School Safety for Students with Special Needs in Ontario

Apr 26, 2026, 08:00
A2

School Safety for Students with Special Needs in Ontario

Introduction

This report talks about safety for students with disabilities in Ontario schools.

Main Body

A nine-year-old girl left her school in Picton. She has autism and ADHD. A neighbor found her and took her home. Her mother wanted a special helper for the girl. The school said no because the girl is smart. Many schools in Ontario have problems. A survey says more than half of the schools worry about safety. Some students are bullied. Some students leave the school building. Some principals ask students with disabilities to stay at home. This means the children do not go to school every day. This is a big problem for the students. Schools do not have enough money for helpers. There is no single plan for all schools in Ontario. Because of this, some children do not get the help they need.

Conclusion

Many students with disabilities in Ontario are not safe. They do not always get the help they need at school.

Vocabulary Learning

bullied (v.)
hurt / being treated in a cruel or unkind way欺凌
Example:Some students are bullied because they are different.
neighbor (n.)
a person living near you鄰居
Example:My neighbor helped me find my lost dog.
principals (n.)
headteachers / the people in charge of a school校長
Example:The principals of the schools met to talk about the new plan.
safety (n.)
protection / the state of being safe from danger安全
Example:School safety is very important for all students.
survey (n.)
study / a set of questions to get information調查
Example:The school did a survey to find out what students like to eat.

Sentence Learning

A nine-year-old girl left her school in Picton.
Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'in Picton' shows the location of the school.介詞短語: 'in Picton' 一詞顯示了學校的地點。
A neighbor found her and took her home.
Connector: The word 'and' joins two simple actions in a sequence.連接詞: 'and' 一詞連接了兩個按先後順序發生的簡單動作。
The school said no because the girl is smart.
Reason: The word 'because' explains the reason for the school's decision.原因: 'because' 一詞解釋了學校作出決定的原因。
This means the children do not go to school every day.
Time Marker: The phrase 'every day' shows how often the action happens.時間標記: 'every day' 一詞顯示了動作發生的頻率。
Many students with disabilities in Ontario are not safe.
Prepositional Phrase: The phrase 'with disabilities' describes the type of students.介詞短語: 'with disabilities' 一詞描述了學生的類別。
B2

Analysis of Special Education Support and Student Safety in Ontario Schools

Introduction

This report examines the systemic challenges regarding the safety and educational inclusion of students with disabilities in Ontario, following a specific incident where a student left their school in Picton without supervision.

Main Body

On a recent Monday, a nine-year-old student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) left her school premises in Picton, Ontario, during morning recess. The student was later found by a neighbor and returned home. The parent, Chantelle Bissaillion, claimed that although she provided a medical assessment in March recommending one-on-one support, the school administration decided the child did not qualify for an educational assistant (EA) because she was classified as high-functioning. Instead, the school used emotional regulation check-ins and allowed the student to walk the halls alone to calm down. In response, Tina Elliott, a superintendent for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB), asserted that the board uses coordinated actions and specific safety plans for students who have a history of leaving school grounds. Elliott emphasized that while the board considers external medical assessments, the decision to provide staff is based on the board's own criteria. However, the Ontario Autism Coalition and academic experts highlight broader issues. Kate Dudley Logue from the coalition reported that a survey of 64 school boards showed that over 50% of respondents are concerned about child safety, specifically regarding bullying and students leaving school. Furthermore, Inclusive Education Canada suggests that about 40% to 50% of Ontario principals have asked students with disabilities to stay at home. This practice, known as 'exclusion,' often leads to part-time schedules for students with complex needs. Monique Somma, a professor at Brock University, attributes these problems to the lack of a central provincial strategy for special education. She argued that funding based on medical diagnoses is often not enough to cover the actual cost of a full-time educational assistant. As a result, schools may rely on inadequate support systems or exclude students who need help but do not have an official diagnosis.

