useful in your planning (see attached). LRSD will provide a final report of their special needs initiative at the end of this school year, which will be forwarded to you for information. I would like to take this opportunity to thank LRSD for their hard work, determination and collaboration this year as we will all benefit from their learnings. The Program and Student Services Branch has been working on revising the Review and Reporting Process to align with the changes in the funding model as we begin a new 3 year cycle. The revised process will be trialed in a small number of year 1 school divisions in spring, 2017 and will continue with the remainder of the year 1 divisions in the 2017-18 school year. If your school division has been selected to participate in the Review and Reporting Process this spring, you will be contacted in the very near future.... /3
- 3 - If you have any questions about the information in this letter please feel free to contact me at allan.hawkins@gov.mb.ca, 204-945-7911. If you have any questions about the funding process you can contact the funding co-leads as indicated in the Funding of Schools booklet or Barb Melnychuk at barb.melnychuk@gov.mb.ca, 204-945-2070. Sincerely, Original signed by Allan Hawkins Director c. Rob Santos Funded Independent Schools Manitoba Federation of Independent Schools First Nations Schools Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre
Tracking Our Success Executive Summary For Allan Hawkins, Director of Program & Student Services, Manitoba Education & Training Submitted by Marlene Murray, Assistant-Superintendent & Steve Lawrie, Director of Student Support Services Louis Riel School Division June 2016
Table of Contents Phase I: Exploration, Relationship Building and Creating Readiness 3 A. Louis Riel School Division (LRSD), Louis Riel Teachers Association (LRTA) and Manitoba Teachers Society (MTS) as equal parties came together with a common goal B. Genuine Collaboration 3 C. Establishment of a Working Group With Representation From a Variety of Roles 3 D. A Realistic Time Line 3 E. Key Time Line Considerations 3 F. Regular and Consistent Communication 3 Phase II: System Consultation, Communication, Proposal Development 4 May December 2015 (6 months) A. Consultation with Stakeholders to Guide Proposal Development and to Help Create System Readiness 4 B. System Communication 4 Phase III: Planning for Implementation 4 January June 2016 (6 months) A. Selection of the Special Needs Initiative Schools 4 B. Ongoing Communication and Consultation 5 C. Professional Development: Special Needs Initiative School Teams 5 D. Preliminary Planning for Special Needs Initiative Professional Learning 2016-2017 6 APPENDICES 7-21 Appendix A - Letter to parents of students currently approved for funding to an Appreciative Inquiry 7 Appendix B - Letter to LRSD staff to an Appreciative Inquiry 9 Appendix C - Presentation of a proposal to LRTA members at staff meeting prior to adoption 11 Appendix D - Letter to parents of students currently approved for funding selected for the Special Needs Initiative 14 Appendix E - Initial portal story 15 Appendix F - June 2016: System Communication Internal and External 16 Appendix G - October 19 th, 2016: Special Needs Initiative Information and Learning Parent Evening 20 Appendix H - November 16 th, 2016: Proactive Information Services Inc. Parent Conversation 21 Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 2 P a g e
Phase I: Exploration, Relationship Building and Creating Readiness February 2015 December 2015 (9 months) A. Louis Riel School Division (LRSD), Louis Riel Teachers Association (LRTA) and Manitoba Teachers Society (MTS) as equal parties came together with a common goal: An improved process for students, parents and teachers and more support for the classroom B. Genuine Collaboration: A series of consultations, meetings and information sessions were held across the division in keeping with a shared goal of all the partners that all voices are valued. The collaboration laid the foundation for the partnership to meet the common goals. Some key points in this stage were: i. Build a new model together from the ground up ii. Non-negotiables identified at the outset iii. Opportunities for parents of students who have special needs to meet with school division staff iv. Differing opinions expressed, explored and welcomed C. Establishment of a Working Group With Representation From a Variety of Roles: Key considerations in the composition were the following: i. Educators - classroom teachers, student services teachers, clinicians, principals ii. Schools - K-8 settings, high schools, English and French Immersion schools iii. Divisional - Senior Administration positions D. A Realistic Time Line: There were key considerations in the roll out of the Special Needs Initiative. Some were fixed, such as the usual funding application process and school ending and start up dates. Others were more flexible, but equally important to ensure that the information was shared and consultation completed as a preparation for September 2016. E. Key Time Line Considerations: i. Collaboration began in February 2015 with earliest implementation targeted for fall 2016 ii. Six months for ongoing communication, consultation and proposal development iii. An additional six months for creating readiness and professional development to prepare for implementation F. Regular and Consistent Communication: All the partners agreed that essential to success was regular communication, not only within the steering group, but also with the pilot school teams, specific target groups, parents and the community. Key strategies included face-to-face opportunities for discussion Regular email and timely distribution of documents prepared Consultation with government partners as required Updates to stakeholder groups (e.g. MTS, LRTA, principals, clinicians, classroom teachers, student services teachers, parents, CUPE) Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 3 P a g e
