2003 - SSAAM

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Special Education Review Initiative (SERI) Update
April, 2003
We continue to make progress on the implementation of the Special Education Review
recommendations and the SERI action plan that was developed with broad consensus in
the educational community. The department remains committed to the action plan for the
areas of policy, accountability and funding and to implementing it in a spirit of inclusion.
You will have noticed over the past year that other branches and units in Manitoba
Education and Youth share initiatives that were identified as priorities for SERI. We
continue to work closely with staff from the School Support Unit, the Research and
Planning Branch and Schools Finance Branch.
We continue to work with our educational partners who are helping achieve the agenda.
The input and support received from our partners is very much appreciated. The Review
is a priority for all of us as we work together to ensure that all children receive an
appropriate education.
1. Status of the Special Education Review Initiative
While SERI was originally conceived as a three year initiative, we think that there is
some benefit to extending the end date. We intend to have the SERI team continue until
August 31, 2003. At that time we can determine whether a future extension is desirable
or useful.
2. Student Services Grant Pilot Project
Seven volunteer school divisions began working on the pilot last spring. They will help
Manitoba Education and Youth learn whether a more flexible funding structure supports
school and division planning more effectively while still distributing funds in an equitable
way. The pilot will be in its second year during the 2003-04 school year. The decision to
extend the pilot to a second year was to assist us in completing a full school planning
cycle. The results will be analyzed and recommendations will be made at the time of the
2004/05 funding announcement as to whether the pilot should be extended, be extended
and expanded, or be concluded.
The divisions/districts involved have recently completed a process for data collection.
The data will assist the divisions in developing their Student Services plans for 2003-
2004. For more information on the Student Services Grant Pilot Project, please see
Update #2 that was sent to Divisions.
3. Planning in Education Pilot Project
In partnership with the Research and Planning Branch and the School Support Unit, we
are integrally involved with the Division Planning Pilot Project which includes the seven
divisions from the Student Services Grant Pilot and five more divisions. Those 12
divisions are working toward:
• outcomes-based planning;
• involvement of their major stakeholders; and
• integration of student services within overall division planning.