Gifted kids jump queue in Halton

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Gifted kids jump queue in Halton

February 22, 2011

Vukets

STAFF REPORTER

Halton's public school board is bumping autistic and learning disabled students

to the back of the line for special-needs assessments while testing gifted

students for a new program.

Some 360 senior kindergarten students will be tested for giftedness in March,

diverting board psychology staff from testing 700 other students currently on a

waiting list for special-needs assessments.

Some parents are saying it's an elitist move by a board that's now catering to

gifted students at the expense of other special-needs children.

" There are so many holes in the education system. And there are so many people

that have so many issues within the education system, " said McDade,

whose son, Joe, 9, is waiting for a learning disability assessment. " I can't

help but feel completely frustrated and think: Is my kid not good enough? "

The Halton District School Board began a pilot program with separate classes for

gifted Grade 1 students at R. Beaudoin Public School in Burlington last

September. Two months later, the board voted to roll out the primary gifted

program to other schools this September.

The current wait time for a psychoeducational assessment — necessary for a

student to be identified as having special needs and receive extra classroom

support — is from 15 months to two years in Halton. Some 700 students are on the

waiting list. In contrast, the Toronto District School Board has a waiting list

of 2,000 students and an average wait of four to six months.

Halton board documents indicate that six months would be a " reasonable " wait

time, but the board has no plan at present for how to reduce the wait.

The 360 students looking to enter the Grade 1 gifted program next fall will all

be assessed in March, along with Grade 3 students who want to enter the Grade 4

gifted program. The same consultants conduct both gifted and other special needs

assessments.

The board said putting staff to work on gifted assessments won't increase the

wait time for other special needs. It hasn't hired any extra consultants and has

one psychology position currently vacant.

Superintendent of special education Boag said he doesn't see a problem.

" There will be an increased demand. Once that's done in March, then we go back

to the regular work of the psychology staff, " said Boag. " We've always done

these time-sensitive assessments; they've been part of what we do anyway. We

have increased that number, that's true. "

Trustee Amos said gifted assessments take less time than those for other

special needs, but that the new program would affect the waiting list. " It is

going to probably delay some of the other assessments, " she said.

" Many in our community believe that we have a two-tiered educational system, "

said Oakville Chit Chat blogger and mom Darlene Darragh.

McDade said Joe, who is in Grade 3, has been waiting " only " 13 months, but has

had his assessment delayed several times.

Vani Rouse, of Oakville, said her family wasn't willing to wait at all, so they

paid for private assessments. " I don't think it should be up to the school to do

this, " she said.

The board does not have a record of how many families choose to foot the bill

themselves, but assessments typically cost $2,000 to $3,000 each. At two

assessments each for their two children, Rouse said her family had to borrow

money to have them done outside of school.

" Especially at that age, if you have to wait a year and a half (for support) . .

.. what do you do in the meantime? " she asked.

Amos put forward a motion at the Feb. 16 board meeting to ask the director to

provide a report recommending ways to reduce wait times. That request will come

to a vote March 2.

What is a psychoeducational assessment?

According to the Halton District School Board:

" A psychoeducational assessment is a standardized assessment conducted or

supervised by a psychologist or psychological associate. Schools via their

School Resource Teams request psychoeducational assessments as part of the

problem solving process for students who are experiencing difficulty in school.

This data is used to help inform staff about particular areas where students are

experiencing challenges and require support. Classroom teachers and other school

staff use this information to plan and implement appropriate instructional

strategies to address the specific strengths and deficits to support the

assessed student's learning. "