Phase II: System Consultation, Communication, Proposal Development May December 2015 (6 months) A. Consultation with Stakeholders to Guide Proposal Development and to Help Create System Readiness. This included common questions to frame the consultations: What are the advantages of the current application process for student specific funding? What are the disadvantages of the current application process for student specific funding? What are the advantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? What are the disadvantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? Consultation events were held with the following groups: LRSD Leadership Council LRSD Staff LRSD Student Services Teachers Parents of children currently funded B. System Communication a. Letter to parents of students currently approved for funding to an Appreciative Inquiry (Appendix A) b. Letter to LRSD staff to an Appreciative Inquiry (Appendix B) c. Presentation of a proposal to LRTA members at staff meeting prior to adoption (Appendix C) d. Meeting with Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning prior to proposal submission e. Letter to parents of students currently approved for funding from the eight schools selected for the Special Needs Initiative (Appendix D) f. Initial portal story (Appendix E) Phase III: Planning for Implementation January June 2016 (6 months) A. Selection of the Special Needs Initiative Schools Eight schools were selected based upon a desire for diversity (high school, elementary, socio-economic, size, Immersion, English) and readiness to join the Special Needs Initiative in year one (staff and administration stability, current engagement in other initiatives, etc.). The following eight schools are participating in 2016-2017: Glenlawn Collegiate, Collège Béliveau, École St. Germain, Windsor School, Glenwood School, Samuel Burland School, H.S. Paul School, and St. George School Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 4 P a g e
B. Ongoing Communication and Consultation January o Announcement shared at the eight Special Needs Initiative school staff meetings o Parent notification in the eight Special Needs Initiative schools (Divisional letter, school team phone calls to parents, invitation to parents to attend an information evening held at each school) o Special Needs Initiative portal announcement for all LRSD Staff April - May o Proactive Information Services collected baseline data from initiative participants - Interviews with LRSD Student Support Services Leadership Team - Interviews with student services teachers on the Special Needs Initiative School Team - Online survey for staff in Special Needs Initiative schools (educational assistants, classroom teachers, student services teachers, itinerant positive behaviour support teachers, clinicians, principals) - Half-day consultation with the Student Support Services Teams in Special Needs Initiative Schools - A report on the first phase of data collection will be completed over the summer. Further data collection will occur during the 2016-2017 school year to track implementation and identify successes and challenges. June 2016: System Communication - Internal And External (Appendix F) October 19 th, 2016: Special Needs Initiative Information and Learning Parent Evening (Appendix G) November 16 th, 2016: Proactive Information Services Inc. Parent Conversation (Appendix H) C. Professional Development: Special Needs Initiative School Teams Special Needs Initiative School Teams were created by schools with the following membership criteria: principal, student services teacher, veteran classroom teacher, classroom teacher with minimal experience. Divisional staff in Student Support Services and Clinical Services who work with the initiative schools were also included. Special Needs Initiative School Team Sessions: o February 11 th, 2016: Orientation to the Special Needs Initiative o February 23 rd, 2016: Re-Imagining Our Understanding Of Student And Staff Needs o March 23 rd, 2016: Re-Designing The Class Profile Process - Incorporating strength-based Circle of Courage - Defining and planning for supports and interventions - Providing data for school Student Support Services Plans o April May, 2016: The new class profile process was implemented in schools. o April 20 th, 2016: Concepts of Support and Language Use Considerations - Exploring and expanding concepts of additional supports for students - Identifying barriers to supports - Introduction to respectful language considerations Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 5 P a g e
