P.E.I. considers training teachers to deal with school psychologist shortage

P.E.I.'s new education minister is looking into providing extra training for some teachers in an effort to shorten wait times for school psychology assessments.

The official wait time for an assessment is currently 3.25 years, but there are stories of children who have waited longer.

Education Minister Jordan Brown, one week into the job, told CBC this is the first big issue he's had to deal with as a new member of cabinet.

"Its a substantive issue that we need to sink our teeth into and to see what headway we can make," he said.

Funds for 'maximum use'

According to Brown, he's set out short, medium and long term goals to tackle the issue.

In the short term, he said, government consulted with the Public Schools Branch and has taken the $200,000 that was set aside for the 1.8 positions currently not filled by child psychologists and to use that money for children to receive private assessments.

• P.E.I. to hire private psychologists to assess students as wait list swells
• Island students have to wait more than 3 years to be assessed by psychologist

"This money was intended to be used for this in one way or another so we might as well put it to the maximum use we can right now," he said.

With a shortage of school psychologists across the country, he said there are no easy answers. Some teachers have approached him saying they are interested in taking further training, and he said that's a solution worth exploring.

"We'll go meet with officials at UPEI and we'll see what we can do there," Brown said.

"We're working with [the Department of] Health to see if we can partner up on a residency program."

No elected school boards

Brown said he does not see a return to elected school boards, as has been proposed by new Progressive Conservative Leader James Aylward.

Brown noted the current system of an appointed board and broad-based range of advisory panels has gone through some turbulent times since it was put in place, and he expects the system will show its strength in the coming years.

"I think now's their time to really kick in. There's a lot of horsepower there. We need to give them the freedom to run and see what they can do," he said.

Brown said the system will allow for a great deal of community input into how education is delivered.

"If we want to change, and we legitimately want to make things better, we have to take steps to enable that and we have to put those people in our communities, those people with the expertise, in a position where they can be engaged," he said.

Brown acknowledged frustrations some advisory council members have expressed in having their voices heard.

He said a new position has been created in the Education Department to work with advisory councils more closely.

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