Nicole Morton has four children at Ellendale Elementary in Surrey, but if things do not change, she says she'll pull them out and homeschool them.
The Guildford resident said her daughter, Nikayla, 6, and son, Tyler, 9, both have disabilities and an individualized education program (IEP).
Nikayla has several designations, including visual impairment, chronic health conditions, and autism. Tyler has autism, a bleeding condition and learning disabilities.
"My husband just died last year from an overdose," Nicole said. "So we've been super struggling with mental health, and the school system has failed my kids immensely."
IEPs are written education plans for special education students. B.C.'s Ministry of Education describes IEP's as "a "living process that has the potential to guide assessment, planning, collaborative communication and teaching." The plan describes any program modifications and/ or adaptations that the student might need.
In the 2022-203 school year, in kindergarten, the IEP worked for her daughter, Nicole said, and Nikayla received the care and attention she needed. But this past year was totally different — a change that Nicole attributes to short-staffing and changes to support workers' jobs.
"I feel that there's been a major shift. There used to be like, I feel like EAs (education assistants) used to be hands-on," Nicole said.
Support worker positions changed
As of July 2, 2023, education assistants and applied behaviour analysis support workers (ABA SW) are now called inclusive education support workers (IESW).
But it wasn't just a change of name: it also meant that support workers were at one school instead of multiple schools.
In September, Surrey Schools transitioned all IESW staff from the first bell in the morning to the last of the day; as they call it, bell-to-bell support.
In an email, Sheila Reynolds, communications manager at Surrey Schools, told the Now-Leader that there have been no changes to support worker staffing levels in the past year.
"We have approximately 1,800 IESW positions in the district, as well as a spare board with more than 640 IESWs to cover absences, helping to prevent daily shortages," Reynolds said.
Nicole, however, feels that she has been left in the dark on many things. "I was not told about the shift from an EA to an IESW."
It wasn't until after an incident in Nikayla's gym class — after the girl came home with bruises and the school was unable to tell Nicole what had happened — that Nicole learned about the changes.
Reynolds said the changes to support worker positions were made in collaboration with the district's ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) Parent Advisory Committee, which decided to communicate the changes to parents during their annual general meeting instead of through the school district. The committee is made up of parents, who hold general meetings three to four times per year, while executives from the group meet with the district staff as needed. The committee aims to address concerns regarding their children's ABA programs and how they are implemented in the classroom.
'Stand back and watch'
Nicole said that in addition to the changes to support workers, she has heard changes have also been made in how students receive the support they need.
"I was not told about the stand back and watch approach."
With this approach, Nikayla will only receive help if she asks for it, as Nicole understands the new policy.
"But my daughter doesn't even know when she needs help," Nicole said. "She doesn't know how to follow cues — like she doesn't know how to be quiet."
"My daughter has half a brain, so she requires a lot of attention," Nicole added. Nikayla has Sturge Weber syndrome and had a right hemispherectomy when she was 10 months old.
While Nikayla is fiercely independent and might want to do things herself, she still needs help from support workers.
"My daughter has only successfully been able to complete nine full days of school this whole entire school year," Nicole added.
Reynolds said the school district couldn't speak to individual student situations.
"We are unable to comment on the specifics of the student you refer to or their IEP, but verbal communication may have been a goal," she said. "If not, the IESW would be providing support as outlined in the IEP, and parents are fully aware of those goals early in the school year."
Teachers stepping in
Nicole said she has heard stories of teachers stepping in to help kids with cognitive or developmental disabilities.
"This is not OK," Nicole said. "These teachers are so overworked, they're underpaid and they are there to do their job, but now they're taking care of special needs kids when they're supposed to be there to teach."
"What it boils down to for me is the lack of enough support in the school," Nicole added.
Reynolds said Surrey School District has a "wrap-around team" that supports students with diverse needs and abilities.
"That includes one or more of the following: classroom teachers, IESWs, specialist teachers, BASES teachers, Integration Support Teachers (IST), Learning Support Teachers (LST), Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCW), counsellors and school psychologists. Our principals, vice-principals, district support teams, and specialists also step in if needed."
Ready to homeschool
Nicole wants to see change.
She wants to see the steps listed on Nikayla and Tyler's individualized education plans be followed.
"Like when things are on there to match them — like when things say one to one, they're one to one, not one to three or four. If your child needs that support, they're allocated it to you, not to stretch it out."
Reynolds again said she was unable to speak directly to the specifics of Nikayla and Tyler's IEPs but said the support would provide students with the support listed in their IEPs.
"Goals in the IEP are reflected upon and assessed regularly. We always encourage parents to work closely with their child’s case manager, classroom teacher, IESW and school team if there are concerns. The adults we have working in our schools are very skilled, kind and caring," Reynolds said.
Nicole understands that with everything comes a cost and a budget that the school district must stay within.
"But at what expense? Not my child," Nicole said.
She is waiting until September to meet with the principal of Nikayla and Tyler's school before she decides the next steps — even if it means pulling her children out of the classroom.
"I have my kids home," she said. "I'm fully prepared to homeschool in September."