o June 2 nd, 2016: Creating the Student Support Services School Plan - Timeline for implementation activities 2016-2017 - Assessing student and class profile data and determining supports and interventions required - Setting goals and developing a school Student Support Services Plan with allocated resources - Process for sharing the plan with staff in June and reviewing it in fall - The leadership role of Special Needs Initiative School Team in providing guidance and support for their colleagues - Establishing the School s Special Needs Initiative Professional Development Plan D. Preliminary Planning for Special Needs Initiative Professional Learning 2016-2017 Each participating school will allocate 2 half days from their non-instructional days in 2016-2017 to support professional learning for the Special Needs Initiative. In addition, planning for professional learning on the following dates will occur: o October 13 th, 2016: Special Needs Initiative School Teams & other interested LRSD Schools Representatives o February 3 rd, 2017: AM Current Special Needs Initiative Schools/PM Special Needs Initiative School Teams and Special Needs Initiative School Teams from new volunteer schools for 2017-2018 o April 13 th, 2017: Special Needs Initiative School Teams Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 6 P a g e
Appendix A September 25 th, 2015 Dear Parent/Guardian, We are pleased to invite you to a consultation meeting to collect perspectives regarding special needs funding in the Division. The meeting will be held at the Louis Riel School Division Board Office, 900 St. Mary s Road on October 15th, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. We are engaged in conversations about the strengths and challenges of special needs funding with representatives of the Louis Riel Teachers Association and Manitoba Teachers Society. Consultations with parents of students who receive additional special needs funding supports and Louis Riel School Division staff are now planned. The current process to acquire additional support for students with special needs is to prepare and submit individual student funding applications to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning. If provincial criteria are met, additional funding may be provided to the student s school division to offset the costs of providing the appropriate level of support. At this consultation we invite you to share your thoughts on the current process by responding to the following questions: 1. What are the advantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 2. What are the disadvantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 3. What are the advantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? 4. What are the disadvantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? Please email your name, school and consultation date (October 15 th ) to consult@lrsd.net to register for this event. If you are unable to attend, you are invited to participate in the consultation process through an online survey, which will be available on October 16 th, 2015 at https://www.lrsd.net/surveys/pages/consult.aspx Event Details: Parent Consultation on Special Needs Funding Louis Riel School Division Legacy Centre 900 St. Mary s Road October 15th, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Sincerely, Duane Brothers Superintendent Louis Riel School Division Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 7 P a g e
September 25 th, 2015 Dear Parent/Guardian, We are pleased to invite you to a consultation meeting to collect perspectives regarding special needs funding in the Division. The meeting will be held at the Louis Riel School Division Board Office, 900 St. Mary s Road on October 29th, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. We are engaged in conversations about the strengths and challenges of special needs funding with representatives of the Louis Riel Teachers Association and Manitoba Teachers Society. Consultations with parents of students who receive additional special needs funding supports and Louis Riel School Division staff are now planned. The current process to acquire additional support for students with special needs is to prepare and submit individual student funding applications to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning. If provincial criteria are met, additional funding may be provided to the student s school division to offset the costs of providing the appropriate level of support. At this consultation we invite you to share your thoughts on the current process by responding to the following questions: 1. What are the advantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 2. What are the disadvantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 3. What are the advantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? 4. What are the disadvantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? Please email your name, school and consultation date (October 29 th ) to consult@lrsd.net to register for this event. If you are unable to attend, you are invited to participate in the consultation process through an online survey, which will be available on October 16 th, 2015 at https://www.lrsd.net/surveys/pages/consult.aspx Event Details: Parent Consultation on Special Needs Funding Louis Riel School Division Legacy Centre 900 St. Mary s Road October 29th, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Sincerely, Duane Brothers Superintendent Louis Riel School Division Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 8 P a g e
