Cautious Celebration: New Resource to Improve Outcomes for Students with Diverse Abilities

The British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA) has released a new resource for school boards to improve outcomes for students with “disabilities and diverse abilities,” focusing on inclusive education and highlighting the importance of systems, structures, and supports for these students to thrive. 

The BCSTA’s new resource is a commendable step forward in ensuring inclusivity and equity in education. This resource signals a promising shift toward strengthening school board accountability and enhancing educational experiences for students who often face systemic barriers.

What’s Worth Celebrating?

1. Recognition of the Need for Change:
   The fact that BCSTA is focusing on students with disabilities and diverse abilities is significant itself. It acknowledges that these students require intentional policies, funding allocation, and governance strategies to truly thrive in the school system.
   
2. Guidance for School Boards:
   By providing a structured resource, BCSTA empowers decision-makers—trustees, administrators, and educators—to take meaningful steps toward better outcomes. Leadership plays a critical role in shaping school culture, and having a dedicated framework helps ensure that inclusion isn’t just an aspiration but an operational priority.
   
3. Data-Driven and Equity-Focused Approach:
   If the resource encourages evidence-based strategies and measurable accountability, it could lead to real improvements rather than performative policies. It also aligns with the broader movement toward educational justice, ensuring that students with diverse abilities aren’t left behind.
   
4. A Platform for Advocacy:
   School boards influence funding decisions, program development, and systemic change. This resource could catalyze stronger advocacy, prompting school boards to demand better supports from the Ministry of Education, including specialized training, classroom supports, and assistive technologies.

Where We Are Cautious

1. Will This Resource Translate Into Action?
   The existence of a resource is only as impactful as its implementation and enforcement. Accountability measures need to be in place to ensure that schools act on the recommendations and report on progress.
   
2. Does It Address Structural Funding Gaps?
   A resource alone cannot fix the longstanding underfunding of special education. If schools lack special education teachers, support workers, and assistive technologies, systemic barriers will persist. This initiative must be paired with provincial funding commitments to make a real difference.
   
3. Does It Include Direct Input from Students and Families?
   Any initiative focused on students with disabilities and diverse abilities must be co-created with those directly impacted. It’s unclear how meaningfully students, families, and advocacy organizations were consulted in developing this resource. Their lived experiences are essential in ensuring the guidance is not just theoretical but responsive to real needs.
   
4. Will It Address Intersectionality?
   Disabilities and diverse abilities do not exist in isolation—they intersect with race, socioeconomic status, Indigeneity, and other factors. The resource must address how marginalized and equity-deserving students face additional barriers and ensure that policies reflect an equitable approach to inclusivity.

Final Thoughts: Hopeful Yet Watchful

This new BCSTA resource has the potential to drive positive change, but its success will depend on how rigorously it is applied, monitored, and improved over time. Advocates, families, and educators must hold school boards accountable to ensure that this isn’t just a symbolic gesture but a transformative step toward truly inclusive education.

We celebrate this as a move in the right direction, and we also remain vigilant to ensure that it delivers real impact for students and families who need it most.

More Information

• BCSTA’s Resource Page
• Direct link to a PDF of this report
• BCEd Access commentary on the resource

– Rachel S. Forbes, JD, Executive Director

LDS is a community of dedicated professionals who write collaboratively. We recognize the contribution of unnamed team members for their wisdom and input.