Ontario Autism Coalition Supports School Exclusions Survey

The Ontario Autism Coalition is calling on families of special education students to complete a survey to gather data on school exclusions. The survey, spearheaded by NDP MPP Chandra Pasma, will provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by students with disabilities. It will also be the basis for better support in Ontario schools. Presently the Ontario government does not collect such data.

Exclusions occur when schools are unable to adequately support a child with disabilities, leading to the child being asked to stay home or not attend school altogether. Of particular interest are soft exclusions, where no paperwork is submitted but parents are asked to voluntarily keep the student out of school.

The survey, which can be filled out each day a child is excluded, aims to shed light on the extent of school exclusions faced by special education students across the province.

“Every child has the right to a quality education in a safe and inclusive environment. Many students are not getting the necessary support to access the curriculum, and they’re being sent home instead. The hours, days, or weeks of instructional time being missed aren’t being tracked, either by school boards or the ministry. We’re giving this issue the attention that they don’t.” —Kate Dudley-Logue, Vice President, Ontario Autism Coalition

The OAC invites all families of special education students to participate in the survey. The data collected will contribute to a stronger advocacy voice and inform evidence-based solutions to improve the educational landscape for students with disabilities in Ontario.

Survey links:

English version: https://forms.gle/fkJy1CQ8yPGTs8ni9

Version française: https://forms.gle/mzru2vus4hA1kg5L7