Ministry Role and Services

Ministry Overview

Improving student achievement is the overarching goal of the British Columbia education system. To attain this goal, the Minister leads an education system that emphasizes local autonomy for school boards, strong accountability measures, choices for students and parents, predictable multi-year funding envelopes,⁵ and meaningful involvement for parents.

The ministry sets educational standards based on the outcomes students need to achieve, allocates funds for the education system, monitors student performance and reports the results to the public. As well, the ministry assists schools and communities to achieve improved student and school performance.

School districts are governed by a locally elected board of trustees. The boards receive funding from the Ministry of Education. The distribution of provincial funding to school boards ensures that every school board is equitably funded, to provide a quality education to its students. The trustees of each school district are accountable to the Province in accordance with an 'Accountability Framework'⁶ (see Appendix B for more details) for their district. This framework emphasizes student achievement and reflects the unique characteristics, priorities and educational needs of the district. School trustees have autonomy to govern their school district to achieve the results contained in their Accountability Contracts. The Accountability Framework encompasses accountability criteria, school district reviews, enhancement agreements and School Planning Councils.

District Review Teams focus on improving student achievement through school and district planning. District Reviews are designed to provide feedback and recommendations to the district, the ministry and the public regarding the school districts' work in improving student achievement. The reviews focus on ten key areas related to school and district improvement and up to 20 districts are reviewed annually.

School Planning Councils consult with the school community in order to develop, monitor and review school plans focused on student achievement. School Planning Councils were fully operational as of September 2003. The ministry continues to work with the school community to ensure planning councils have an effective role in improving student achievement in all schools, and that their initiatives are part of the basis on which the school district plans are formed.

In addition to administrative and fiscal responsibilities, school boards are also responsible for hiring school principals and their assistants, instructional and non-instructional staff and for providing and maintaining the physical buildings in which learning takes place.

The primary roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and its partners are set out under the provincial School Act, Teaching Profession Act, Independent School Act and accompanying regulations.

Ministry Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

The ministry's vision is a high quality education system that places student achievement at the center of all decision-making. British Columbia's education system already performs at high levels, which means that future improvements require continued commitment, creativity and innovation on the part of educators, administrators, trustees and the ministry in order for the province to remain a global leader in educational performance.

Mission

The ministry's mission is set out in the School Act with further details of the mandate in the Statement of Education Policy Order:

The purpose of the British Columbia school system is to enable all learners to develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to contribute to a healthy, democratic and pluralistic society and a prosperous and sustainable economy.

Continued progress towards the province's social and economic goals depends upon well-educated citizens. School boards and independent schools have a primary responsibility for students' intellectual development and a shared responsibility with families and the community for students' human, social and career development.

Values

The ministry is committed to specific key beliefs and values for all staff.

Ministry Operating Context

Examination of the external and internal environments helps to identify those factors that are likely to affect the conduct and success of the education system in British Columbia. The social and economic environments influence the system's operation and effectiveness. Factors such as the number and location of students, provincial funding levels, workplace requirements, special needs of children and the level of support that the public is willing to provide to K-12 education play a role in affecting the operation and performance of the education system.

Under S. 93 of the Constitution Act, each province has legislative authority over education. The provincial government, through cabinet and the minister, determines overall education policy and direction, and passes legislation for the K-12 education system.

Within the public K-12 system, the duties and responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and school boards are described in the School Act and related regulations. In British Columbia, the Minister of Education is responsible for the education system from kindergarten through grade 12 and for the operation of the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education has a substantive and primary role in determining education policies in the following areas:

• setting educational standards based on the outcomes students need to achieve;
• monitoring student performance and reporting the results to the public;
• working with partner groups to improve student and school performance;
• allocating funds for the education system; and
• overseeing the governance of the system as a whole.

School boards, in accordance with specified powers, have a duty to govern schools in a fiscally responsible and cost effective manner. School boards also have a policy role and may set education policies that reflect the aspirations of the local community, as long as the policies are consistent with overall government direction. Individual school boards employ school district staff, prepare and manage the operating budget and capital plan, prepare the annual accountability contract in partnership with the Ministry of Education, approve local school courses, and adjudicate complaints from parents and students. While school boards may delegate administrative and management duties to employees, the responsibility for decision-making legally resides with the school board. For example, school boards are legally responsible for presenting a balanced budget.

Within the independent school system, the Inspector of Independent Schools is responsible for the administration of the Independent School Act, Regulations and Minister's Orders. Responsibilities flowing from the Act include classifying and inspecting independent schools, ensuring schools meet the requirements of the Act and certifying independent school teachers. Other responsibilities include administering the offshore school certification program as well as setting home-school policies.

