Ford government to boost school funding by $12,300 for every child with autism who enters the system

Thestar.com
March 11, 2019
Kristin Rushowy

The Ford government is going to boost funding for behaviour supports for students with autism by an average of $12,300 for each new child entering the school system when changes to the system come into effect April 1, Education Minister Lisa Thompson announced Monday morning.

Speaking to a meeting of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association in Ottawa, Thompson said the province will also boost training for teachers -- both online and as “additional qualification” courses -- and also give boards money to expand after-school programs for students on the autism program.

“These supports will start, absolutely, immediately,” she said. “We are making changes to school board funding so supports will be in place for this school year.”

The government has come under considerable criticism from parents and school boards for the changes, which will see limited lifetime budgets for children with autism, which has led boards to anticipate an influx of students into the system when they lose their current level of therapy.

The government’s focus has been to clear a 23,000-child wait list, and more evenly spread the $321 million in autism funding among more families.

Thompson said by 2021 all teachers in the public system will have training in autism spectrum disorder.