Appendix B Louis Riel School Division staff are invited to a consultation meeting to collect perspectives regarding special needs funding in the Division. The meeting will be held at the Louis Riel School Division Board Office, 900 St. Mary s Road on October 15th, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. The current process to acquire additional support for students with special needs is to prepare and submit individual student funding applications to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning. If provincial criteria are met, additional funding may be provided to the student s school division to offset the costs of providing the appropriate level of support. We are holding this consultation to hear your thoughts on the current process. Your input will help to guide our future planning. Specifically, you will be invited to respond to the following questions: 5. What are the advantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 6. What are the disadvantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 7. What are the advantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? 8. What are the disadvantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? You are invited to participate in the consultation process through an online survey, which will be available on October 16 th, 2015 at https://www.lrsd.net/surveys/pages/consult.aspx. If you would like to attend this event, please email staffconsult@lrsd.net with your consultation date and name. Event Details: Staff Consultation on Special Needs Funding Louis Riel School Division Legacy Centre, 900 St. Mary s Road October 15th, 2015 at 4:30 6:00 pm Sincerely, Duane Brothers Superintendent Louis Riel School Division Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 9 P a g e
Louis Riel School Division staff are invited to a consultation meeting to collect perspectives regarding special needs funding in the Division. The meeting will be held at the Louis Riel School Division Board Office, 900 St. Mary s Road on October 29th, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. The current process to acquire additional support for students with special needs is to prepare and submit individual student funding applications to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning. If provincial criteria are met, additional funding may be provided to the student s school division to offset the costs of providing the appropriate level of support. We are holding this consultation to hear your thoughts on the current process. Your input will help to guide our future planning. Specifically, you will be invited to respond to the following questions: 1. What are the advantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 2. What are the disadvantages of the current application process for student specific funding? 3. What are the advantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? 4. What are the disadvantages of the way the additional funding is currently used to provide supports to students? You are invited to participate in the consultation process through an online survey, which will be available on October 16 th, 2015 at https://www.lrsd.net/surveys/pages/consult.aspx. If you would like to attend this event, please email staffconsult@lrsd.net with your consultation date and name. Event Details: Staff Consultation on Special Needs Funding Louis Riel School Division Legacy Centre, 900 St. Mary s Road October 29th, 2015 at 4:30 6:00 pm Sincerely, Duane Brothers Superintendent Louis Riel School Division Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 10 P a g e
Appendix C Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Funding Initiative Proposal for 2016 For the fall of 2016, it is proposed that a representative sample of schools in Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) discontinue the use of student-specific applications for funding and use an alternate model to obtain funding and support for students with special needs. A. Scope of Initiative: What funds are under consideration? 1. The funding under consideration is the funding currently provided when students meet criteria for Level 2 and Level 3 (not including Level 3 EBD or Level 3 URIS A). Student-specific applications will still be required for Level 3 EBD and Level 3 URIS A. 2. All divisions receive a Special Needs Grant which provides some base support for services and programs for students with special needs and the use of these funds are not part of this initiative. B. Goals of this initiative: 1. Eliminate the current time consuming, deficit-focussed, student-specific application process. 2. To explore ways to use special needs funding in more flexible ways depending on school needs and plans (e.g. adjusting student services teacher allocation, adjusting clinical support allocation, and/or adjusting para-professional allocation). 3. Achieve faster response times (e.g. to support newly arrived students or students whose needs suddenly increase). C. Perceived benefits: 1. Allow student services teachers and clinicians to increase focus on student programming and teacher support, rather than on the preparation and revision of funding applications. 