CHANGES TO THE EDUCATION ACT (BILL

88)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR TEACHERS ?

Delegates Workhop, RTU October 2009

Why was it changed ?

• Low turn out to school board elections

• ADQ’s intention to abolish school boards

• Government’s intention to adopt a “culture of results”: Loi de l’administration publique

Why was it changed ?

• School boards management criticized: Not enough transparency for the public;

Unequal distribution of $$$ MELS sometimes kept in the dark regarding school board operations

What the changes intend to do

• Clarify school board’s mandate• Clarify Council of Commissioners’ mandate

• Include parents as partners• Set up complaints process• Measure and increase rates of success

Elements of Change since July 1, 2009

1. Structure of Accountability: MELS, School Boards & Educational Institutions

2. School Board Commissioners and Committees: New Responsibilities

3. Complaints Mechanism/Student Ombudsman

4. Financial Allocations5. Other Elements

Elements of Change not yet in Effect

1. Changes to the Number of Commissioners

2. Universal Suffrage of the Chair

3. New Role of Chair

New Agreements

1. Partnership Agreements (MELS with school boards)

2. Management and Educational Success Agreements (School boards with educational institutions)

New Rules: Partnership Agreements

• Between MELS and school boards: MELS determines orientations and “measurable targets”

School boards must comply and set out objectives to attain these “measurable targets”

MELS may apply “corrective measures” to make sure targets are respected

New Rules: Partnership Agreements

• Signed contract between MELS and school boards

• MELS orientations and “measurable targets” for:

Languages: Français and English Special Education Healthy Life Style Access to tech. voc. (under 20 years old)

Graduation rate

New Rules: Partnership Agreements

• School boards to adapt their Strategic Plans to MELS orientations

• Strategic Plan to be presented at a public meeting

• All school boards to sign partnership agreement and adapt Strategic Plan by July 2010

New Rules: Partnership Agreements

• Success Plans and School Projects to be modified and in line with school board Strategic Plan

• This will be done during 2009 - 2010.

NEW RULES: Management and Educational Success Agreements

• Contract signed between school board and schools

Set out ways to attain measurable targets for the schools (Partnership Agreement);

Define support and resources needed to attain measurable targets;

Agreement in line with school Success Plan

Implications of Management and Educational Success

Agreements

• Schools/centres will have to hew more closely to the school board’s strategic plan, including the goals and measurable objectives contained therein

• Need to harmonize overall planning between board’s strategic plan, partnership agreement, educational project, success plan and management and educational success agreement

Educational Project

•Education Act, art. 37

Specific aims and objectives of the schoolObjectives for improving student success.

May include actions to promote those aims and objectives and integrate them into the life of the school.

Aims and objectives of the project objectivesdesigned to ensure that the provincial educational policy defined by law, the basic school regulation and the programs of studies established by the Minister are implemented, adapted and enriched.

School Success Plan

The success plan of a school Reflects the strategic plan of the school board

Comprises the measures to be taken based on the aims and objectives of the educational project:

supervision of students methods for evaluating the

implementation of the success plan.

To be reviewed and updated annually, if necessary

Minister’s Plan to Fight Drop-Out Rate

“Hausser le taux de diplomation ou de qualification à 80 % chez les élèves de moins de 20 ans d’ici 2020 exigera que tous les acteurs agissent d’une manière concertée et se sentent unis par une obligation de résultats. De plus, il y aura une cible pour chaque commission scolaire et pour les écoles les plus à risque.”

L’école, j’y tiens: Tous ensemble pour la réussite scolaire, MELS, 2009, p. 7

Minister’s Plan to Fight Drop-Out Rate

“Le Ministère conviendra avec les commissions scolaires d’objectifs mesurables à l’égard de la persévérance et de la réussite scolaires. Elles rendront compte publiquement des résultats. Les objectifs qui seront établis pour chaque commission scolaire correspondront à la contribution exigée de chacune d’elles pour que soit atteint un taux de diplomation de 80% en 2020.”

L’école, j’y tiens: Tous ensemble pour la réussite scolaire, MELS, 2009, p. 17

Impact on School Personnel

• Staff must be consulted on the management and educational success agreement

• The governing board must approve (not adopt) a draft version of the agreement after the staff consultation

• The governing board will have to ensure that the draft version of the agreement properly accounts for the educational project and success plan

Where can Teachers have input ?

