Special Education Funding Model: Developing a Needs-Based Option - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Special Education Funding Model: Developing a Needs-Based Option

Presentation for the COO Special Education Information Sharing Forum January 29-30, 2019

Background: MNCFN v. Canada

MNCFN v. Canada cont.

• Budget 2016, current status, next steps

Garrow Report & COO Position Paper

• Recommended a new funding model that is needs-based,

bottom-up, uncapped, flexible, transparent, stable, predictable, holistic and indexed (recommendation 5).

• Recommended considering a hybrid model with a formula-

based amount and application-based amount (recommendation 6).

• Resolution 38/17, All Ontario Chiefs Conference, June 2017:

fully support the recommendations.

Peter Garrow, Ontario First Nations Special Education Review Report, May 2017: http://www.firstnationsspecialeducation.ca/Report.pdf

Current Federal Funding Model

1

• Federal Government sets the funding amount

nationally (capped, arbitrary, not needs based)

2

• Funding pot is divided between the provinces

3

• Ontario funding pot is divided between First

Nations (but pot is too small, not needs-based)

Funding Model Options Analysis

• Formula-based amount
• Formula-based (less paperwork, faster to get money out, more

predictable, fairer, etc.)

• Inputs: (1) number of students, (2) location (north vs. south), (3)

access (e.g. road vs. air), (4) travel time/cost (distance by road, flight cost).

• Outputs: A table estimating the required staff & services and adding

up the costs for those services.

• For all special education (high and low cost) except kids requiring a

full time staff person (dealt with in the additional amount column)

• Application-based amount
• Application-based (b/c formulas can’t capture all needs and costs)
• For students requiring a full-time staff person & any other needs not

met by the formula

• Updated yearly

Baseline Amount – Ex. of Formula Output

• Example of
• Formula would

Baseline Amount – Key Benefits of Table

• Needs-based: Tied to staff/services and realistic costs
• Uncapped: Will increase if needs or costs increase
• Bottom-up: Adds up costs (vs. dividing up fixed pot)
• Transparent: Can see how funding amount determined
• Adjustable: Can adjust services & costs annually
• Rational & justifiable: Because transparently tied to staff/services
• Addresses fly-in costs: Fly-in costs directly worked in (e.g. travel

costs, fees for travel time, remoteness pay, housing costs, etc)

• Funding adequacy: Can review model to determine adequacy
• Sound methodology: Doesn’t depend on unreliable statistics or

assumptions

• Focus on needs: Debate and negotiation of model focuses on needs,

services, and costs

Application-based amount – key aspects

• Provide multi-year funding (e.g. for costs expected

to last year-after-year or for the duration of a child’s experience) to reduce administrative burden and increase stability;

• Provide guaranteed amounts for certain resources

(e.g. provincial salary levels for EAs);

• Allow for mid-year funding requests for students

arriving mid-year; and

• Be drawn from an uncapped funding pot to ensure

needs are met and to provide greater predictability.

Assessment & Review Process

• First Nations-led
• To be completed within the first three years
• Expand knowledge of student needs at the school level
• Propose method for ongoing school-based assessments
• Propose method to add school-level needs to the

formula

• Develop targets for student achievement to monitor

progress toward educational equity

Recap of Key Model Components

Funding Formula-Based Amount Application-Based Amount

Funding Model Components Improvements over Time

Annual Updates Assessment & Review Process and

Input Needed

• Input required from educators and administrators
• Estimate staffing/services needs for school with 100

students

• E.g. How many special education resource

teachers, EAs, etc.

• Comments on the draft model
• Info re costs
• This information goes into a spreadsheet that

becomes the funding formula

Staff & Services Per 100 Elementary Students

In-School Staff Special Education Resource Teachers 2 staff persons (FTE) Student Support Workers (E.g. Educational Assistants, Counsellors, Land

Based Workers, Elders, Behavioural Support, Family Support Workers, Mental Health Workers, Social Workers, Paraprofessionals, etc.)

