Improving psycho-educational assessment access in Alberta the focus of new bill

Alberta parents, teachers and the official opposition are pushing for better provincial access to psycho-educational assessments for students.

The assessments are a way to collect information about a child’s academic and social functioning to better understand their strengths, weaknesses and learning needs. They’re typically requested by parents or teachers and can identify complex disabilities at a young age.

But currently, in Alberta, they’re not easy to come by.

Parents and teachers often complain about year-long wait times and financial barriers. Receiving a private assessment is not always covered by insurance and can run as high as $5,000, according to one parent.

“I’m scrambling to find anyone that’ll do it at a cheaper rate, but we’re just coming up short,” Katrina Holmes said. “There’s not enough funding, there’s not enough … anything in place for these children.”

That’s part of what motivated NDP MLA Julia Hayter to introduce Bill 208.

If passed, the bill would establish a school psychological services committee that would review legislation surrounding psycho-educational assessments and consider financial support.

“Far too many kids are falling behind their classmates simply because they are not receiving a psycho-educational assessment at an appropriate time if they get it at all,” Hayter said.

“There aren’t enough psychologists in the system to meet the demand and as a result, not every student who needs an assessment gets it.”

In an emailed statement Wednesday, Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said he is looking forward to reviewing the bill in more detail.

“However, at first glance, it appears to offer nothing concrete to improve mental health supports to students,” Nicolaides said.

“Establishing a committee to do the work of the Ministry of Education is duplicative and unnecessary. Our government is acting now, by investing $1.5 billion for 2024 alone to support specialized learning needs of students.”

The committee established by the bill would have a year to present a report with recommendations to the legislature.

The minister would then have one year to bring legislation forward that addresses those recommendations.

Holmes says she hopes it’s a bipartisan effort.

“Society wants these children to be productive and to grow and be successful, but the first step is a psycho-ed assessment, which (many) cannot access,” she said.