‘Autism Centre of Excellence School’ in early planning stages for Edmonton Public Schools

Could a school specifically for kids with autism become a reality in Edmonton? One is now in the very early planning phase for Edmonton Public Schools.

It’s not clear how much it would cost, or where it could be in the city, but it would serve about 225 out of the 3,000 students with autism.

But parents and inclusion advocates have told school trustees a school for kids with autism is not inclusive, and some even likened it to segregation.

“This sets back the education of students with disabilities 40 years,” said Trish Bowman, the CEO of Inclusion Alberta. “Why not a plan to increase parental choice for an inclusive education and the capacity of the division to support students with autism in community schools?”

“I’m grateful that my daughter is included but other parents of children with intellectual disabilities and autism in our division are being denied access to a quality, inclusive education at their neighbourhood schools,” added parent Rajesh Kumar.

Outgoing EPSB superintendent Darrel Robertson says parent choice will be respected.

“This is a conversation starter,” Robertson said. “It’s an opportunity for us to come together and dream a little bit and think about how it is that we can enhance supports.”

A school board report says a dedicated school would take some pressure off schools that continue to face overpopulation.

“A dedicated school would allow for the creation of a specifically designed learning environment tailored to the unique needs of students diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), including specialized classrooms, sensory rooms, assistive technology, and outdoor spaces conducive to learning,” the report reads.

“The school would facilitate the delivery of high-quality, specialized programs by providing access to dedicated resources and allowing for the creation of a supportive and inclusive community for students with ASD and their families.”

The school board says this would be a “modernization project at an existing school.”

The EPS board’s chair admits there’s much more work to be done even in the planning stage, including more engagement with affected families.

“We need to have more conversations around transportation, around location, around some of the things that maybe are the hopes and dreams of families for this,” said Julie Kusiek.

The province tells CityNews the planning funding for this was not part of the school construction accelerator program, but instead comes from the 2024 budget.

Given the work the school board expects is still ahead, even if those plans become a reality, it would still likely be years before we see shovels in the ground.