Page 234 - Special Education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Resource Guide

Draft Part F: Other Programs and Services Teacher Qualifications
The qualifications for teaching special education and for teaching students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, or are deafblind are set out in Ontario Regulation 176/10, “Teachers’ Qualifications”, made under the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996. Qualifications are obtained in two stages:
• through pre-service teacher education programs offered by faculties of education across the province; and
• through courses leading to additional qualifications (AQs) in special education and for teaching students who are Deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, or are deafblind offered by faculties of education and other registered course providers in various locations across the province. These courses are regulated by the Ontario College of Teachers.
When assigning or appointing a teacher to be in charge of or to teach in
a special education class as a resource or withdrawal teacher, or in a class for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing or who are blind or have low vision, principals must do so (1) with the aim of providing the best possible program and protecting the safety and well-being of students and (2) in accordance with the qualifications recorded on the teacher’s Certificate
of Qualification and Registration (see Regulation 298, “Operation of Schools – General”, section 19).
In those instances when a principal needs to assign a teacher who does
not have the required qualifications but who is otherwise competent, Regulation 298 allows for such assignments to be made, in specified circumstances, under the authority of a Temporary Letter of Approval (TLA) granted by the Minister of Education (section 19.2). A TLA authorizes a school board to assign a teacher to teach a subject, to teach in a division, or to hold a position for up to one year, even though the teacher does not have the required qualifications. PPM No. 153, “Applications
for Temporary Letters of Approval” (2010), provides school boards with information on the requirements for submitting an application for a TLA to the Ministry of Education. All TLA applications must be sent to the regional offices of the ministry.
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