Conclusion

The current situation in Ontario shows a clear gap between the documented needs of students with disabilities and the support provided by schools, which leads to safety risks and unequal access to education.

Vocabulary Learning

attribute (v.)
ascribe / to say that something is the result of a particular thing歸因於
Example:Many teachers attribute the improvement in student behavior to the new counseling program.
criteria (n.)
standards / the principles used for making a decision準則；標準
Example:The board has strict criteria for determining which students qualify for extra assistance.
inadequate (adj.)
insufficient / not enough or not good enough for a purpose不足的；匱乏的
Example:Parents are worried that the current staffing levels are inadequate to ensure student safety.
inclusion (n.)
integration / the act of including someone in a group or system融合；包容
Example:The school's policy on inclusion ensures that every child receives the support they need.
premises (n.)
grounds / the land and buildings owned by an organization校舍；場地
Example:Security guards are responsible for monitoring everyone who enters the school premises.

Sentence Learning

The parent, Chantelle Bissaillion, claimed that although she provided a medical assessment in March recommending one-on-one support, the school administration decided the child did not qualify for an educational assistant (EA) because she was classified as high-functioning.
Contrast: 'Although' is used to introduce a concession or a fact that makes the main situation surprising.對比: 「although」用於引出讓步狀語或一個令主句情況顯得意外的事實。
In response, Tina Elliott, a superintendent for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB), asserted that the board uses coordinated actions and specific safety plans for students who have a history of leaving school grounds.
Relative Clause: The clause 'who have a history...' defines and narrows down the specific group of students being discussed.關係子句: 「who have a history...」子句定義並縮小了所討論的特定學生群體的範圍。
The student was later found by a neighbor and returned home.
Passive Voice: This sentence uses the passive voice ('was found') to emphasize the person who experienced the action rather than the performer.被動語態: 本句使用被動語態（「was found」）來強調動作的承受者而非執行者。
As a result, schools may rely on inadequate support systems or exclude students who need help but do not have an official diagnosis.
Cause and Effect: 'As a result' is a transition phrase used to introduce the logical consequence of the previously mentioned funding issues.因果關係: 「As a result」是一個過渡詞組，用於引出前述資金問題所導致的邏輯後果。
The current situation in Ontario shows a clear gap between the documented needs of students with disabilities and the support provided by schools, which leads to safety risks and unequal access to education.
Non-defining Relative Clause: The relative pronoun 'which' refers to the entire situation described in the main clause to explain its overall result.非限定性關係子句: 關係代名詞「which」指代主句中描述的整個情況，用以解釋其整體結果。
C2

Analysis of Special Education Support and Student Safety in Ontario Schools

Introduction

This report examines the systemic challenges regarding the safety and educational inclusion of students with disabilities in Ontario, following a specific incident of student elopement in Picton.

Main Body

On a recent Monday, a nine-year-old student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) exited her school premises in Picton, Ontario, during morning recess. The student was subsequently located by a neighbor and returned home. The parent, Chantelle Bissaillion, stated that despite providing a medical assessment recommending one-on-one support in March, the school administration determined the child did not qualify for an educational assistant (EA) due to being classified as high-functioning. Instead, the school implemented emotional regulation check-ins and permitted the student to walk the halls independently for calming purposes. In response to the incident, Tina Elliott, superintendent of education for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB), stated that the board employs coordinated actions and tailored safety plans for students with a history of elopement. Elliott noted that while external medical assessments are considered, the allocation of staff is determined by board and school-level criteria. Broader systemic issues are highlighted by the Ontario Autism Coalition and academic experts. Kate Dudley Logue of the coalition reports that a survey of 64 school boards indicates over 50% of respondents express concerns regarding child safety, with elopement and bullying identified as primary issues. Furthermore, Inclusive Education Canada suggests that approximately 40% to 50% of Ontario principals have requested that students with disabilities remain at home. This phenomenon, described as 'exclusion,' often results in modified or part-time schedules for students with complex needs. From an analytical perspective, Brock University associate professor Monique Somma attributes these inconsistencies to the absence of a centralized provincial special education strategy and the autonomy granted to school boards in funding allocation. Somma posits that funding based on diagnoses is frequently insufficient to cover the actual cost of one-on-one support, such as the salary of an EA. This financial gap, combined with a rigid educational model, may result in a reliance on improvised support systems and the exclusion of students who lack official diagnoses but require assistance.

