The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) supports the Ontario Autism Coalition’s call for the province to step up support for students with autism and special education needs.

“Both the Coalition and ETFO are emphatic that the Ontario Ministry of Education needs to overhaul its funding for special education,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond.

“Improvements must provide for increased front-line support for students and educators.” 

While the Federation supports an inclusive model for special education it stresses that the government has not adequately funded the actual needs of students.

The Coalition’s recommendations for more educational assistants, more training for teacher candidates and training for staff who work with children on the autism spectrum are also welcome.

“Educators are always looking to improve their professional skill set. We would welcome more training, resources and support for our members to assist them in meeting the needs of all learners,” added Hammond.

“We know that students who have timely access to effective supports do better in school.”

ETFO is committed to building better schools. Its Building Better Schools education agenda can be viewed at www.buildingbetterschools.ca. The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents 78,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education professionals across the province.