OCDSB releases preliminary report on changes to elementary programs — and no one agrees

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A preliminary report on sweeping changes that could radically alter elementary programs at Ottawa’s largest school board has been released.

A number of controversial changes are on the table as the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board contemplates a massive overhaul of programs, including integrating children with special needs into mainstream classrooms and changing the way French immersion is delivered.

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One thing is obvious: while no recommendations have been made yet, no one agrees on anything.

The OCDSB embarked on the elementary review last spring. Changes  — if there are any — are likely to be controversial and will affect about 50,000 children and their families. The goal is to replace a patchwork of school configurations and program offerings to make the system more fair for everyone and keep as many students as possible in their neighbourhood schools. 

The preliminary report outlines “thematic pathways” based on responses to an online survey of parents, town hall meetings and surveys of educators, students and other stakeholders last spring.

The 89-page report found there was no agreement on what is important or how limited resources should be spent. As a preamble put it, these themes were being shared “for the sake of transparency, regardless of any contradictions that may emerge between and amongst them.”

The right amount of French for children in elementary school was a recurring theme in the preliminary report, with some arguing for more French, others in favour of middle immersion and still others arguing French immersion has created inequities in the elementary school system.

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Many parents and caregivers wanted more French subjects, at least until Grade 6. Many suggested a 50/50 split of English and French, especially in the early grades.

Some English-speaking families felt it was important to expose their child to as much French as possible, with some saying they chose the OCDSB because it offered early French immersion. Others said English with core French was the only program available in their local community, and if there were other options available to them, they might have made a different choice. Some also felt the core French program lacked resources, which affected the quality of education.

However, many OCDSB staff suggested a more “balanced approach” to English and French instruction, proposing models such as a 60/40 or 50/50 English/French split for grades 1 to 6, “which would allow for strong French language development while also establishing an earlier English foundation that does not compromise English literacy.” Some even suggested removing early French immersion and focusing on middle immersion, arguing that this would allow students to develop key literacy skills in English in the critical early years.

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Some staff suggested making all schools dual track by offering both core French and French Immersion. “This would ensure that all students have equal access to learning opportunities, and that families with children in different streams do not have to attend different schools. It would allow for true educational accessibility and inclusion at all school sites,” said the report.

Some OCDSB staff also noted that there is a fear among parents and caregivers about placing their children in the English program due to rumours about behavioural issues.

“In some cases, educators validated these rumours by suggesting that there are significant behavioural issues in classrooms, particularly in English-stream classes, which are not adequately addressed or supported,” said the report.

Some survey respondents had concerns about the inclusivity of French immersion programs, particularly for children with disabilities or visible differences, and saw French immersion as “exclusionary and not conducive to learning for children with special education needs or inadequate support.”

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There were also concerns that the English with core French program is “not as valued as the French immersion program and is thus viewed as less important,” according to the report. Others argued that the core French program “was not suitable for their children’s needs and view it as more of a place for students who struggle or are not interested in learning French, and that the expectations for English students were much lower.”

According to a survey of principals, there were also questions around the rationale of streaming students, particularly in Grade 1 French immersion. It perpetuates inequities and limits educational opportunities, said the report.

In a survey, some students said they were concerned about disparities in educational quality between different schools in the same board. “The pace and depth of learning can vary greatly between schools, which they feel has impacted their educational experience and preparedness for higher grades.”

Some students felt French helped them develop bilingual skills early. Others felt that the quality of language education was inadequate because of issues such as teacher proficiency in French or integration challenges with English as a second language students.

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Meanwhile, the respondents also expressed a broad range of opinions on integrating children with special needs into mainstream classrooms.

Specialized program classes for autism spectrum disorder, language learning disabilities, primary special needs and developmental disabilities were viewed as a strength by some OCDSB staff because they provide “more nuanced and tailored support that aren’t available in mainstream classrooms.”

Some parents and caregivers expressed concern about students with learning difficulties being left behind and wanted more education assistants, specialized program classes and education opportunities that cater to the strengths and needs of each student.

Many OCDSB staff noted that while the desire to create inclusive classrooms is admirable, there’s a lack of adequate support for students with exceptionalities and concern that teachers are expected to be specialists in too many areas.

There were also concerns about the potential negative impact of including students with special education needs in mainstream classrooms without adequate support, including the potential for disruption and the impact on all students as well as safety and well-being concerns, particularly around exposure to aggression and extreme dysregulation in classrooms and hallways.

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Teachers who took part in three town halls also questioned the integration of students with special needs across programs and how the board would prepare both students and staff.

In the survey, some students also expressed concerns about the integration of students with special education needs. They highlighted the importance of specialized programs, such as autism classes. Merging students with special needs into regular classrooms could be detrimental to their educational and social development without proper supports.

Nicole Thibault, CEO of Canadian Parents for French, said she’s not surprised by anything in the report. It shows support for the importance of French immersion and a preference from parents to begin earlier rather than later, as well as the need to increase the time spent in French.

However, reducing early French immersion and focusing on middle immersion so students get a solid start in English literacy is “completely contrary to any research in the domain, as literacy skills transfer early one language to another,” said Thibault. Literacy support can be offered in English, even in a FI program, she said.

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The parents of children with special needs have been eagerly awaiting the report. This spring, some parents objected to plans to integrate their children into mainstream classrooms, protesting that mainstream classrooms could not support their children and integration would cause chaos in classrooms.

Kate Dudley Logue, a vice-president with the Ontario Autism Coalition, said she’s disappointed the wording in the report wasn’t stronger.

“The feedback in the report was much milder than what I was hearing. I used very firm language and I know others did as well,” said Logue, the parent of two children on the autism spectrum. “Specialized program classes are the only reason many children are able to access school at all. This seems to suggest that they are attached to the notion of inclusion.”

Sonja Elliott, the parent of a Grade 8 boy with autism, ADHD and a learning disability, said the language in the report doesn’t capture the fearfulness parents feel about integration into mainstream classrooms.

Even though Elliott’s family lives in Barrhaven, her son went to school in Orléans for three years and still has friends from that class, she said.

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“Many kids travel across the city to get to a program where they are supported. For special-needs kids, your peers are not geographical, they are kids who have the same interests,” said Elliott. “We moved my son out of a mainstream classroom because he was at the back of the classroom in a rocking chair with a cat book all day. How is he going to feel if he’s in a classroom doing addition while everyone else is doing algebra?”

The report, which will be presented to trustees on Sept. 10, will start a series of conversations that will last all fall. Additional reports are expected in October, with recommendations presented in November.

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