It’s time to fully fund equitable and inclusive education in British Columbia

Why this matters

Public schools across BC are undermined by chronic underfunding that forces cuts to essential programs—music, shop and the arts—overcrowds classrooms and leaves specialist staff so scarce that families must fill resource gaps simply to secure basic supports for their children. When buildings suffer deferred maintenance, poor ventilation and barriers to physical access, equity is eroded and trust is broken. In the absence of proactive mental‐health and accessibility supports, schools too often resort to punitive measures that can retraumatise students and undermine lifelong well‐being.

What we want
We call on the Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, to immediately implement a transparent, needs-based funding model that:

• Reflects the true costs of inclusive education, including staffing ratios for educational assistants, counsellors, librarians and specialist teachers (music, shop and the arts), so that every learner benefits from small classes and expert support.
• Provides a dedicated capital budget for critical repairs, ventilation upgrades and barrier-free access, ensuring every school is safe, healthy and welcoming to children of all abilities.
• Fully funds district-level mental health supports and robust professional development, ensuring that every teacher, administrator and support-staff member receives:

1. Neurodiversity-affirming education, exploring the full spectrum of learning profiles—from ADHD and autism to Pathological Demand Avoidance—so that difference is understood, accommodated and celebrated rather than pathologised.
2. Anti-ableism and accessibility training, guided by universal design for learning principles, to remove attitudinal and structural barriers that exclude students with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities.
3. Trauma-informed behaviour management, emphasising relationship-centred strategies that de-escalate conflict, repair harm and support emotion regulation without punitive shortcuts that can scar children forever.
4. Ongoing coaching and mentorship, embedding restorative practices—such as circle processes, collaborative problem solving and peer mediation—into everyday classroom life, so that schools become communities of belonging rather than sites of discipline.

Take action
Sign this petition to demand that the provincial government honour its promise of public education by investing the resources our children need today. Every signature brings us closer to a system that values creativity, inclusion and dignity for every learner.