Ontario’s auditor general says the number of students requiring special education supports is growing faster than overall student enrolment, while many schools continue to face shortages of educational assistants.
In a report released Tuesday, auditor general Shelley Spence found absence rates among educational assistants averaged 18 per cent during the 2023-24 school year, with many absences going unfilled.
The report says schools are dealing with increasingly complex student needs, leading to added stress and injuries among staff.
Spence also noted significant differences in support levels between schools, even within the same school board.