2. Encourage a strength-based approach for students and parents; avoid labelling or categorizing students based on funding levels. 3. Provide more stability for budgeting; funding would be known in a timely manner. 4. Provide more flexible support for changing needs. D. Commitments that are inherent in this proposal: 1. It is understood that the funding from all sources will not be less than what the Division currently receives/provides per eligible student. 2. Students who have received student-specific funding in the past will still be supported. 3. A committee with representation from LRSD, Louis Riel Teachers Association (LRTA) and Manitoba Teachers Society (MTS) will be established to guide implementation for 2016-2017. 4. Professional development for staff will be a high priority prior to and during implementation. 5. The development of student, class or school profiles required by the new model will be supported by Divisional release time. E. Timeline: 1. This proposal will be considered by the LRTA, the MTS Provincial Executive, and the LRSD Board of Trustees in November/December 2015. 2. If approved by all three parties, this joint proposal will be put forward to the Minister of Education in December 2015. Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 11 P a g e
3. If the Minister approves it, six to eight schools in LRSD will use the new model during 2016-17 so that the model may be tested and refined. 4. If the Minister approves the proposal to provide special needs funding to LRSD without student specific applications, planning and professional development will begin in January 2016. F. Proposed alternate model for providing support for eligible students: Student Profiles and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are developed for students requiring IEPs as per current practice. In May Class Profiles, including recommendations for support, will be generated by the current classroom teacher and the teacher for the next year with assistance/guidance from the student services teacher(s). Led by the principal, the School Student Support Services Team (school principal/vice principal, student services teacher(s), school clinician(s), Divisional student support services coordinator) will develop and/or review School Profiles which include recommendations for supports and professional development planning. The School Profile will identify the staffing needs for the school based upon the current needs The School Profile will be submitted to the Student Support Services Leadership Team (Assistant Superintendent- Student Support Services, Director of Student Support Services, Student Support Services Coordinators and Student Support Services Clinical Supervisors). The Student Support Services Leadership Team will review the staffing needs for each school and make a determination as to the amount of financial support each school will receive based upon each school s needs Based upon the Student Support Services Leadership Team s determination, the School Student Support Services Team will create an initial distribution of supports for the upcoming year, prior to the end of the current year, to be presented to all teachers for feedback, discussion and specific requests In the first 6 weeks of the school year, all classroom teachers and specialists will engage in the class review process to review and discuss the appropriateness of the initial distribution of supports and to propose and request alterations and additions Requests for alterations and additions will be forwarded to the School Support Services Team who will update the School Profile as required Supports will be redistributed as per decisions made by the School Support Services Team, and/or updated school profiles with requests for additional supports may be submitted to the Student Support Services Leadership Team for review, with any additional support being provided by the Division Review Process to resolve concerns o The classroom teacher may request to present concerns related to support for his/her classroom to the school Student Support Services Team o If the concern is not able to be resolved at the school Student Support Services Team level, the school Student Support Services Team may request a review of the school profile and concerns regarding levels of support that were provided with the Division s Student Support Services Leadership Team o If unresolved at this level, the classroom teacher may request to review concerns related to support for his/her classroom with the Director of Student Support Services Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 12 P a g e