• Board Strategic Plan Public consultation (Union is consulted)

• Education Plan Direct teacher participation via School Council

• School Success Plan Direct teacher participation via School Council

• School Success Agreement Teacher consultation on draft (projet de convention de gestion)

School/Centre Strategic Planning

Prior to Bill 88

AnalysisOf the school situation

Student needs, issues related to success, local expectations

School Board Strategic Plan

Orientations and objectives

Educational ProjectImplement school mission :

Instruct, socialize and qualify

OrientationsOf the school

ObjectivesTo improve student success

The educational project is implemented through the

Success Plan

MeansDepending on the orientations

and objectives of the educational project

School/Centre Strategic Planning

After Bill 88

AnalysisOf the school’s situation

Student needs, issues related to success, local expectations

Educational ProjectImplement school mission : Instruct, socialize and qualify

Success plan

OrientationsOf the school

ObjectivesTo improve student success

MeansDepending on the orientations

and objectives of the educational project

The educational project is implemented through the

PartnershipAgreement

Orientations, goals and measurable objectives

Management and

Educational Success

Agreement

Measures needed to ensure that the goals and measurable objectives included in the

partnership agreement are reached

School Board

Strategic Plan

Orientations, goals and measurable objectives

New Rule: Student Ombudsman

• School Board sets up process to handle complaints from parents or students

• If not satisfied with results, they are referred to a school board appointed Student Ombudsman

• SO can’t be board employee or CC member.

Complaints Mechanism

• Article 220.2: Each school board must establish a procedure to examine complaints coming from students or their parents

• If a student or parent is dissatisfied with how a complaint is handled, they must be able to appeal to the Student Ombudsman

Responsibilities of the Ombudsman

• Must give council of commissioners an opinion on merits of a complaint within 30 days and recommend any correctives he/she deems appropriate

• Must produce an annual report for the school board regarding the complaints received, their nature, his/her recommendations and actions taken

Limitations of the Ombudsman

• Must cease to examine any complaint which has already been filed to the Minister under article 26 of the Education Act (serious fault, acts derogatory to the profession of teaching)

• Must respect provisions of regulation imposed by the Minister (Art. 457.3) regarding the complaints mechanism

New Rule: Student Ombudsman

• Does not handle complaints filed with regards to art. 26 of Education Act: Any natural person may file a complaint with the Minister against a teacher for a serious fault committed in the exercise of his functions or for an act derogatory to the honour or dignity of the teaching profession.

• Files an annual report to the CC

New Rule: Transparency

• School Boards to make annual report in a public meeting:

Update on Strategic Plan; Update on results of “measurable targets” determined by MELS;

• MELS may impose “corrective measures” on School Boards that don’t reach their targets.

• Less autonomy for schools.

New Rules - Mandate of the Council of Commissioners

• Insure quality of educational services delivered by the school board

• Insure efficient management of school board

• May mandate a commissioner to attend Governing Board meetings

New Rules - Composition of Council of Commissioners

• Composition of Council of Commissioners: 8 to 18 members elected (districts) Chair, elected by general population

3 parents from Parents Committees 2 “Coopted” members from the community: voted by 2/3 of the CC: community social, cultural or business representatives

New Rules - Council of Commissioners Committees

• CC mandates 3 committees: Ethics and governance Verification Human Resources Plus:

• Other committees to study any particular question mandated by Chair

NEW RULES - Chair - Council of Commissioners

• Chair of the CC: Watchdog for the quality of services delivered in the school board

Can mandate the CC to gather information on any particular question/matter.

New Rule: Governing Boards

• Approve Management and Educational Success Agreement, following staff consultation

• Ensure MESA is in line with school board’s Strategic Plan and school’s Success Plan

• Accept the presence of Commissioner at GB meetings, if mandated by CC

Timeline

• School board strategic plan and partnership agreement - Fall 2009-February 2010

• Institution educational project, success plan, management and educational success agreement – Spring 2010

• Complaints mechanism – Dependent upon final version of regulation – 2009-2010 school year

Summary

• MELS defines measurable outcomes• School boards approve Strategic plan in line with outcomes - Sign Partnership Agreements with MELS

• Governing boards approve school Success Plan in line with outcomes - Sign Management and Educational Success Agreement with board

Financial Allocations

• School surpluses must be transferred to the school board at the end of each fiscal year

• Schools may keep surpluses if the Management and Educational Success Agreement so provides

What next?

• QPAT Update of booklet for Governing Boards Response to regulation on student ombudsman

Documentation for teachers Follow up on new elements not yet implemented and how they will fit in with changes to the Election Act once these are proposed

What next? (cont.)

• Teachers Participation in updating of educational project and success plan

Respond to consultation on management and educational success agreement

What next? (cont.)

• Governing board members Adopt the educational project Approve the success plan and draft version of the management and educational success agreement

Ensure that the strategic planning is consistent