Paperwork locking out students

THE EDITOR, Madam:

A troubling practice is quietly taking root in schools – children are being excluded because they do not yet have a psychoeducational assessment. What was designed as a tool to support learning is increasingly being used as a gatekeeping requirement, turning paperwork into a classroom door that shuts out many children.

Psychoeducational assessments are meant to identify learning needs, guide accommodations, and help teachers provide appropriate instruction. When used properly, they can be transformative. The problem arises when schools insist on a completed assessment before allowing a child to enrol or continue attending school — especially in a system where access to assessments is limited, costly, and slow.

The reality on the ground is sobering. There are reports that numerous parents present their children for assessment only after those children have already been excluded from school. Many are not attending any school at all while waiting. Families routinely face long public sector waitlists or prohibitive private costs. For low-income households, newcomers to the education system, and families in rural or underserved areas, obtaining an assessment can take months — sometimes years. During this time, children fall behind academically and become increasingly disconnected from learning.

Schools often justify exclusion by claiming they lack the resources to support a child without formal documentation. But this response shifts systemic shortcomings onto children and families, effectively punishing students for circumstances beyond their control. Education is a fundamental right. Denying access because paperwork is incomplete — when the system itself cannot deliver that paperwork promptly — raises serious ethical and legal concerns.

The harm extends beyond missed lessons. Exclusion damages a child’s confidence, heightens anxiety for families, and deepens stigma around learning differences. For already vulnerable students, prolonged absence from school can lead to long-term disengagement and reduced life chances.

There are better options, and they are neither radical nor expensive. Schools can keep children enrolled while assessments are pending, provide interim supports based on teacher observation and existing data, and work collaboratively with assessment centres and families. Inclusive education policies emphasise reasonable accommodation based on observed need, not the presence of a diagnosis.

Psychoeducational assessments should open doors, not close them. If we are serious about equity and inclusion, we must ensure that no child is locked out of the classroom while waiting on paperwork. Paperwork can inform support — but it must never be allowed to become a barrier to belonging.

DUDLEY MCLEAN II