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The ISSP & Pathways Commission Report - Government of ...

The ISSP & Pathways Commission Report - Government of ...

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een developed and implemented within the last ten years, and theireffectiveness in education has never been formally reviewed.In response to growing concerns from parents and teachers regarding the<strong>ISSP</strong> and <strong>Pathways</strong> models, the Minister <strong>of</strong> Education, the Honourable JoanBurke, acted. Growing increasingly concerned for the needs <strong>of</strong> childrenamidst this debate, the Minister announced, on August 17, 2006, a formalreview – an <strong>ISSP</strong> and <strong>Pathways</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> that “…will consider thechallenges <strong>of</strong> special education programming using the current model,workload and volume <strong>of</strong> paper work, the role <strong>of</strong> parents, managers andteachers, and will seek to streamline the process to ensure it is efficient,while continuing to provide a high level <strong>of</strong> service to students.”It is important to realize, therefore, that this <strong>Commission</strong> did not set out toreview the provision <strong>of</strong> special education in this province. While its mandatewas to examine the educational component (<strong>Pathways</strong>) <strong>of</strong> the <strong>ISSP</strong>, it sawits task primarily as examining how the needs <strong>of</strong> the provinces morevulnerable students were being met within these models.<strong>The</strong> overwhelming message gleaned from the <strong>Commission</strong> hearings was thatthe <strong>ISSP</strong> and <strong>Pathways</strong> models resembled a good idea gone awry, a soundconcept which has lost its focus. As a result, parents feel disempowered andlost, while teachers are overwhelmed and frustrated. Subsequently, therelationship between parent and teacher is <strong>of</strong>ten strained, and the needs <strong>of</strong>children are being compromised.Focusing on Students:A <strong>Report</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>ISSP</strong> & <strong>Pathways</strong> <strong>Commission</strong>6

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