They may not be in school yet, but young children are already benefitting from programs through Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) Program Unit Fund (PUF).
PUF is available through Alberta Education for preschool students experiencing difficulties in one or more areas of development, and helps ease them into the school system by offering support for communication delays, and behavioural and developmental concerns.
The funding is available for children from two-and-a-half to six-years-old. It can be used to provide programs in home or to access community resources deemed necessary according to assessed needs and program guidelines. Students may be eligible for up to three years of funding, so the earlier they are recognized as being in need, the more funding is at their disposal.
“It helps them get identified early so when they get into the school system, they are already getting those supports,” explained board chair Mandi Skogen, adding this is a benefit to the students, their parents and the schools.
In some cases, NLPS has identified students in need of PUF, and were granted funding through the program for a year or two. When it came time to renew funding for a third year, the child was deemed ineligible due to improvement in their communication or delay.
“This to me is a success,” said Janice Fulawka, director of Learning Inclusive Education and Community Support. “Our hope is that our students will become independent.”
Fulawka continued that some students may need access to a certain person or program their entire lives.
“But our focus, and all of our work, is on creating independence in that child. We want them to be able to do whatever they can (independently).”
On Wednesday, Jan. 11, NLPS board of trustees met with Fulawka, to discuss the program and the benefits it has on future students and their families.
The funding for PUF is provided by the provincial government, and is used to help cover the cost of programs to help a child develop and prepare for their entrance into public education. Prior to receiving funding, students are assessed for their needs, and the proper program coordinator is hired to assist in their development, including the division's own speech language pathologist (SLP).
Fulawka said currently, NLPS has enough therapists to meet the needs of the students.
PUF is available to students across the NLPS division, and over the last couple of years has seen an increase in the number of children benefitting from the program. Last year, 104 students were able to use PUF through NLPS. For the 2016-17 school year, about 103 students have been granted PUF, but NLPS has until Feb. 1.
“We are definitely noticing there is an increase in the number of students that qualify,” explained Fulawka.
This could be because of changes made to the program by Alberta Education. For example, several years ago students were required to be below the first percentile in perceptive or expressive language before being eligible for a communication delay through PUF.
Three years ago, that was adjusted to the second percentile, which increased the number of students using the program within the NLPS division.
“Last year, Alberta Ed allowed us to use the diagnostic assessments for the children that we needed to, plus they also allowed us to use the Early Years Evaluation (EYE),” Fulawka continued. “For those that were kind of on the edge… that had moderates that were not as severe in terms of the diagnostic criteria, but we could demonstrate functional impact in the classroom, they allowed us to qualify those students last year.”
This year, Alberta Education has reverted back to SLP assessments due to an influx in students accessing PUF.
Alberta Heath Services, mental health, children services, school divisions and Alberta Education all work hand in hand to ensure children are receiving the help they need, and all make recommendations to parents when they notice a student struggling in the classroom.