Comparison of current model with the model being proposed: Current model for obtaining support for L2 and L3 students (not URIS A) Student-specific applications submitted to Department October and January and ongoing. If criteria are met, L2 or L3 funding amounts are allocated to the Division to support these students. Amounts are known by approximately 4-6 weeks after application submission on an ongoing basis. Provincial funding is topped up by the Division to provide adequate staffing supports for these students. The Division advises principals of their school s allocation for the following fall s L2 and L3 staffing by June 1 st, based on the preliminary number of approved student-specific funding applications. Funding is confirmed based on September 30 th enrollment. Historically, special needs funding is used to provide EA staffing or equivalent cost professional staff. This is not a requirement of the department. Staffing decisions are finalized for the fall by June 30 th. During the school year, if needs change or emerge, divisional and provincial funds are used to address them as is possible (funding applications are continuous intake (with the exception of L3 URIS A and EBD) and submitted for students in January or contingency funds from local sources. Accountability: Department audits the Division every 3 years to ensure that students approved for funding should have been approved and they are receiving support. FRAME audited annually. Attendance of students approved for special needs funding is reported and may be reduced or withdrawn due to poor attendance with inadequate explanation. Proposed model for obtaining support for L2 and L3 students (not L3 EBD or URIS A) No student-specific applications are submitted to Department (except EBD 3 and URIS A). Department allocates special needs funding to division based on historical numbers of approved L2 and L3 applications. Amounts will be known by April 1 st. This does not include EBD 3 or URIS A - these will continue to require yearly applications and Manitoba Education and Training will notify LRSD for approval or denial. Provincial funding is topped up by the Division to provide adequate staffing supports for these students. Student Support Services Leadership Team determines changes to school allocations for special needs staffing by June 1 st based on current School Profiles. School Student Support Services Teams, in consultation with teachers, will decide how to use staffing support. All teachers have a chance to review the plan. Divisional HR cycles, policies and practices, and honoring Collective Agreements must be abided by. Staffing allocations may be used to provide an EA, or professional staff. Staffing is finalized for the fall by June 30 th. During the school year, if needs change or emerge, adjustments are made by the School Student Support Services Team and Divisional Student Support Services Leadership Team and Divisional funds are used to address them. Unresolved issues are reviewed by Student Support Services Team with Student Support Services Leadership Team to resolve concerns. Accountability: Department audits the Division every 3 years to ensure that students who might otherwise have been approved for funding are receiving support. Attendance may result in changes in allocations if appropriate. FRAME audited annually. Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 13 P a g e
Appendix D January 27 th, 2016 Dear Parent/Guardian, As a result of extensive preparation and consultation, Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning has announced that the Louis Riel School Division will implement a Special Needs Initiative for the 2016-2017 school year. We are pleased to inform you that your school has been selected for phase one of the initiative. This initiative will eliminate the deficit-focused funding application process. Students who have received funding in the past will continue to be supported as needed to implement their educational plans. Applications for funding to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning for students with special needs will no longer be required for your child. Our new approach will place greater emphasis on strength-based collaboration, assessment and programming for students. We invite you to a meeting at your school on February 3rd, 2016 at 7:00 PM where you will receive more information and can discuss with staff what this means for your family. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please call your school to register by February 2 nd, 2016. Sincerely, Marlene Murray Assistant Superintendent Steve Lawrie Director of Student Support Services Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 14 P a g e
Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 15 P a g e
Appendix E LRSD Begins an Initiative for Students with Special Needs Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning recently announced that as part of the planning to implement the recommendations of the Provincial Task Force on Special Needs Funding, the Louis Riel School Division will begin an initiative in eight schools for students with special needs in 2016-2017. The schools participating are: Glenlawn Collegiate, Collège Béliveau, École St. Germain, Windsor School, Glenwood School, Samuel Burland School, H.S. Paul School, St. George School. This new initiative will work to engage parents and staff in a more efficient and collaborative process to support students with special needs and will eliminate the deficit-focused funding application process. Applications for funding to Manitoba Education and Advanced Learning for the majority of students with special needs will no longer be required. Students who currently receive student-specific funding will continue to be supported under the new model. The initiative will support voluntary province wide implementation in 2017-2018 and complete implementation in 2018-2019. We are proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to this opportunity to work together for positive system change. Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 16 P a g e
