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(Canada) Ontario district with increase in suspensions/expulsions; 60% are SPED kids

Sept 27, 2018, My Kawartha (Ontario): Public school suspensions and expulsions rise for second year https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/8929705-public-school-suspensions-and-expulsions-rise-for-second-year/ Local public school board suspension and expulsion rates are back on the rise, but it has more to do with acting, than actions. Trillium Lakelands District School Board superintendent of learning Katherine MacIver presented trustees with information on suspensions and expulsions during the board’s regular meeting in Lindsay on Tuesday, Sept. 26. She stated that the school board works collaboratively with all staff, students, partners and stakeholders in a concerted effort to maintain an environment of safe and accepting schools. MacIver noted that the majority of the 1,433 suspension and expulsion occurrences from the 2017 to 2018 school year — 315 more than the previous year and 379 more than in 2015 to 2016 — involved incidents that either related to violating the board’s code of conduct or exhibiting behaviour "injurious to others." Of the 922 students suspended or expelled one or more times, 417 were elementary and 505 were secondary. The majority of incidents involved male students, with about one third of suspensions being only for one day. MacIver said the “significant increase” in part relates to the board’s progressive discipline and formal action initiatives. “We have an added piece around mediation that would help reduce the need for an expulsion. It will always be a consideration ... but in some cases, mediation just isn’t applicable,” said MacIver. Of the 922 students that served one or more suspensions or expulsions, 181 (19 per cent) have been identified by the board’s identification, placement and review committee as having special education needs or an exceptionality. A further 562, or 60 per cent, have an individual education plan (IEP), describing the programming and/or services required, based on a thorough assessment of a student’s strengths and needs that affect their ability to learn. …

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