Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

B.3 Schools

Administrative Considerations - School-Based
The powers and duties of the principal of a school are set out in regulations under the School Act. These include the implementation of educational programs and the placing and programming of students in the school. (E.g.: sections 13(2), 20, 26, 27(3)(b), 74(2), 166.4(1))

To accommodate students with special needs, schools should be organized in ways which allow flexibility in their response. Principals should ensure that teachers receive the information they need to work with students with special needs who are assigned to them, and that the school is organized to provide some first-line resource support on-site.

Principals should ensure that a school-based team is operational in the school, and facilitate the collaborative efforts of the team members in meeting the special needs of students.

Teachers
Sections 17(1) and (2) of the School Act and the attendant School Regulation section 4 spell out the responsibilities of teachers within the school system.

The teacher responsible for a student with special needs is responsible for designing, supervising and assessing the educational program for that student. Where the student requires specialized instruction, this is best done in consultation with resource personnel available, with the parents and with the student.

Where the student's program involves specialized instruction by someone other than the classroom teacher, collaborative processes are required to make best use of the expertise of the specialists available to assist and to ensure a co-ordinated approach.

In secondary schools, where several teachers may be involved in the student's program, co-ordinated planning is especially important.

Teachers' Assistants
Section 18 of the School Act specifies that:

(1) A board may employ persons other than teachers to assist teachers in carrying out their responsibilities and duties under this Act and the regulations.

(2) Persons employed under subsection (1) shall work under the direction of a teacher and the general supervision of a teacher or school principal.

Teachers are expected to design programs for students with special needs. Teachers’ assistants play a key role in many programs for students with special needs, performing functions which range from personal care to assisting the teacher with instructional programs. Under the direction of a teacher they may play a key role in implementing the program.

While teachers’ assistants may assist in the collection of data for the purpose of evaluating student progress, the teachers are responsible for evaluating and reporting on the progress of the student to parents.

In cases where teachers’ assistants perform health-related procedures they should be given child-specific training by a qualified health professional (See Appendix H.8 In-School Nursing Support Services for Special Needs).

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