Appendix F - Internal Special Needs Initiative Staff Update We are preparing to launch a new Special Needs Initiative in eight schools. You will find updates on our time lines and goals below. Action Plan for 2016 2017 1. Eliminate funding applications and use student and class profiles to inform Student Support Services planning in schools. 2. Implement a new Student Support Services resource allocation plan. 3. Develop and implement a new School Student Support Services plan Our Beliefs: Everyone benefits in an inclusive learning environment Building on students strengths contributes to student success Parents, students and staff need to work together to design and implement effective learning plans for students Effective learning plans rely on the flexible use of resources and supports Our Goals: To establish a flexible and responsive plan of resource allocation that does not rely on the submission of student specific funding applications to Manitoba Education and Training To discontinue the use of labels and/or levels to categorize student needs To implement a collaborative plan for effective inclusion of students Inclusion in LRSD: We support the Manitoba Education and Training definition of inclusion, which includes the statement that inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows every individual to feel accepted, valued and safe. An inclusive community evolves to meet the changing needs of its members. We embrace inclusion as a means of enhancing the wellbeing of every member of the community. Special Needs Initiative School Teams Activity Update Each participating school has formed a team to lead school implementation composed of a principal, student services teacher and 2 classroom teachers. There will be 5 half-day sessions in 2016 to prepare the Special Needs Initiative School Teams in guiding their schools forward in the implementation of the initiative. Tracking our Success: Proactive Information Services Inc. is guiding our data collection which will include key informant interviews, online surveys, and a forum with representatives from the eight participating schools. Our consultation and data collection activities to date are as follows: April, 2016: Interviews with LRSD Student Support Services Leadership Team Interviews with Student Support Services Teachers on the Special Needs Initiative School Team May 13 th, 2016: Online Survey for initiative staff (educational assistants, teachers, student support services teachers, clinicians, principals) May 25 th, 2016: Half-day consultation with the Initiative School Student Support Services Teams Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 17 P a g e
A report on the first phase of data collection will be completed over the summer. Further data collection will occur during the 2016-2017 school year to track implementation and identify successes and challenges. Families and staff will be included. School Implementation Team Sessions: February 11 th, 2016: Orientation to the Initiative February 23 rd, 2016: Re-imagining our understanding of student and staff needs March 23 rd, 2016: Re-designing the Class Profile Process 1. Incorporate strength-based Circle of Courage 2. Define and plan for supports and interventions 3. Provide data for school Student Support Services Planning April May, 2016: The new profile process was implemented in schools April 20 th, 2016: Concepts of Support and Language Use Considerations 1. Exploring and Expanding Concepts of Additional Supports for Students 2. Identifying Barriers to Supports 3. Introduction to Respectful Language Considerations June 2 nd, 2016: Creating the Student Support Services School Plan 1. Timeline for Implementation Activities 2016-2017 2. Assessing student and class profile data and determining supports and interventions required 3. Setting goals and developing a school SSS plan with allocated resources 4. Process for sharing the plan with staff in June and reviewing in fall 5. Establishing the School s Special Needs Initiative Professional Development Plan Special Needs Initiative Professional Learning 2016-2017 Each participating school will allocate 2 half days from their non-instructional days in 2016-2017 to support professional learning for the initiative. In addition, planning for professional learning on the following dates will occur: October 13 th, 2016: Initiative Teams & interested LRSD Schools Representatives PD February 3 rd, 2017: Initiative a.m. and Voluntary Schools p.m. Staff PD April 13 th, 2017: Initiative and New School Implementation Teams PD As well, many sessions are offered on Student Support Services related topics through Manitoba Education and Training, Manitoba Teachers Society and the LRSD Student Support Services Department (DPDF Divisional Professional Development Fund). Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 18 P a g e
