Severe Disabilities Profile Review

• Introduction
• Purpose of the review
• Results
• Next steps

Introduction

Every day, Alberta’s teachers, with the support of parents, teacher assistants and other professionals, address a wide range of needs for students with severe disabilities. The majority of Alberta students with severe disabilities learn in regular classroom settings with their age peers. Alberta Education recognizes that these students may require additional services and supports to be successful in school. Through severe disabilities profiles, Alberta Education provides funding to help jurisdictions meet these students’ unique needs. In the fall of 2007, Alberta Education carried out a review of severe disabilities profiles, one component of the overall provincial special education policy framework.

Purpose of the review

The purpose of the severe disabilities profile review was to determine if jurisdictions were conforming to provincial policy with regard to the documentation (or “files”) they are required to assemble and maintain for students under the jurisdiction profile. The documentation must describe the impact of the disability on the student’s performance in school and the supports the school has put into place for the student. It must also include a copy of a diagnosis of a student’s severe disability. The fall 2007 review was never about cutting the total provincial funding for students with disabilities.

Results

Files conformed to the severe disabilities profile policy when the three required elements were present. Files that did not conform to the policy may not have included a copy of the diagnosis. Documentation may not have demonstrated that the jurisdiction was providing extraordinary levels and intensity of supports corresponding to the disability’s severe impact on learning. However, missing documentation does not mean that a jurisdiction should withdraw supports to students.The documentation review found that just over half of the files conformed to Alberta Education’s severe disabilities policy. The table below summarizes the results.

Jurisdiction by Jurisdiction Counts

The severe disabilities profile review clearly demonstrated that school jurisdictions are providing a variety of program supports to address the special education needs of students. The review confirmed that school jurisdictions vary widely from each other and from Alberta Education in their interpretations of policy and application of policy. It invites greater examination of the current purpose of special education coding criteria and provision of additional education services.

Next steps

Alberta Education is now moving ahead with a plan to develop an improved provincial special education framework. The framework will include policy, accountability measures, and a new special education funding distribution mechanism. The plan involves extensive research, data collection, and consultation with the general public and education stakeholders, including school jurisdictions. Albertans will play a pivotal role in setting the direction for special education in this province. For more information, visit www.settingthedirection.alberta.ca.