This according to financials revealed during last night’s District Education Council meeting.
Finance Director Aubrey Kirkpatrick was quick to respond when asked by Chair Harry Doyle whether or not the EA situation is okay,”No, we are funded for 454 FTE’s like we were last year, it did not go up. The need for EA’s went up, but the money didn’t go up.”
Schools are already dealing with shortages, and it is estimated Anglophone East will need around 80 more Educational Assistants than they have funding for.
Council member Ian Hebblewaithe referenced the need in one of his schools, describing it as mindboggling, “Looking at next year, this school, they are looking at, projecting, two English grade one classes with ten kids that will need one on one EA support. That is six adults in a class. Part of the problem is this school has exemplified itself in dealing with kids with special needs. As such, they keep getting sent kids with special needs, and I think they now have a