Inclusive Education Month 2025

At this time last year, we reflected on the discouraging realities within B.C.’s inclusive education landscape while acknowledging the stories that inspired hope and determination. This year, the challenges remain profound. Over the last 12 months, calls to our advocacy line have continued to increase. We supported over 1,300 situations, nearly half involving barriers to accessing inclusive education in the K-12 system—a growth that is deeply concerning.

However, there is also reason for cautious optimism. On January 23, 2025, the B.C. Ombudsperson’s office launched a formal investigation into school exclusions in B.C. public schools. This is a pivotal moment—one that recognizes the urgent need to address systemic barriers that prevent students from accessing their right to education.

This investigation offers an opportunity to confront long-standing issues and underscores the foundational commitment to education as a human right. Canada has pledged to uphold this right by adopting international conventions and embedding it into national and provincial laws:

• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990): Article 4 obligates governments to ensure all children enjoy their rights, including the right to education (Article 28) and the right to live a full life in society (Article 23).
• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006): Article 24 mandates governments provide inclusive education systems at all levels, ensuring equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
• The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Guarantees respect, dignity, and equality without discrimination, including for people with disabilities.
• The B.C. School Act: Establishes that the school system’s purpose is to help all learners realize their potential and contribute to a healthy, democratic, and inclusive society.

Unfortunately, B.C.’s education system is falling short of these commitments. Families across the province face immense barriers, including exclusion due to unmet support and health needs, poorly implemented Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), minimal training for staff, and chronic shortages of teachers and Educational Assistants (EAs).

Compounding these challenges are systemic issues such as fragmented services, inadequate collaboration, and limited transparency and accountability in resource allocation.

Even more troubling are the ableist attitudes that persist, including limited understanding of disabilities and low expectations for students’ potential. These barriers have left parents exhausted, students excluded, and their right to education unfulfilled.

The Significance of the Ombudsperson Investigation

The Ombudsperson’s formal investigation into school exclusions marks a critical step forward. For too long, school exclusion has remained an unrecorded and under-addressed issue, with no official data tracking its prevalence. Exclusion can take many forms, from part-time attendance to outright denial of access, often leaving families frustrated, financially strained, and uncertain of their next steps.

The Ombudsperson’s work is essential to uncovering the root causes of exclusion and addressing the systemic failings that allow it to persist. With a clearer understanding of the problem, meaningful and lasting solutions can be implemented. This investigation represents a long-overdue opportunity for change—one that could help B.C.’s education system fully realize its promise of inclusion for every child.

How You Can Help

We encourage families to play an active role in this critical process:

• Share your experiences: If your child has faced school exclusion, fill out the Ombudsperson’s confidential questionnaire.
• Support our advocacy: Consider making a donation or joining our Circle of Friends to help us continue our work for inclusive education.

Inclusion BC remains committed to supporting this process and advocating for every child’s right to an inclusive and supportive public education system. Together, we can ensure that the foundational commitments to education in B.C. become a reality for all students.