13.25 staff persons (FTE) Specialist services Psychologist Assessments 12 assessments / yr Speech-Language Therapy 12 hrs/wk Occupational Therapy 9.5 hrs/wk Physiotherapy 5 hrs/wk Behavioural Therapy and Autism Support 12 hrs/wk Other Therapy and Specialist Services (e.g. Art & Play, Music, etc.) 15 hrs/wk

Staff & Services Per 100 Secondary Students

In-School Staff Special Education Resource Teachers 1.3 staff persons (FTE) Student Support Workers (E.g. Educational Assistants, Counsellors, Land

Based Workers, Elders, Behavioural Support, Family Support Workers, Mental Health Workers, Social Workers, Paraprofessionals, etc.)

8.75 staff persons (FTE) Specialist services Psychologist Assessments 15 assessments / yr Speech-Language Therapy 5 hrs/wk Occupational Therapy 5 hrs/wk Physiotherapy 5 hrs/wk Behavioural Therapy and Autism Support 16 hrs/wk Other Therapy and Specialist Services (e.g. Art & Play, Music, etc.) 10 hrs/wk

Staff & Services – Minimum Baseline

In-School Staff Special Education Resource Teachers 0.5 staff persons (FTE) Student Support Workers (E.g. Educational Assistants, Counsellors, Land

Based Workers, Elders, Behavioural Support, Family Support Workers, Mental Health Workers, Social Workers, Paraprofessionals, etc.)

1 staff person (FTE) Specialist services Psychologist Assessments 2 assessments / yr Speech-Language Therapy 4 hrs/wk Occupational Therapy 4 hrs/wk Physiotherapy 2 hrs/wk Behavioural Therapy and Autism Support 2 hrs/wk Other Therapy and Specialist Services (e.g. Art & Play, Music, etc.) 4 hrs/wk

Other

• Spec. ed. professional

accreditation Funding for 1 out of every 4 teachers to take a course re spec. ed

• Spec. ed. professional

development Funding for 1 out of every 2 educators (including EAs, etc.) to attend a sped. ed. conference Program development & management 7 hrs/wk per 100 students Admin support 2 hrs/wk per 100 students

• Spec. Ed. Equipment & Information Technology

$150 / student, minimum of $3,000 IT Consulting & support 3-5 hrs/wk Summer Intensive Program Funding for 20% of students to participate for 6 weeks at $750 per week per participant

End

Appendix re Cost Data

Costs Table [PRELIMINARY DRAFT]

Draft Needs-Based Funding Formula Description: This table describes the cost of the items in the Required Special Education Services and Resources table. The costs are based on provincial school salary levels and a review of actual rates from specialist contractors, plus remoteness pay where applicable. The costs depend on whether the school is southern, northern, or non-year-round road access. The formula inputs are in the cells shaded yellow below. Travel costs are in a separate table below.

Cost Categories (Non-Travel) Information Source Southern Northern Non-Road Access In-School Staff Resource Teachers Salary per Provincial Rates $78,408 $78,408 $78,408 Per salary grid mid-point and benefits rate for Keewatin Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) Benefits $9,409 $9,409 $9,409 Remoteness Incentive $10,438 $39,008 Per federal Isolated Posts Directive Total Cost Per Staff Person ($/FTE) $87,816 $98,254 $126,824 Student Support Workers

(E.g. Educational Assistants, Counsellors, Land Based Workers, Elders, Behavioural Support, Family Support Workers, Mental Health Workers, Social Workers, Paraprofessionals, etc.)

