The Richmond Teachers’ Association is requesting increased learning supports for students including resource teachers, school psychologists, speech and language pathologists and counsellors.
At Wednesday’s school board meeting, the RTA will present a budget brief on the 2019-2019 district budget. The focus of their briefs is on restoring services and supports for teachers and students throughout the district.
“We recognize that diversity in our classrooms is necessary for the intellectual and social growth of learners,” RTA president, Liz Baverstock wrote in the budget brief letter being presented to the school board.
“Over the years decisions were made that reduced the level of support for inclusion while needs in the classroom continued to grow and be more complex.”
In the letter, the RTA outlines the value of each learning support positon. For example, learning assistance teachers provide services and supports to students with learning disabilities and undiagnosed learning difficulties, the letter explains.
Right now, due to limited resources, schools are often forced to prioritize which services to provide and those for students with learning disabilities are often pulled.
“The RTA recognizes we are providing a long list of needs,” Baverstock’s letter says. “But we strongly believe years of chronic public education underfunding has created many of the challenges RTA members are experiencing.”
The Richmond Board of Education holds open meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. The meetings, open to the public, take place at 7811 Granville Ave.
