Ministry of Education BCSTA Provincial Council Meeting Saturday

Ministry of Education BCSTA Provincial Council Meeting Saturday, October 21, 2006 “The Highway Ahead” Emery Dosdall, Deputy Minister

Heading Down the Highway… Thank You!

From The Throne Speech “The transformational force of knowledge and technology is reinventing our world. The new world is truly a global economy, driven by information, ideas, and discoveries. It is a creative economy, where art and culture are the building blocks of innovation, invention, and understanding. Your government wants to unleash the talent, creativity, and skills of all who live here. Education is the key to that endeavour. ”

Existing Commitments Government will deliver on Throne Speech and platform commitments to support improved student achievement. Consult § Premier and Minister visiting 60 school districts § Continuing the Learning Roundtable § Hosting first annual Teachers’ Congress § Hosting first annual Students’ Congress Support Skilled Trades § Expand programs in trades training and apprenticeships. Support Rural Students § Launching the Virtual School § Hosting a Rural Education Conference Enhance Parental Involvement § Creating a Parent Education Network § Hosting a Parent Congress Modernize Curriculum § Better reflect British Columbia’s history, Aboriginal cultures, resource industries and emerging economic trends. Healthy Schools § Expand Action Schools Program § Increase physical activity Legislative Commitments § Teacher Registry

Great Goals “Making British Columbia the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent”.

Literacy BC has over a million functionally illiterate adults.

Literacy is the answer to a prosperous economy.

Olympic Fever - The Games Have Begun! Economic Growth: Canada British Columbia 2006 2. 7% 3. 4% 2007 2. 9% 3. 4% Construction Costs: 55% increase in the past two years. Annual Funding Grant (AFG) Focus on Skilled Labour and Trades Training.

Achievement is Good, but Stalled Grad rate up, but stalled Increased Student Achievement Increased Accountability for Results Increased School Board Autonomy 2001 Increased Choice Increased Involvement of Parents

Every Child Counts Enough to fill BC Place 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Not Ready for Kindergarten In September, an estimated 8, 800 children started school without the basic skills needed to succeed.

Public Confidence British Columbia ranks lowest in Canada for parent satisfaction.

Our Children’s Health 19. 8% 9. 9% 6. 6% 1978 2004 Overweight 2. 2% 1978 2004 Obese

The World is Changing British Columbia’s education advantage is threatened. China: § The illiteracy rate among young and middleaged Chinese citizens is less than 7% and improving. § Each year, India graduates 215, 000 engineers, computer scientist and information technology specialists. India:

Distributed Learning: The Challenge • Classroom-based education does not provide, in itself, sufficient flexibility to meet the learning needs of all BC students. • Schools in rural communities may have great difficulty offering a range of courses. • As a result, rural students may be denied important educational choices enjoyed by students in urban centres.

Distributed Learning: A Time of Transition…

From the Throne Speech The Virtual School • New options for learning accessible from school or home • Full range of courses enabling students to construct high quality, relevant programs of instruction open for learning at any time, at any pace, and from any place • Free on-line tutoring for secondary students

Student Centered Leadership A progressive management style that: § encourages collaborative decision making § moves more decisions about resource utilization to the school level § focuses on student achievement

Commitments Early Learning Centres § 14 pilots § Contracts with Boards Community Literacy § Success of Literacy Now § Focus on Reading Libraries § Every Child A Card § Virtual Reference – Ask Away

Commitments Healthy Schools § No Junk Food § Action Schools § Physical Fitness Safe Schools § Substance Abuse Trades Training § Shortage of Skilled Labour § Dual Credit § Apprenticeship Programs

Leadership and Succession 32 of 60 Superintendents have been in their current positions for less than 15 months. It is projected that close to 1, 000 principals and vice principals may retire over the next five years. Government established the British Columbia Education Leadership Council, a not-for-profit society, in March 2005 and provided a $5 M grant.

Leadership and Succession BCELC holds its resources in trust on behalf of the entire public education system to prepare leaders for roles in districts and schools. To this point over 250 new and aspiring leaders have benefited from two programs sponsored by BCELC: § CSML – a graduate certificate program in school leadership developed in partnership with UVIC. § A Seminar Series – 12 days of cohort based activity in topics related to school leadership.

Leadership and Succession But…BCELC needs your support and attention. § Support for development of your leaders. § Sharing of district resources in leadership development. § Funding to supplement the finite resources of BCELC. Think about this - $2 per student would provide a revenue stream of over $1 M per year to support leadership development to assist all districts.

Potholes on the Highway Ahead Learning and Working Conditions § Learning Roundtable § Bill 33 § School Fees § Graduation Portfolio § Hibbins Report § Litigation - Hewko Fall Data Collection Teacher involvement in SPCs and the development of school improvement plans

The Highway Ahead Questions?