High-Cost Special Education Program │Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)

ISC supports First Nations students’ special education needs through 2 programs:

• the Elementary and Secondary Education Program funds special education services for First Nations students identified as having mild to profound learning disabilities. Funding is provided for programming, remedial instruction, clinical services and resource teacher staffing
• the High-Cost Special Education Program funds additional services for high-cost special education students assessed with moderate to profound learning disabilities. Funding is provided for direct service support in the form of personnel, adaptive materials and resource services.

Direct services represent at least 75% of the available funding. Examples include:

• costs associated with the:
• acquisition of professional assessments
• completion of student assessments
• educational psychological, speech and language services
• counseling and social services
• Elder, mentoring and cultural services
• occupational therapy and physical therapy services
• instructional and resource materials
• assistive technologies and equipment purchases
• salaries and benefits for: special education teachers; individual teacher aides and para-professional workers

Indirect services represent up to 25% of total High-Cost Special Education Program funding. Examples include:

• professional development and training for teachers and teacher aides
• information services for parents
• costs associated with: lodging, transportation, accommodations involving changes in how a student accesses information and demonstrated learning, which can include changes in the method of instruction, curriculum and the environment