Ministry of Education BCSTA Provincial Council Saturday, February 16, 2008 James Gorman, Deputy Minister

Overview 1.Government’s Priorities for Education 2.Our Partnership 3.Key Initiatives 4.Strengthening our Capacity 1.Government’s Priorities for Education 2.Our Partnership 3.Key Initiatives 4.Strengthening our Capacity

1. Priorities: The First Wave  Achievement  Accountability  Autonomy  Choice  Parental Involvement  Building Relationships with Aboriginal Communities  Achievement  Accountability  Autonomy  Choice  Parental Involvement  Building Relationships with Aboriginal Communities

Priorities: The Next Wave Focus on Achievement….. Expanded Mandate  Early Learning  Literacy & Life-long Learning  Closing the Gap  Education Guarantee  Healthy Living  Safe Schools  Climate Change Focus on Achievement….. Expanded Mandate  Early Learning  Literacy & Life-long Learning  Closing the Gap  Education Guarantee  Healthy Living  Safe Schools  Climate Change

Priorities: Throne Speech Early Learning  400 StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres by 2010  New Early Learning Agency  Assess the feasibility and costs of full day kindergarten for 5 year olds  Choice of day-long kindergarten for 4 year olds by 2010 and for 3 year olds by 2012 Healthy Living  “Walking School Bus” Program  “Bicycle Train” Program  Expanding the Fruit and Vegetable Program  Ban the use of trans fats in food preparation by 2010 New Leadership Certificate Program for Teachers New Centre for Autism Education and Research  Residential environment for children with autism  National hub for research and a centre for parent supports Early Learning  400 StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres by 2010  New Early Learning Agency  Assess the feasibility and costs of full day kindergarten for 5 year olds  Choice of day-long kindergarten for 4 year olds by 2010 and for 3 year olds by 2012 Healthy Living  “Walking School Bus” Program  “Bicycle Train” Program  Expanding the Fruit and Vegetable Program  Ban the use of trans fats in food preparation by 2010 New Leadership Certificate Program for Teachers New Centre for Autism Education and Research  Residential environment for children with autism  National hub for research and a centre for parent supports

2. Our Partnership The Ministry of Education  Articulates and Integrates Government’s Priorities  Focus on Achievement Expanded Mandate for Boards of Education  Facilitate and work in partnership with community agencies and business  Superintendents and Boards are responsible for improving student achievement Our co-governance framework is strong and effectively enables us to deliver on our priorities. The Ministry of Education  Articulates and Integrates Government’s Priorities  Focus on Achievement Expanded Mandate for Boards of Education  Facilitate and work in partnership with community agencies and business  Superintendents and Boards are responsible for improving student achievement Our co-governance framework is strong and effectively enables us to deliver on our priorities.

Our Partnership: Guiding Principles  Transparency  Trust  Predictability  Openness  Consultation and Collaboration  Transparency  Trust  Predictability  Openness  Consultation and Collaboration

3. Initiatives: Early Learning StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres  85 this year - with sustainable funding  Further expansion for September 2008  Up to 400 centres by 2010  Outreach model being piloted Ready, Set Learn  1103 elementary schools participating  Over 20,000 children and their families participating Early Learning Network  First meeting last fall; next meeting – March 7, 2008 StrongStart BC Early Learning Centres  85 this year - with sustainable funding  Further expansion for September 2008  Up to 400 centres by 2010  Outreach model being piloted Ready, Set Learn  1103 elementary schools participating  Over 20,000 children and their families participating Early Learning Network  First meeting last fall; next meeting – March 7, 2008

Initiatives: District Literacy Plans  Support and promote existing community planning processes and plans  Promote shared leadership, implementation and sustainability  District Literacy Plans link to and support the 4 Pillars of ReadNow BC  Regional District Literacy Plan Forums have been conducted throughout the province  Provincial DLP Forum conducted January 31,2008  A DLP Planning Guide has been provided to all district to assist with development and implementation.  Support and promote existing community planning processes and plans  Promote shared leadership, implementation and sustainability  District Literacy Plans link to and support the 4 Pillars of ReadNow BC  Regional District Literacy Plan Forums have been conducted throughout the province  Provincial DLP Forum conducted January 31,2008  A DLP Planning Guide has been provided to all district to assist with development and implementation.