Trends and Observations:

• Admission of BC students to colleges and technical schools has increased significantly in the last decade.
• Students from BC perform well compared to other Canadian and international jurisdictions.⁷
• Parental and public demand for transparency and accountability in regards to school board and ministry operations and expenditures continues to increase.
• Province-wide, student enrolment is expected to continue to decline over the next five years due to a declining birth rate and an aging population. Rural regions are already experiencing declining enrolments.
• The Aboriginal population in BC is young and growing at a faster rate than the non-Aboriginal population. As the Aboriginal population grows there will be increased demand for programs and services that address its specific needs.
• Many working parents would like schools to provide, or link to, additional services such as preschool and full-day kindergarten/childcare. The importance of early development in a child's school success is becoming more generally appreciated. Such factors are creating pressure to provide preschool or early childhood education programs.
• Immigration has fueled an ongoing need for English as a Second Language (ESL) services in several districts. Some districts are having to provide settlement support services for immigrant families with school-aged children. In 2002 immigration to British Columbia increased by 14.84 per cent over the previous year.⁸
• An aging workforce is fueling an ever-growing need for qualified young people to meet employers' demands, particularly in the trades sector.
• Across many occupations, technological advances necessitate higher levels of employee knowledge and skills, even in entry-level positions. The high-tech and trades sectors continue to expand, as does the long-term requirement for employees with specific technical and computer skills.

Ministry Structure and Core Business Areas

Ministry Structure

The Ministry of Education is structured to support the overriding goal of improving student achievement. The ministry strives to serve both the youth of BC and the province as a whole by providing a high-quality, performance orientated education system. Through setting educational standards, monitoring the results that students achieve, and overseeing the governance of the system as a whole, the ministry strives to put more of every available tax dollar towards meeting its primary goal.

The ministry has been structured to facilitate the sharing of information, skills and experience among the various departments. Cooperation, both internally and externally is essential to achieve the ministry's goals. The ministry is comprised of a results-based and forward thinking team that provides goal orientated and consistent leadership to British Columbia's education system.

Operating Fund Expenses

Core Business Areas

Public Schools

The ministry provides base operating funding to school boards and others to support the K-12 public school system. School boards are held accountable for improving student achievement and reporting results. The ministry also provides capital funding for public schools.

Independent Schools

The ministry provides operating funding to 352 independent schools as outlined in the Independent School Act. A total of 63,387 students are enrolled in independent schools. Under the authority of the Independent School Act the Inspector of Independent Schools is responsible to the Minister of Education for the administration of the Act. Responsibilities include registering, inspecting, and classifying all provincial Kindergarten – Grade 12 independent schools; ensuring that schools maintain standards consistent with their classification; issuing operational, special education and home-school registration grants to qualifying independent schools; granting, suspending and revoking of independent school teacher certification; and administrating the ministry's offshore school certification program, independent school distributed electronic learning programs, and home-schooling policies.

Debt Service and Amortization

Responsibilities under this core area include the payment of short and long-term debt service costs for approved capital construction projects, buses and equipment purchases. Sinking fund assets, which are used to pay off existing debt obligations, earn interest that is netted against debt service costs. In addition, responsibilities under this core area include the amortization of funds advanced for capital projects, including school sites, portables, capital leases, buses, and equipment purchases.

Management Services

Management Services provides corporate support services to operation programs including finance, human resources, information management, administrative services, freedom of information and privacy services and general services. This core area also provides assistance to ministries, boards, agencies and commissions including the Ministry of Advanced Education, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skills Development and Labour.

Executive and Support Services

Executive and Support Services provides executive direction for the ministry, as well as management and program support for K-12 education programs. The operation of the Minister's Office also falls under this core area, including salaries, benefits, allowances, and operation expenses of the minister and minister's staff.

Linkages of Goals to Core Businesses Areas

Improved Student Achievement: To provide ALL students with opportunities for improvement, regardless of their ethnic origin, gender, geographic location, physical characteristics or socio-economic status, and to recognize ALL achievements.

• Public Schools
• Independent Schools
• Executive and support services

A High Quality Performance-Oriented Education System: To focus the entire system on a data driven, results-based approach to improving student achievement and preparing students for tomorrow.

• Public Schools
• Independent Schools
• Executive and support services
• Corporate Services
• Debt Services and Amortization

Strategic Shifts and Significant Changes in Policy Direction

2004 – 2005 Strategic Direction

• The Ministry of Education is working to conclude Aborigional enhancement agreements⁹ with the goal of having agreements in place or in progress in all 60 school districts by 2005, so that all Aboriginal students in the province will have access to programs and services that reflect their local culture, and build on the trend of improved Aboriginal student achievement.
• An intense focus on improving the literacy levels of all BC students. The ministry will act to ensure students have the textbooks they need, as committed to in the Throne Speech.
• A clear focus on comprehensive, internationally recognized development of school and school board leader and leadership team competence. International research has shown that leadership development in general, and team leadership in particular, are key competencies for systematic improvement in an organization. Small work teams with a designated team leader and a flattened hierarchical structure help to ensure that an organization attains its goals and does not lag behind other similar organizations.
• An increased focus on health promoting and active schools. New physical education standards will be introduced, as committed to in the Throne Speech.

Supervision of Learning

• In 2003–2004 a major initiative to increase the leadership abilities of principals and superintendents was introduced. The BCSSA (British Columbia School Superintendents Association) and BCPVPA (British Columbia Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association) have been working closely with the ministry in developing and delivering in-service programs to a number of districts. Eleven school boards chosen by geographical dispersion and indicated interest are receiving additional resources to provide leadership in this area.

