The Yukon government has opted to “pause” its changes to the way schools are allocated educational Aassistants (EAs).

Education Minister Jeanie McLean notified Ted Hupé, the president of the Yukon Association of Education Professionals, about the government’s change in course in a letter sent Friday afternoon.

The letter has been obtained by the Star. In it, the minister writes to Hupé:

“Re: ‘Unilateral Changes to Educational Assistant Staffing School Allocation.’

“I would like to acknowledge receipt of the March 6, 2024, joint letter from the Yukon Association of Education Professionals (YAEP), Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon (LDAY) Centre for Learning, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, Autism Yukon, and the Association of Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees regarding the Educational Assistant (EA) allocation process.

“I understand that you have concerns on a number of matters relating to EA allocation, including how the department made updates to the EA allocation process for the 2024-25 school year, the consultation process with your organization, and the perceived impact on Yukon learners,” McLean writes.

“We agree that the EA allocation process is an important part of how we support students. The updates that you are concerned with were undertaken in the interest of creating a more open, transparent, and objective EA allocation process in the long-term.

“Recognizing these concerns, we are pausing the process for the moment to ensure that there can be a conversation to gather and understand your feedback on the issues you have raised.”

McLean advises Hupé that Mary Cameron, the deputy minister of Education, “will be reaching out to invite you to a meeting to move this matter forward.”

Just last week, Scott Kent, the Yukon Party’s Education critic, had advised McLean to “take a step back (and) listen to the concerns of these stakeholders.”

Cabinet communications director Jordan Owens told the Star early this afternoon, “For now, I can say that taking a pause to better understand the needs of our partners is important as we continue to work together for the best interests of Yukon students.

“I should also emphasize that the department, as referenced in the minister’s letter, is continuing to work with the Yukon Association of Education Professionals to ensure we have proper input going forward.

“We have also reached out to other stakeholders to better understand and discuss their concerns,” Owens added.

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 the five major education groups say will give little priority to many “vulnerable learners” who are currently being helped.

Last week, the Yukon Party said the issue indicates a “growing rift” between McLean and the educational community.

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

Hupé has said the problem lies with the department, which has only one educator at a senior level.

He said the new formula may be bureaucratically simple, but is not needs-based, so that a child with needs may not get the most suitable 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.”

McLean said last week she stood by her approach of working with education stakeholders and partners, including the Yukon Advisory Committee for Yukon Education and the Yukon First Nations Education Commission.

She noted that the department has steadily enriched 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 minister said last week.

Hupé has told the Star the EA allocation formula now in use is only a 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.

The five organizations, Kent said last week, “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.

“The minister then muddied the waters by telling the legislative assembly the changes were ‘minor,’” Kent said.