“ANOTHER CRITICAL ISSUE IS THE LONG WAIT TIMES FOR STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND ACCESS TO PROFES- SIONALS. ACROSS THE PROVINCE, REGULAR ACCESS TO PSYCHOLOGISTS IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW, WITH ONLY 45 PER CENT OF SCHOOLS IN MORE POPULOUS AREAS REPORTING ACCESS.”


paperwork and other duties pile up until they can be attended to. Intervention groups are stopped and classroom teachers find them- selves juggling lesson plans to try and fill the gaps while maintaining daily routines and covering several curriculum levels. Additionally, a lack of funding has re-


duced professional development and col- laboration opportunities, further impacting staff who are already stretched thin. Educa- tors who once worked with dedicated spe- cialist teachers and central support staff now find themselves navigating the complexities of increasingly diverse learners alone. Te absence of ongoing professional learning leads to higher workloads as colleagues are leſt to meet on the fly during breaks and aſter school or teachers find themselves purchas- ing professional reading materials to study aſter hours as they attempt to fill student learning needs on their own.


LONG WAIT TIMES FOR ASSESS- MENT AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT


Another critical issue is the long wait times for student assessment and access to profes- sionals. Across the province, regular access to psychologists is at an all-time low, with only 45 per cent of schools in more populous areas reporting access. Tat number falls to just four per cent for northern schools. Tis means students wait anywhere from several months to several years for a comprehensive assessment from licensed professionals. Access to speech language pathologists


and occupational therapists also involves a lengthy wait. Tese delays hinder early in- tervention efforts, leaving students without the necessary supports to thrive both socially and academically. Teachers are leſt in limbo, which can lead to frustration for educators and their students. Without clear guidance, many teachers find themselves searching for manageable ways to incorporate fine-motor, self-regulation and language-development strategies into their already packed class- room planning.


30 ETFO VOICE | WINTER 2024 THE FUNDING FAILURE


As classrooms become increasingly complex, the government continues to rely on a sim- ple funding formula that cannot keep pace with Ontario’s diverse student population. Tis generalized approach to specialized circumstances has an even greater impact on northern boards. A new tool on ETFO’s Building Better Schools website (Building- BetterSchools.ca) lets you search how much funding has been cut from your local public schools since 2018 (adjusted for inflation). With cuts amounting to more than $1,500 per student, my small school alone received over $343,000 less in funding this year. Te current funding model is not meeting the needs of any school in Ontario, and certainly does not account for the unique challenges faced by remote and rural communities, leaving school boards struggling to allocate resources effectively.


THE RIPPLE EFFECT: IMPACT ON EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS


Te cumulative effect of these challenges is a significant increase in workload for teach- ers. Educators are putting in more hours creating resources, filling out paperwork advocating for student support, and imple- menting strategies to support behaviour and student mental health. Tis increased workload can lead to burnout and job dis- satisfaction, leaving many teachers feeling they are unable to provide the level of sup- port their students require. In northern Ontario, assessment waitlists


are long, and referrals must be prioritized based on factors such as age and student needs. Accessing professional supports like occupational and speech therapy oſten occur in six-week cycles to help balance caseloads with sharing access equitably. More oſten than not, student crises don’t align with sup- port schedules, leaving teachers and support staff who are the daily front-line workers for these children to search for resources and research strategies to modify and accommo- date curriculum to ensure students succeed.


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