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# Independent review of inclusive and special education in Yukon begins

The Government of Yukon has arranged for Nikki Yee, an educator and current doctoral candidate in Special Education at the University of British Columbia, to conduct an independent review of inclusive and special education in Yukon. The review will include opportunities for students, families, educators, Yukon First Nations, school communities and partners in education to share their perspectives and experiences.

The Government of Yukon previously committed to this review, which aligns with the recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada in the report Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education in Yukon, published on June 18, 2019. Over the next few months, Ms. Yee is conducting an in-depth review of the Department of Education’s current approach for delivering inclusive and special education programming and services, and will provide initial recommendations to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement.

Ms. Yee is beginning this review with an internal phase focused on reviewing the Department of Education’s current practices, procedures and legislated responsibilities, and speaking with central administration and school staff. The next phase of the review will focus on gathering perspectives and experiences from students, families, First Nations, school communities and partners in education and is being planned for the spring.

The Government of Yukon anticipates Ms. Yee’s scan and initial recommendations in June 2020, which will then be discussed with education partners through the Advisory Committee for Yukon Education and with Yukon First Nations to develop short-, medium- and long-term actions in response to this review.

> Yukon is striving to have an inclusive education system that enables all students to feel confident as learners, and that learning environments in all Yukon schools are providing effective and timely supports to meet students’ learning needs. Ms. Yee brings a wealth of experience as an educator, which combined with her knowledge and expertise in inclusive and special education make her well suited to lead this review and identify opportunities to make improvements that benefit students, families and school communities.

> In this review, I want to listen to peoples’ experiences with inclusive and special education and draw these stories together to establish a common understanding of what is happening, and how this impacts students’ experiences of school in Yukon. From that point, I can bring in promising practices to help leverage the strengths already present throughout the system so that processes and procedures become more effective and students consistently experience education as positive and uplifting.

Quick facts

- Ms. Yee is a doctoral candidate in Special Education at the University of British Columbia, with a sub-specialization in Measurement, Evaluation and Research methods. She has over 12 years of diverse teaching experience from pre-Kindergarten to university, and has also provided special education supports for schools. Her research has focused on decolonization in the classroom to support Indigenous and all learners in inclusive learning environments.

Media contact

Stewart Burnett
Cabinet Communications
867-334-0480
stewart.burnett@gov.yk.ca

Kyle Nightingale
Communications, Education
867-336-0653
kyle.nightingale@gov.yk.ca

Nikki Yee
Independent review consultant
778-846-5049
nikki.yee@gov.yk.ca

News release #:
20-018
Related information:
Auditor General of Canada report