Budget changes disrupt school life for special needs children

Although you are reading this a couple of months into the new school year, I want to extend my warmest wishes to all students, parents and educators across Quebec.  

My child’s autism means that education is not simply about textbooks and classrooms – it is about creating an environment that nurtures their unique strengths, addresses their challenges and allows them to thrive. I know this not only as an elected official but as a mom. Every parent of a child with special needs knows that progress doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience, collaboration, and, above all, resources.  

Unfortunately, this is where the Legault government continues to fail Quebec families. The CAQ’s contradictory decisions on education funding have created instability for schools and uncertainty for parents. Specialized services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and individualized support, are not luxuries. They are essential tools that allow children to learn, communicate and grow with dignity.  

After first announcing $570 million in cuts to public education in June, the CAQ minister of Education partially backtracked in the face of public backlash, announcing a reinvestment of $540 million a month later. But this was not the full picture: strict conditions made access to the funds difficult, leaving many school boards unable to deliver on their plans. At the English Montreal School Board, for example, they had planned to hire 40 new support staff members to work with special needs students. Instead, they were forced to cut an additional 24 positions.  

Now, the CAQ government has once again shifted its stance to remove limits on new hirings. But this decision comes too late. The school year is already underway, and the opportunity to bring in additional staff before classes began has been lost. Children who needed support on Day 1 are still waiting. Families and teachers are left to pick up the pieces. Does this seem responsible to you or to your children? Certainly not.  

When budgets are tightened or when political decisions are delayed, it is these very services that are too often reduced or deferred. Teachers and support staff, already stretched to the breaking point, are expected to “do more with less.” This is not only unfair to them but profoundly unjust to our children. 

This is why I will continue to speak out against the government’s inconsistent decisions and push for stronger, more stable support in our schools. Parents should not have to wage battles at every step of their child’s educational journey. Schools should not be forced to make impossible choices because of political indecision. Most importantly, our children should not be treated as afterthoughts. 

I want to send strength and solidarity to every family navigating the challenges of raising a child with special needs. You are not alone. Your children’s futures matter – and together, we must ensure they receive the education and respect they deserve. 

Elisabeth Prass is member of the National Assembly of Quebec for D’Arcy-McGee and is Official Opposition Critic for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers, as well as for Social Services, Mental Health, Persons Living with a Disability or with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and for the Fight Against Homelessness. She is mom to a wonderful boy living with ASD.