School District 58 wants to delay Royal Assent for Bill 11— the Education Statuses Amendment Act.
The board is sending a letter to Minister of Education Peter Fassbender that calls for the establishment of a task force to oversee the regulations and policy that will come from Bill 11, delaying Royal Assent until these directives are co-developed with school boards and their intent is fully explained.
The letter stated the local school board is concerned there was no advance consultation from government on Bill 11, and points out that the legislation seems to give the Minister of Education more control over local school boards at their expense and the expense of local communities.
Last month, the B.C. School Trustee Association passed a resolution calling for the government to withdraw the section of Bill 11 that overrides the authority of democratically elected school boards.
Introduced by the Education Ministry back in March, Bill 11 aims to improve accountability, facilitate shared service and build a framework for professional development, a news release from the provincial government stated.
By amending the Teachers Act, this legislation gives the Minister of Education the authority to build a framework surrounding teachers’ professional development.
SD58’s letter stated that local boards of education should be consulted on teacher professional development, and should have some control over that in consultation with their local union.
The legislation also amends the School Act to facilitate shared service agreements between school districts or with other public sectors. It also gives the Minister of Education the authority to require boards to participate in specific service delivery arrangements.
Other amendments to the School Act allow the ministry to disclose and use student data to improve the K-12 school system.
Amendments to this act also intend to create targeted approaches to student learning that is co-constructed between school boards and the provincial government, the news release stated.
SD58’s letter also addresses a desire from the school district to lift a pay freeze and give a raise to excluded management such as principals, McNiven said.
