To:
Clayton La Touche, Director of Education, TDSB
Audley Salmon, Associate Director, Learning Transformation and Equity;
Stacey Zucker, Associate Director, Modernization and Strategic Resource Alignment;
Louise Sirisko, Associate Director, Instructional Innovation and Equitable Outcomes;
Leola Pon, Associate Director, Organizational Transformation and Accountability.
The TDSB has indicated that they will move forward with damaging changes to their 2025-2026 Special Education Plan —even after Trustees voted against approving it at the June 18, 2025 Board Meeting. According to their own documents, the Board must demonstrate that it obtained Trustee approval.
There are serious red flags proposed for next year, including: larger class sizes, fewer supports for students, and a plan that ignores the voices of parents, students, and educators. Public education is under attack. Special Education is already in crisis. Further cuts are unacceptable. Students, parents, and staff deserve better.
We, the undersigned, demand that the TDSB:
- Stop class size increases in all Intensive Support Programs (e.g., Diagnostic Kindergarten) and maintain existing caps;
- Cancel the elimination of the Behavioural Intensive Support Programs, and the Behaviour Intervention Prevention teams
- Increase staffing supports for all students with special education needs; and improve the means to access additional staffing supports
- Convene an emergency meeting prior to the July 31st Ministry deadline to discuss changes to the Special Education Plan.
- Establish a Special Education Working Group as soon as possible, and not later than September, 2025, including Board staff, Trustees, Union representatives, parents, and frontline Teacher and Education Workers.
