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Education bodies in the N.W.T. are hoping some new territorial funding will help make up for a significant loss in federal dollars for educational assistants — but a condition of that funding may make it difficult for some to access.
Late last month, Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland announced up to $14 million for education assistants after the federal government decided to stop paying for many of these positions.
Cleveland said the new Support Assistants Initiative is a direct response to the federal decision last February to no longer fund school-related requests under Jordan’s Principle from off-reserve schools, except in certain circumstances.
That decision meant that around 79 education assistants at Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1), and more than 90 others across the N.W.T., would likely not return to classrooms this fall.
But in order to receive the new territorial funding for education assistants, education bodies must first put any existing surpluses toward education assistant positions — a condition that may be challenging to meet.
Souhail Soujah, superintendent of the South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC), said applying its surplus in this way isn’t feasible, so the SSDEC won’t be using N.W.T. money to replace staff lost after the changes to Jordan’s Principle administration.
“This would set us up for failure,” he said in an email to CBC News, because the surplus in his division is necessary to cover school emergencies, student supports, increased technology expenses, infrastructure and other critical initiatives.
“It is not reasonable to do this without causing the collapse of other programs and initiatives that would compromise the quality of education in our schools,” he said.
Only one SSDEC school lost staff due to Jordan’s Principle policy changes, and it had contingency plans, said Soujah. He said the more significant loss was to other Jordan’s Principle-funded supports, like speech pathology, occupational therapy and specialized equipment.
More than three weeks into the school year, YK1 isn’t certain its schools will be eligible for territorial money to re-hire education assistants.
“[The funding] is conditional,” said YK1 superintendent Shirley Zouboules. “I basically applied on a hope and a prayer to see if we would be eligible for anything.”
Zouboules said that surpluses are often earmarked for specific purposes, and used for things like substitute teacher costs.
Still, she’s hopeful.
“We have people in Yellowknife that want to work and the moment I have information, if it’s good or bad, I will be reaching out to folks as quickly as possible,” she said.
Condition ensures ‘most prudent’ use of public funds: N.W.T. gov’t
The territory’s education assistants funding comes with conditions to “ensure the most prudent and responsible use of public funds,” Agata Gutkowska, a spokesperson for the N.W.T. education department, said in an email to CBC News.
“The [N.W.T. government] recognizes that many education bodies maintain surpluses for a variety of reasons. However, ensuring students receive the supports they need in the classroom is a critical and immediate priority,” she said.
“By asking education bodies to draw down their surpluses first, we are reinforcing the principle that available funds should be directed to front-line student support before seeking new funding from government.”
Gutkowska added that the federal government plays a role in ensuring equitable access to services in the North, and that the territory will continue to advocate for federal support for N.W.T. students.
She said that as of last Thursday, three education bodies had applied for education assistant funding. They can expect to hear back within the week.
Rita Mueller is president of the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, the union representing N.W.T. teachers and YK1 education assistants.
She said the territorial government has stepped in with money for education assistants, and she hopes education bodies make getting those workers a priority.
“Those education assistants are needed,” Mueller said. “Those students that require support need to have those supports in place as soon as possible, and I’m hoping that education authorities and the department will work out a way to make that happen.”
Education requests under Jordan’s Principle will generally be denied: ISC
Jordan’s Principle is a legal rule established by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that applies to all First Nations children. It’s a child-first principle meant to ensure First Nations children get the services they need without disruptions or delays, and that any disputes over which government should pay for their services are resolved later.
Jordan’s Principle is based on the concept of substantive equality, meaning governments must recognize that owing to their distinct histories and circumstances, First Nations children may need more or different supports than other children in Canada in order to achieve similar outcomes.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) spokesperson Jennifer Cooper said in an email to CBC News that ISC is “aware of the current operational challenges” surrounding Jordan’s Principle, and that it’s working to improve implementation.
However, Cooper maintained that “unless funding is required to ensure substantive equality,” education-related requests from off-reserve schools will generally be denied or redirected.
“If a First Nations child has a specific health, social or educational need, or if it is required by substantive equality, the family can make a request to Jordan’s Principle,” she said.
N.W.T. schools received $58.6 million in Jordan’s Principle funding in the 2024/25 fiscal year. The $14 million on offer by the territorial education department represents less than a quarter of that.
While YK1 awaits news about its application for territorial funding, its schools are working to support students in other ways, said Zouboules.
“Supports do not always equal a person,” she said. “There are a variety of ways that supports can be offered to a student.”
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