Some Edmonton parents of students who need extra support in class are still wondering whether the province will follow through on its promise to provide complexity teams as students returned to school this week. Last winter, the Alberta government said it would spend $218 million on about 700 complexity teams across the province. The teams are expected to include one teacher and two educational assistants, providing more hands-on support in classrooms. The chair of the Edmonton Public School Board told CTV News Edmonton on Friday that 74 per cent of its complexity teams are funded. Once fully staffed, EPSB schools will have 137 teams supporting students at 214 locations. Edmonton Catholic Schools, meanwhile, has about 95 per cent of its teams in place across 96 schools. But at least two Edmonton parents say they still don’t know when their children will receive help. “Right now, there are just no answers on whether she is going to get the educational assistant she needs,” said Darby Roufosse, whose 11-year-old daughter has ADHD, learning disorders and behavioural challenges. Marcy Gordon says she also doesn’t know whether her two children, a 12-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son with ADHD, anxiety and other learning challenges, will receive support. “Is it really going to be enough, or is it going to be a band-aid on a dam that’s breaking?” she said. Saadiq Sumar, chair of the EPSB, said parents should speak with school staff and teachers about their concerns. He added that additional provincial funding and more flexibility in how schools can use it would help classrooms better meet students’ needs. “More flexibility around how those dollars can be used means that we can be more responsive to what our students’ needs are,” he said. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said earlier this week that he recognizes hiring challenges in some regions but is “confident we will fill those remaining vacancies.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski
