The heated criticism of the Education department’s plans for allocating educational assistants (EAs) is a sign of a “growing rift” between the minister and the educational community, the Yukon Party believes.

“The unilateral changes to the EA allocation are just a symptom of a larger problem,” party leader Currie Dixon told MLAs Thursday.

At issue is the new formula used to calculate who gets an EA next school year, whether it’s at an individual level or by classroom – which five major education groups say will give little priority to many “vulnerable learners” who are currently being helped.

Ted Hupé, the president of the Yukon Association of Education Professionals (YAEP), says the problem lies with the department, which has only one educator at a senior level.

Hupé says the new formula may be bureaucratically simple but it’s not needs-based, so that a child with needs may not get the right amount of resources.

While there might be as many if not more EAs in place next year, the YAEP’s concern is that they will be misassigned, leaving vulnerable children in the lurch.

“I know that the decision to send the March 6 letter was not one that any of those groups took lightly,” Dixon said.

“When (they) felt they had no choice but to send the minister of Education a letter like this, decrying policies that they feel are being driven unilaterally by the department … that is a symptom of a much bigger problem.”

Education Minister Jeanie McLean says she stands by her approach to working with education stakeholders and partners. They include the Yukon Advisory Committee for Yukon Education and the Yukon First Nations Education Commission.

She noted that the department has steadily increased staff numbers, including EAs.

“These are not easy issues, and I am committed to reshaping education and to addressing the issues that we have faced within our education system.”

The group letter also asked the minister to share the report by En-Gauge Consulting, written after a summit of educators at which there was general agreement for a needs-based allocation system.

Hupé says an access to information request was denied, and that it’s not clear if the department took any of the report’s findings into account with the new formula.

McLean said Wednesday that “we are reviewing the report … and plan to share it with our partners in the coming months. It will inform some of the decisions going forward.”

The group letter was signed by five major education organizations in the territory.

They are YAEP, the Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon, the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, Autism Yukon and the Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees.

Hupé says the EA allocation formula now in use is only one year old, having replaced a “good needs-based formula” used since 2016.

“We’re willing to work with this formula, we’re saying, ‘please consult with the schools on this before making any more changes,’” he said.

Dixon says it’s clear that the five groups are not satisfied with how the department and minister have been operating so far.

The 2024-25 budget calls for $252.7 million for operations and maintenance for the Education department, a minor increase over this year’s $251.9 million.

It does not set out how many EAs, learning assistants, teachers or wellness counsellors are funded.

The five organizations, said YP Education critic Scott Kent, “characterized the changes to the EA allocation policy and procedures as ‘harmful,’ and indicated that the changes have been made unilaterally, without public consultation or engagement with important community stakeholders.

“They also question why a consultant’s report on allocation changes and procedures was not publicly released.

“The minister then muddied the waters by telling the legislative assembly the changes were minor.”

McLean, said Kent, “needs to take a step back, listen to the concerns of these stakeholders, and release the consultant’s report so we all get the full picture of the allocation framework.”