CommunityLINK

• The CommunityLINK¹⁰ (Learning Includes Nutrition and Knowledge) program has been transferred from the Ministry of Children and Family Development to the Ministry of Education. In May, 2004 approximately $10 million in increased funding has been announced for the program. CommunityLINK helps school districts provide services such as breakfast and lunch programs, inner-city school programs, after-school care, school-based support workers, community school programs and counseling for at-risk children and youth.

Graduation Program 2004

The 2004 graduation program contributes to the goals of the ministry by expanding student choice, and giving students a broader range of skills and abilities to help them to be more successful after they leave the K-12 education system. This is reflected in the new 'Planning 10' course that assists students in planning for their future and developing skills in areas such as career planning, personal well being and employability.

In addition the Ministry of Education has implemented the following elements to enhance its operational capacity:

• Strengthened the District Review process by adding 2 days of training for team members — teachers, parents, principals, district and ministry staff.
• Developed district teams to work in partnership with the ministry to respond to district accountability contracts.
• Created an Information Department with a single purpose — making Ministry information/data both readily accessible and useable in provincial and local decision-making.

Update on New Era Commitments and Key Projects

To date, eleven of the fifteen New Era commitments related to the Ministry of Education have been achieved.

(For a complete list of New Era commitments and Key Projects achieved, see Appendices C and D.)

New Era Commitment: Ensure that music, arts and physical education curricula are fully funded.

Status: Implementation phase

Music and the other fine arts and physical education are fully funded in the same way that other subject areas are funded, through the student-based funding formula. All BC students must be offered a physical education program in Grades K-10. All students must be offered a fine arts program in Grades K-9 and the choice whether or not to participate in Grades 10, 11, and/or 12.

The ministry completed a review of graduation requirements in 2003, and changes to the graduation requirements will be implemented in all BC secondary schools in September 2004. In order to graduate, all students are required to address both physical activity and fine arts/design in a graduation portfolio.

The Ministry of Education has taken a more active role in partnership with the Ministry of Health Services in relation to "Action Schools! BC" in order to further develop the existing Grade 4-7 program, and to expand the program to address increased physical activity in Grades K-3.

New Era Commitment: Work with educators and employers to expand job training and skill development opportunities.

Status: Implementation phase

The ministry-developed employability skills standards (based on the Conference Board of Canada skill's list) are included in the Graduation Portfolio¹¹ competencies. In addition, employability-related skills are included in the outcomes of the new Planning 10 course that all students must complete in order to graduate under the new graduation requirements.

Planning 10 also introduces students to a range of career and education/training options, including trades, to encourage more K-12 students to consider trades training as a pathway to a viable and enjoyable career.

In 2004, through deregulation, school boards are able to create more locally developed courses that enable communities and business to come together to develop "skills requirements" that meet the needs of that community. Changes to enable school boards to work with local business, industry and post-secondary institutions have now been implemented.

New Era Commitment: Put more computers in schools and increase resources to improve computer literacy for students.

Status: Ongoing

Plan to Address: The ministry and CIO (Chief Information Officer) continue to explore options to provide surplus government computer equipment to schools by partnering with the Ministry of Management Services, in an effort to change the policy regarding the disposition of government computers.

Also, the province has formed a new buying group that will help school boards save money on computer software and videos used to teach students. Currently, 45 school boards participate in the buying group.

New Era Commitment: Provide teachers with more technology training.

Status: In Progress

Plan to address: Enhanced teacher training is a key component of our ability to expand distance education and other technology-based initiatives, which will enhance learning opportunities and contribute to the overall goal of improved student achievement. Throughout BC, teachers are integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into their teaching practice, and in turn, are providing students with effective and engaging learning opportunities. The ICT Standards Project aims to support the effective and appropriate integration of ICT into teaching and learning by establishing common provincial standards with respect to students' skills and application of ICT, providing a resource to teachers to aid in assessing and reporting student performance using ICT, and providing "snapshots" of students' work that demonstrate a range of performance using ICT. The ministry is partnering with five school districts that will enable the ministry to work with teachers, school districts, other education partners and the private sector in order to fulfill this commitment.

Key Projects in Progress

Project: Improve student performance over four years.

Status: Implementation phase

Continuing Action: Improving student achievement is the number one priority in the ministry and in all parts of the education system. Activities resulting from the ministry's Core Service's Review, approved in November 2001, are focused on the goal of improving student achievement: setting standards, monitoring performance, reporting publicly on performance; funding and governance. The new accountability framework for the education system includes measures that highlight the progress made towards improving student achievement for every school district, including outlining goals and performance targets, describing the strategies used to improve student performance and publicly reporting results.

Project: With the Chief Information Officer, make recommendations for enhancing technological infrastructure in schools.

Status: Implementation phase

Continuing Action: Of the approximately 2,000 PLNet sites (K-12 and college) all but approximately 300 sites are below digital speed. The ministry has committed to upgrade the remaining sites to provide faster connectivity. As of June 2004 up to 154 sites will have upgraded to digital speed, and the remaining PLNet sites will be upgraded by March 2005. The ministry continues to explore other opportunities to enhance technological infrastructure.