Hundreds of Indigenous students to lose dedicated educational assistants under changes to Jordan's Principle

CBC

2 days ago

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School boards say hundreds of educational assistants dedicated to Indigenous students in schools across the northeast are facing lay-offs next year triggered by recent funding changes that Indigenous Services Canada has made related to Jordan's Principle.
Jordan's Principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, a Manitoba boy with multiple disabilities who died in hospital waiting for the province and Ottawa to decide who should pay for health supports that would allow him to go home.
Following a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision, the federal government has provided some $10 billion in funding to ensure that First Nations children get equal access to public services.
But concerned about reports of abuse of the funding, the Canadian government made sweeping changes including a review of its policies and procedures starting last February.
"This will ensure more consistent and clearer policies and communications about the services First Nations children can access through Jordan's Principle and the required documentation to access those services and supports," it said in a bulletin.
Now those changes are trickling down and being felt by families applying for dedicated educational assistants for Indigenous students in northern Ontario with special needs.
Some 74 educational assistants may be laid off at the Huron Superior Catholic School Board, based in Sault Ste. Marie.
Director of Education Fil Lettieri said that Indigenous Services Canada had informed schools across the country of a change in funding criteria for Jordan's principal applications as of April 1.
"The criteria now is that it is no longer intended as an enhancement in support for students, but rather to to address unmet needs," he said.
"And so in subsequent conversations with Indigenous Services Canada, they had indicated that school boards do receive provincial funding for special education and therefore unmet needs should be funded through that envelope, which they are, and which has always been our practice as a school board."
Lettieri said some families of Indigenous students had applied for dedicated educational assistants through Jordan's Principle to "enhance" existing services.
He said he's seen the number of applications for Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants grow over the last few years from 22, to 74 this year, primarily due to more awareness among families seeking support.
Lettieri said he feels for the families who are accustomed to the one-on-one help for their children, but is working with them to determine how best to provide board supports, which may be shared with other students.
The union representing educational assistants at the board said the loss of 74 positions will be devastating to students.
Crystal Krauter-Maki, the president of CUPE 4148, says this is another case in which Indigenous children are caught in the crossfire between levels of government, and this will worsen the understaffing crisis in schools across Ontario.
Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services— the Indigenous child welfare agency for Sault Ste. Marie and the north shore of Lake Huron— says it's trying to help the families.
"We are actively working to understand the full implications of these changes and to support families in navigating the updated application process," spokesperson Jonathan Boyer-Nolan said in a statement.
"Our priority remains ensuring that Indigenous children receive the services they need to thrive, and we will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the principles of equity and fairness.
While applications have always been made by the families on a year-to-year basis, Indigenous Services Canada says existing or previously-approved requests are not guaranteed to be renewed or approved.
Melanie Gray, the superintendent of teaching and learning with the Near North District Board,said they've had "lots of conversations" with the federal government trying to understand some of the new requirements for Jordan's Principle funding.
But she said a handful of students in their board, which covers the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts, are affected.
The Rainbow District School Board, which runs English public schools in Sudbury area, said they had 80 Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants, while the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has 18.
Perhaps the biggest impact will be felt in the English public school board stretching from Hearst to Temagami, including Timmins and Temiskaming Shores.
District School Board Ontario North East said there are almost 200 Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants in their schools.
"We are working hard to minimize the impact to students and families and maintain the positive momentum of achievement for students who self-identify as Indigenous," spokesperson Andreanne Denis said in a statement.
"We are looking to allocate some additional educational assistants during the 2025-2026 to ease the transition of the reduction of this support from the federal government."
As for Indigenous Service Canada, it says the changes are being made to help the long-term sustainability of Jordan's Principle.
"Funding for school-related requests will only be approved if the requests can be clearly linked to the specific health, social or educational need of the First Nation child or if it is required as per the principle of substantive equality," reads a statement provided to CBC News.
"Requests for First Nations children, whether on reserve or off reserve, can continue to be made to Jordan's Principle. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis based on the needs of the children involved with the request."