Salary per Provincial Rates $51,957 $51,957 $51,957 Per KPDSB salary grid and OPSEU collective agreement with Ontario Benefits $16,107 $16,107 $16,107 Per KPDSB benefits rate Remoteness Incentive $10,438 $39,008 Per federal Isolated Posts Directive Total Cost Per Staff Person ($/FTE) $68,063 $78,501 $107,071 Specialist services Psychologist Assessments Base Cost Per Assessment $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 Per figures and estimates provided by service

• providers. See cost source

information table for details. Remoteness Incentive $150 $300 Total Cost Per Assessment $1,500 $1,650 $1,800 Speech-Language Therapy Hourly Rate $155 $155 $155 Remoteness Incentive $16 $31

2

Total Cost Per Hour $155 $171 $186 Note: Updated estimates for Behavioural Therapists are required. Occupational Therapy Hourly Rate $145 $145 $145 Remoteness Incentive $15 $29 Total Cost Per Hour $145 $160 $174 Physiotherapy Hourly Rate $175 $175 $175 Remoteness Incentive $18 $35 Total Cost Per Hour $175 $193 $210 Behavioural Therapy (and Autism Support) Hourly Rate $100 $100 $100 Remoteness Incentive $10 $20 Total Cost Per Hour $100 $110 $120 Other Therapy and Specialist Services (e.g. Art & Play, Music, etc.) Hourly Rate $150 $150 $150 Remoteness Incentive $15 $30 Total Cost Per Hour $150 $165 $180

• Spec. Ed. Professional Accreditation (PA)

and Professional Development (PD) Funded spec. ed. PA courses per year Course fees $650 $650 $650 Compensation per teacher (e.g. paid time off, incentive payment, etc.) $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 Cost Per Course $2,650 $2,650 $2,650 Funded spec. ed. PD conference spots Conference fees $650 $650 $650 Travel and substitute teacher addressed below Program Development, Management, Admin Program Development & Management (assume rate that is 50% between principal and SERT) - Hourly Rate $46 $52 $67 Administrative support (assume admin salry from provincial salary grid) - Hourly Rate $32 $37 $51

• Spec. Ed. Equipment & Information

Technology Physical Equipment, Computers, Electronic Devices, Software, etc. $100/student, minimum of $3,000

3

IT Consulting and Support, Training, Programing - Hourly Rate $25 Summer Intensive Programs per Available Spot per Summer ($750/wk/participant for 6 weeks, 20% participation rate, plus remoteness) $4,500 $5,500 $6,500

Travel Costs for Specialists and Conferences

Description: This table describes the travel costs for specialists and conferences. The formula inputs are in the cells shaded yellow below. Road access (Costs per 100 km distance to major centre) Specialists Fees during travel per visit per 100 kms 2 hours Assume $0.50 / km. This amounts to $100 per 100 kms of driving, 100 kms each way. $100 Professional development conferences (2 day conferences) Substitute teacher or overtime - 3 days (2 days for conference, 1 day travel) $450 Fees for conference $650 Hotel & meals $400 Transportation (avg.) $1,000 Fly-in Specialists Fees during travel per visit 10 hours Flight costs per visit Specific to First Nation Costing model 1 - Regular In-Person Sessions Assumes that services are provided via in-person session at the First Nation for 38 of the 42 weeks of a school year. Number of visits 35 Accommodation & meals per visit $300 Costing model 2 - Fewer, Longer Specialist Visits Assumes that services are provided via fewer but longer visits from specialists (10 per year) and via additional local staff working under the guidance of the specialists. The hours of specialist time remains the same but some of it will be spent mentoring and directing local staff. Number of visits 10 Accommodation & meals per visit $900

4

Funding for local staff (add an amount equal to 25% of the funding for support workers) 25% Costing model 3 - Monthly Visits & Video Calls Assumes that services are provided via 2 in-person visits per year plus regular video conference calls. Services that cannot be accomplished over video (e.g. OT and PT) are provided in 10 in- person sessions. Additional local staff are required to coordinate video calls and provide in-person support (assume 10% increase in local staffing). Number of visits - Speech pathologists, Autism Support, Other Therapists 2 Number of visits - Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy 10 Accommodation & meals per visit $1,200 Video conferencing costs - additional equipment, technical support,

• perational costs (assume a $750 per year for 40% of all students)

$300 Funding for local staff (add an amount equal to 10% of the funding for support workers) 10% Professional development conferences (assume 2 day conferences) Fees for conference $650 Substitute teacher or overtime - 4 days (2 days for conference, 2 days travel) $600 Hotel & meals $600 Flights (avg.) $2,500