Nova Scotia Findings from the National Exclusion Tracker
A new Inclusion Nova Scotia report on reported experiences of exclusion in education, child care, and out of school care.
About this report
Being present at school is not the same as being included.
Students with disabilities should have the opportunity to learn with peers, take part in school life, build relationships, contribute, and belong.
Inclusion Nova Scotia prepared this report using Nova Scotia responses to the National Exclusion Tracker. The Tracker is a voluntary survey for parents, caregivers, and in some cases, children and youth with disabilities. The report includes 73 survey responses submitted between September 2025 and June 2026.
The report looks at reported experiences of exclusion in pre primary to Grade 12 education, child care, and out of school care. It includes experiences reported by families and students with disabilities across Nova Scotia.
The findings identify reported experiences and patterns. They are not estimates of how often exclusion occurs across all Nova Scotia schools, child care settings, or students.
What exclusion can look like
Exclusion is not only a formal suspension or expulsion.
A student may be excluded when they are sent home early, asked to stay home, placed on shortened school days, separated from classmates, excluded from activities or field trips, or left without meaningful access to learning.
Exclusion can also happen when a student does not have the staffing, personal care, communication support, accommodations, or other supports they need to participate.
In child care and out of school care, exclusion can include being denied a space, being asked not to attend, being sent home early, or being excluded from activities.
Why exclusion matters
Exclusion can affect much more than a student’s attendance.
Families reported lost learning opportunities, increased stress and anxiety, reduced belonging, and disruption to work and family life. Students described wanting to go to school, stay at school, learn with their classmates, take part in activities, and be treated with kindness and understanding.
Every child brings strengths, interests, and value to their school community. Every child deserves to be welcomed, supported, and believed in.
What the report recommends
The report identifies six priorities for strengthening inclusive education in Nova Scotia.
1. Fully implement and resource the Inclusive Education Policy.
2. Establish consistent accountability for formal and informal exclusion.
3. Provide timely, individualized supports before exclusion occurs.
4. Make participation, relationships, and belonging measures of inclusion.
5. Strengthen collaborative planning and shared responsibility.
6. Establish an independent Child and Youth Advocate.
The report calls for schools, Regional Centres for Education, and the provincial government to work together to remove barriers and support students to participate fully in school life.
Read the full report to learn more about the experiences reported by Nova Scotia families and students, the impact of exclusion, and the actions needed to strengthen inclusion.