Ottawa Catholic School Board keeping bus attendants for students with special needs

The Ottawa Catholic School Board headquarters on West Hunt Club Road. June 9, 2026. (Andrew Adlington/CTV News Ottawa)

The Ottawa Catholic School Board has reversed a decision to eliminate bus attendees for students with special needs, days after parents raised issue with the sudden change.

Specialized bus attendants ride the school bus with students and help ensure students are safe and cared for. These include students who are non-verbal or who might have complex medical needs. The board said cutting the positions was an operational decision and was not brought forward to the board of trustees.

At a board meeting on Tuesday, trustees voted unanimously to rescind the previous decision to eliminate the bus attendant positions, ensuring that there will be no interruption of care for students when the new school year begins.

The motion was brought forward at the start of Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting and was met with applause when it was unanimously approved.

“Trustees heard from families, Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) members, advocacy organizations, staff, and community partners about the impact the proposed change would have on students and families. Their feedback reinforced the important role bus attendants play in creating a safe and supportive transportation experience and providing reassurance to parents and caregivers,” a news release from the OCSB said.

Parents and bus attendants who spoke to CTV News Ottawa earlier this month said they were surprised to learn their children’s bus attendants would be gone in the fall and called on the board to change its mind.

“Over the past several weeks, trustees have listened carefully to families and heard directly from those most affected by this decision,” said OCSB chair Mark Mullan in a news release. “Parents and caregivers spoke passionately about the difference these supports make in the lives of their children. We listened, we reflected, and we unanimously agreed that continuing bus attendant services is the right decision.”

The school board said staff will review staffing and recruitment strategies to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the bus attendant position and promised to share more details with families in the coming days.

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