Background: In January 2016 Manitoba Education and Training announced that the Louis Riel School Division would be participating in Phase I of a Provincial initiative for students with special needs during 2016-2017. Louis Riel School Division, in partnership with Louis Riel Teachers Association, Manitoba Teachers Society and Manitoba Education and Training, has started this initiative to engage parents and staff in a more efficient and collaborative process to support students with special needs and to eliminate the current funding application process. This will include an emphasis on planning for inclusion and strength-based supports. The following eight schools are participating in 2016-2017: Glenlawn Collegiate Collège Béliveau École St. Germain Windsor School Glenwood School Samuel Burland School H.S. Paul School St. George School The initiative will support voluntary province-wide implementation in 2017-2018 and complete implementation in 2018-2019. Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 19 P a g e
Appendix F - External Special Needs Initiative Preparing to Launch In January 2016, Manitoba Education and Training announced that the Louis Riel School Division would be participating in Phase I of a Provincial initiative for students with special needs during 2016-2017. Louis Riel School Division, in partnership with Louis Riel Teachers Association, Manitoba Teachers Society and Manitoba Education and Training, has started this initiative to engage parents and staff in a more efficient and collaborative process to support students with special needs and to eliminate the current funding application process for most children with special needs. This initiative will place an emphasis on planning for inclusion and strengthbased supports. The following eight schools are participating in 2016-2017: Glenlawn Collegiate Collège Béliveau École St. Germain Windsor School Glenwood School Samuel Burland School H.S. Paul School St. George School Throughout 2015, we conducted extensive consultations with parents and staff to help determine the goals for the new initiative. We have continued through 2016 with an online survey and further staff consultations to develop a clear plan for implementation in the coming school year. Below is our timeline for the Special Needs Initiative: Fall 2015: Extensive consultations with staff and parents Winter 2016: January announcement shared at the eight Special Needs Initiative school staff meetings January parent notification in eight Special Needs Initiative schools (Divisional letter, school team phone calls to parents, invitation to parents to attend an information evening at held at each school) January Special Needs Initiative Portal Announcement for all LRSD Staff Spring 2016: Created School Teams to prepare eight schools to launch initiative 5 sessions of team professional development and activity Proactive Information Services collected baseline data from Initiative participants September 2016 - June 2017: Professional learning and action plan for implementation in Special Needs Initiative Schools Data collection from staff and families to support professional learning and future implementation The initiative will support voluntary province-wide implementation in 2017-2018 and complete implementation in 2018-2019. Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 20 P a g e
Appendix G June 21 st, 2016 SAVE THE DATE Dear Parents/Guardians, We are writing to update you about the activities of our Special Needs Initiative and to invite you to save the date for a fall Parent Evening. Since our January communication with you, we have been working with the Special Needs Initiative school teams to prepare for the 2016-2017 school year. We encourage you to read the recently shared Special Needs Initiative update on the Louis Riel Public Portal available here: https://www.lrsd.net/news/pages/special-needs-initiative-preparing-to-launch.aspx Parent voice and participation are priorities for us. You are invited to an Information and Learning evening planned for Wednesday, October 19 th, 2016 from 7:00 9:00 pm. We will send more details about the agenda and event registration in September. Communication and support are key ingredients to the success of the Special Needs Initiative, so if you have any questions or concerns that arise over the summer please do not hesitate to contact me. We wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to the new school year. Marlene Murray Assistant Superintendent Student Support Services Louis Riel School Division Email: marlene.murray@lrsd.net Phone: 204-257-7827 Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 21 P a g e
Appendix H June 21 st, 2016 SAVE THE DATE Dear Parents/Guardians, Louis Riel School Division has contracted Proactive Information Services Inc. to assist us with data collection and tracking our success as we begin implementation of the Special Needs Initiative. Parent voice and participation are priorities for us. We are writing to invite you to participate in a conversation with Proactive Information Services Inc. on November 9 th, 2016 from 7:00 9:00 p.m. to allow us to understand parent perspectives. More details about the agenda and event registration will be sent to you in September. Communication and support are key ingredients to the success of the Special Needs Initiative, so if you have any questions or concerns that arise over the summer please do not hesitate to contact me. We wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to the new school year. Marlene Murray Assistant Superintendent Student Support Services Louis Riel School Division Email: marlene.murray@lrsd.net Phone: 204-257-7827 Louis Riel School Division Special Needs Initiative Tracking our Success Executive Summary June 2016 22 P a g e