The 2025 Ontario budget has lots of big numbers, but fails to address funding shortfalls in core program areas. CCPA’s same-day budget analysis examined the broad trend, and in an article for The Toronto Star, we discussed postsecondary funding.
Heres the hard truth. The public system CANNOT educate every child. It just cant.
My city has a specialized school for autistic kids. Theres one for blind kids. One for children who have extreme behavior disorders. One for pregnant girls. There are over 200 SPECIALTY schools that take specialized training, facilities and people with a passion for that particular specialty. Those kids NEED to be in specialized schools, they dont fit in the public school and there’s no way the public school can afford the specialists (doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers and teachers and aides) that they need.
How would special needs kids from poor backgrounds get educated?
I understand not everyone can have the same education system but if you believe in equal opportunity for everyone, it has to be funded in a way that a child can get an education independent of family background.
Public education should not be limited to a single stream.
Just because a school is independent doesnt mean its inaccessible to those with low income. Our school had a scholarship program, it had tuition assistance and we had a few very generous donors who would also cover tuition for those who were less fortunate. We also had more a few students whose tuition was paid by grandparents or other relatives. If there’s a will there’s a way and not surprisingly, parents will give up almost anything to make sure their kids have the best education they can get. Personally we were not wealthy but we gave up moving up to a more suitable house so our kids could attend. There were 5 of us living upstairs in a 900 sq ft house and we rented out the basement to add to our income. It can be done.
Heres the hard truth. The public system CANNOT educate every child. It just cant.
My city has a specialized school for autistic kids. Theres one for blind kids. One for children who have extreme behavior disorders. One for pregnant girls. There are over 200 SPECIALTY schools that take specialized training, facilities and people with a passion for that particular specialty. Those kids NEED to be in specialized schools, they dont fit in the public school and there’s no way the public school can afford the specialists (doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers and teachers and aides) that they need.
How would special needs kids from poor backgrounds get educated?
I understand not everyone can have the same education system but if you believe in equal opportunity for everyone, it has to be funded in a way that a child can get an education independent of family background.
Public education should not be limited to a single stream.
Just because a school is independent doesnt mean its inaccessible to those with low income. Our school had a scholarship program, it had tuition assistance and we had a few very generous donors who would also cover tuition for those who were less fortunate. We also had more a few students whose tuition was paid by grandparents or other relatives. If there’s a will there’s a way and not surprisingly, parents will give up almost anything to make sure their kids have the best education they can get. Personally we were not wealthy but we gave up moving up to a more suitable house so our kids could attend. There were 5 of us living upstairs in a 900 sq ft house and we rented out the basement to add to our income. It can be done.