Families considering legal challenge after admission to accelerated learning program suspended
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In second grade, Avery Hopkins was reading at a college level. Her parents knew she was different. They just didn’t know how different or how those differences would affect her.
Avery, now 12, is fascinated with mathematics and advanced sciences and plans to become a biopharmaceutical engineer.
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After years of struggling to fit in with her peers and trying to find a place to simply “feel normal,” her hopes of attending a specialized program for exceptional students have been dashed, according to her mother Kristin Hopkins.
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Avery had planned to run for the Transition Program for Gifted Students, known as UTP, a two-year academically accelerated program operated by the Provincial Resource Program of the Ministry of Education and Child Care. The program takes place on the UBC campus and is staffed by educators and administrators from the Vancouver School Board.
In January, UTP announced that it had paused the admissions process for the 2024-2025 school year, pending an external review.
The decision was made “in response to significant concerns raised about interactions within the school community that have impacted the mental health and well-being of some students,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.
The cancellation of admissions has left families struggling, and a group of parents has hired lawyers to fight for their children’s access to specialized education.
The legal letter addressed to the Vancouver School Board, the Ministry of Education and UBC states that the school board has a duty to implement education that benefits students with special needs and to consult with parents about that education.
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They cite a 2006 British Columbia Supreme Court ruling (Hewko v. British Columbia) that ruled that classrooms must make significant accommodations for students with special needs and argue that high-achieving children should have equal participation in education. special.
Considered profoundly gifted, Avery has struggled with anxiety and social and emotional regulation due to her learning difficulties.
“People hear giftedness and think it’s something fabulous, but it’s neurodivergence and it’s actually a special needs diagnosis,” Hopkins said.
The family eventually found a place for her at Choices School, a private school for gifted children in Richmond, but it’s a financial strain for their family of five.
Some 1,600 parents, students and alumni of the UTP program signed a petitioncalling for the Vancouver School Board to restart the admissions process and criticizing the process for excluding families and children.
“The pause in admissions came as a surprise to everyone and has caused mental health issues for students currently in the program who have no idea what the future holds,” said 16-year-old Jonathan Chan. Students are worried the program will be cancelled. total.
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Chan, who graduated from the program at age 15 and is now a pharmacy student at UBC, said the program is rigorous, but he felt well supported by his peers and teachers.
The pause in enrollment eliminates the only publicly funded option for children who need an accelerated learning environment, Chan said.
“Wealthy parents will still be able to enrich their children’s education through tutoring and private schools, but parents with fewer resources will not have the same opportunities.”
Amber Lee, 15, a current student in the program, is one of 60 students and alumni who wrote to Prime Minister David Eby to plead their case.
““Gifted students have a high dropout rate and tend to struggle with anxiety, depression, and other mental issues,” they wrote.
“I felt isolated and very alone before I came to UTP,” Lee said, adding that without an influx of students next year, some kids won’t get the full benefit of the program.
“Like other neurodivergent students, we deserve to have a program that fits our needs,” Lee said.
On April 22, BC Gifted Children’s Association., an advocacy group, said in a statement that they met with the three ruling parties to find out why admissions were suspended and understand the purpose of the review.
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They were told the review should “examine operational and financial issues, program structure, administration, relationships and support services” and “analyze social-emotional issues that arose in January 2024 and have caused concern.”
“If there is an issue related to social-emotional support, then the program should provide it,” said Maureen McDermid, secretary of the association’s board of directors. If no issues are found, he hopes admissions will be restored as soon as possible.
McDermid said programs in the province that support gifted students are being closed.
In 2021, the Vancouver School Board began phasing out its multi-age group classes designed for high-IQ children, saying in a report that “segregating students with a gifted designation among themselves does not develop a well-rounded student.”
Moving toward a policy of inclusion and away from “segregating” students of different abilities may not be appropriate if regular classrooms cannot meet their needs, McDermid said.
“For gifted students, their social-emotional needs are met and thrive when they are with like-minded peers,” McDermid said.
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Alison Ogden, associate superintendent of the Vancouver School Board, said the nature of the concerns raised by UTP students, staff and parents could not be shared for privacy reasons, and that the pause in admissions was not a “unilateral” decision made by the Vancouver School Board. school board, but it was agreed upon by the board, the ministry of education and UBC.
Ogden said students designated as gifted in the Vancouver district will have the opportunity to pursue accelerated learning or individual educational plans within their regular classrooms.
The review report is expected at the end of June.
“No decision has been made about the future of the program,” Ogden said.
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