Initiatives: Literacy & Life-long Learning Superintendent of Literacy & Life-long Learning District Literacy Plan Implementation Work with Literacy Partners to integrate early, k-12, and adult literacy initiatives Work with Superintendents Of Achievement & Liaison Provide liaison between Partnerships & Planning Division and Achievement Division Link Achievement Contracts with DLPs and assist school districts to see connections Work with partners to establish an Authentic Accountability Framework Provide input to ReadNow BC Enhance Literacy Learning in K-12 system

Initiatives: Education Guarantee Free Adult Education  LearnNow BC (July 2007)  All Courses  Colleges (January 2008)  Ten Course Categories  Boards of Education (September 2008)  Ten Course Categories Free Adult Education  LearnNow BC (July 2007)  All Courses  Colleges (January 2008)  Ten Course Categories  Boards of Education (September 2008)  Ten Course Categories

Initiatives: Closing the Gap The First Nations Education Act: Enables K-12 First Nations Education  Graduation certificates  Teacher certification  School certification  Curriculum and exam standards;  First Peoples English 12  Other courses to follow Ongoing Enhancement Agreements  36 signed agreements to date The First Nations Education Act: Enables K-12 First Nations Education  Graduation certificates  Teacher certification  School certification  Curriculum and exam standards;  First Peoples English 12  Other courses to follow Ongoing Enhancement Agreements  36 signed agreements to date

Initiatives: Healthy Living Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools (2007)  Eliminate Not Recommended and Choose Least options  Elementary schools – Jan 2008  Middle/Secondary schools – Sept 2008  Adopt stricter criteria for fat, salt and sugar in the Choose Most and Choose Sometimes categories  Ban the use of trans fats in food preparation by BC Healthy Living Alliance’s (BCHLA) School Food Guidelines Support Initiative  Healthy Fundraising for Schools resource  DASH, the Directorate of Agencies for School Health, has recently produced a resource to support healthy fundraising in schools. Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools (2007)  Eliminate Not Recommended and Choose Least options  Elementary schools – Jan 2008  Middle/Secondary schools – Sept 2008  Adopt stricter criteria for fat, salt and sugar in the Choose Most and Choose Sometimes categories  Ban the use of trans fats in food preparation by BC Healthy Living Alliance’s (BCHLA) School Food Guidelines Support Initiative  Healthy Fundraising for Schools resource  DASH, the Directorate of Agencies for School Health, has recently produced a resource to support healthy fundraising in schools.

Initiatives: Healthy Living Daily Physical Activity (DPA)  In January 2008, 13 Early Leader Schools began to implement DPA in advance of full system implementation.  The Ministry is working with the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association and they will be selecting sites to develop and pilot programs to assist grade 10 – 12 students to meet their daily physical activity requirements.  A number of resources are being developed to support students, teachers and administrators in the implementation of DPA. Daily Physical Activity (DPA)  In January 2008, 13 Early Leader Schools began to implement DPA in advance of full system implementation.  The Ministry is working with the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association and they will be selecting sites to develop and pilot programs to assist grade 10 – 12 students to meet their daily physical activity requirements.  A number of resources are being developed to support students, teachers and administrators in the implementation of DPA.

Initiatives: Safe Schools Safe Schools - A top priority:  February 27th Anti-Bullying Day  New standards for codes of conduct for all B.C. schools  Companion Guide to help school districts address standards  Revision of safe schools resources underway  Superintendents of Achievement will monitor progress in schools. Safe Schools - A top priority:  February 27th Anti-Bullying Day  New standards for codes of conduct for all B.C. schools  Companion Guide to help school districts address standards  Revision of safe schools resources underway  Superintendents of Achievement will monitor progress in schools.

1.Measuring your emissions 2.Reducing your emissions as much as possible 3.Offsetting remaining emissions Initiatives: Climate Change

4. Our Capacity to Deliver Our People  Our “brand”  “Segmenting” our workforce  Investing in data – you can’t manage what you don’t measure  Recruitment and Retention Strategies Training – Investing in Leadership  What are your District’s needs?  How are you investing? Compensation  Compression issues  Incenting high performers Our People  Our “brand”  “Segmenting” our workforce  Investing in data – you can’t manage what you don’t measure  Recruitment and Retention Strategies Training – Investing in Leadership  What are your District’s needs?  How are you investing? Compensation  Compression issues  Incenting high performers

Capacity: Identify Opportunities to Streamline Accountability regimes are typically cumulative. Together we gather information to:  Inform our decisions  Improve outcomes for learners  Effectively manage resources  Meet our legislated accountabilities What are our opportunities to streamline?  What do we collectively gather that we don’t require for these purposes? Accountability regimes are typically cumulative. Together we gather information to:  Inform our decisions  Improve outcomes for learners  Effectively manage resources  Meet our legislated accountabilities What are our opportunities to streamline?  What do we collectively gather that we don’t require for these purposes?

Capacity Building: Superintendents of Achievement  Plan to visit each district by June  Engage in focused discussions on the Superintendent’s Report on Achievement  Work with districts to support their capacity building needs  Plan to visit each district by June  Engage in focused discussions on the Superintendent’s Report on Achievement  Work with districts to support their capacity building needs

Questions