POLICY 5147

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: SUPPORTING EVERY LEARNER

Rationale:

British Columbia promotes an inclusive education system in which students with disabilities or diverse abilities are fully participating members of a community of learners. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs. The practice of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with full integration in regular classrooms and goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion of interaction with others.

In British Columbia, a Board of Education must provide a student who has disabilities or diverse abilities with an educational program in a classroom where the student is integrated with other students who do not have disabilities or diverse abilities. To be successful, multiple layers of support must be provided within the classroom and school. Supports will reflect cultural safety through the purposeful planning and the development of an individual education plan, differentiation of classroom curriculum, instruction and assessment, the use of alternative or assistive technology, support from other adults and peers in the school, and strong home-school partnerships. The emphasis on educating students with disabilities or diverse abilities in neighborhood classrooms with their age and grade peers, however, does not preclude the appropriate use of different settings for specified time periods when the student’s education programming determines this additional support is required.

Policy Statement:

The Greater Victoria School District promotes an inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment where the many ways in which diversity is expressed in classrooms and throughout school communities are celebrated. Every student is welcomed and embraced as part of their catchment school learning community. Supports are provided to students in their catchment school, so they have equitable access to rich and authentic educational experiences and have meaningful opportunities to participate and achieve.

In extenuating circumstances, after all reasonable efforts have been made to support the student in their catchment school, a process can be initiated to provide education and focused collaborative supports in a temporary alternative setting. This personalized planning and placement always aims for a transition back to the catchment school or another school as soon as possible.  The process includes ongoing review, discussion and decision-making in collaboration with parents/guardians, the catchment school-based team, District staff, and when appropriate with the student.

 

Approved: October 25, 1993
Revised: June 16, 2025