Conclusion

The current situation in Ontario is characterized by a discrepancy between the documented needs of students with disabilities and the available institutional supports, resulting in safety risks and inconsistent educational access.

Vocabulary Learning

autonomy (n.)
independence / the right or condition of self-government or freedom from external control自主權；自治
Example:Individual school boards often have the autonomy to decide how to allocate their annual budgets.
discrepancy (n.)
inconsistency / an illogical or surprising lack of compatibility between two or more facts差異；不符之處
Example:The auditors found a significant discrepancy between the company's reported earnings and its actual bank balance.
elopement (n.)
wandering / the act of leaving a safe area or supervision without permission（尤指患者或學生）私自離開；擅自走失
Example:The school implemented new security measures to prevent the elopement of students with special needs.
posit (v.)
postulate / to assume as a fact or put forward as a basis of argument假定；斷定；提出
Example:Economists posit that a reduction in interest rates will eventually stimulate consumer spending.
systemic (adj.)
structural / relating to a system as a whole rather than only its individual parts系統性的；制度上的
Example:The report identified systemic failures within the healthcare department that led to the crisis.

Sentence Learning

The parent, Chantelle Bissaillion, stated that despite providing a medical assessment recommending one-on-one support in March, the school administration determined the child did not qualify for an educational assistant (EA) due to being classified as high-functioning.
Complex Prepositional Construction: The use of 'despite' followed by a gerund phrase ('providing...') allows for the concise expression of concession within a multi-clause sentence.複雜介詞結構: 使用 'despite' 後接動名詞短語（'providing...'），能在多從句句子中簡潔地表達讓步語氣。
Furthermore, Inclusive Education Canada suggests that approximately 40% to 50% of Ontario principals have requested that students with disabilities remain at home.
Mandative Subjunctive: The verb 'requested' triggers the subjunctive mood in the 'that' clause, requiring the base form 'remain' regardless of the subject's number or tense.命令式虛擬語氣: 動詞 'requested' 觸發了 'that' 子句中的虛擬語氣，無論主語的人稱或時態為何，動詞 'remain' 均須使用原型。
This phenomenon, described as 'exclusion,' often results in modified or part-time schedules for students with complex needs.
Reduced Relative Clause: The phrase 'described as' is a reduced passive relative clause (shortened from 'which is described as') used as an appositive to define the subject.縮減關係從句: 短語 'described as' 是一個縮減的被動關係從句（由 'which is described as' 簡化而來），作為同位語用以定義主語。
From an analytical perspective, Brock University associate professor Monique Somma attributes these inconsistencies to the absence of a centralized provincial special education strategy and the autonomy granted to school boards in funding allocation.
Passive Participial Post-modification: The past participle 'granted' functions as an adjective modifying 'autonomy', providing a sophisticated alternative to a full relative clause.過去分詞後置修飾: 過去分詞 'granted' 充當形容詞修飾 'autonomy'，是替代完整關係從句的高階表達方式。
The current situation in Ontario is characterized by a discrepancy between the documented needs of students with disabilities and the available institutional supports, resulting in safety risks and inconsistent educational access.
Present Participle Clause of Result: The phrase 'resulting in...' is a non-finite clause that logically extends the main sentence to show a direct consequence.現在分詞短語表示結果: 短語 'resulting in...' 是一個非限定從句，邏輯性地延伸主句以展示直接後果。