An Act to Modify the Organization and Governance of School Boards To
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Projet de loi 86 Loi modifiant l’organisation et la gouvernance des commissions scolaires en vue de rapprocher l’école des lieux de décision et d’assurer la présence des parents au sein de l’instance décisionnelle de la commission scolaire FAITS SAILLANTS Draft Bill 86 An Act to modify the organization and governance of school boards to give schools a greater say in decision‐making and ensure parents’ presence within each school board’s decision‐making body HIGHLIGHTS Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • Disappearance of: • Act respecting School Elections • Council of Commissioners (15 days after adoption of Bill 86-possible adoption next spring) • Executive Committee • School Council replaces Council of Commissioners Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • Provisional School Council (15 days after Bill 86 is adopted until October 31st 2016) • Parent commissioners currently on Council of Commissioners • Chairman of the Parents’ Committee or a member of the Parents’ Committee • Two School Principals/Centre Directors (elected by their peers) • Director General • The Chairman of the Provisional School Council will be elected by the members from among all of the voting members. • All members have the right to vote (except DG) Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • School Council (November 1, 2016 - …) • The School Council will be made up of 16 members plus the Director General. • Number of members is the same for all school boards. Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • School Council • Six parents, at least one of whom has a child with special needs (elected by Parents’ Committee)-previously members of a governing board or of a school board committee or council for at least one year (with the exception of the parent with a special needs child). • Two School Principals or Centre directors (elected by their peers) • One teacher (elected by her/his peers) • One non-teaching professional (elected by her/his peers) • Six community representatives, four of whom are from the following sectors*: health or sports, culture or communications, employment, municipal • Director General *If designated by Parents’ Committee Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • Community representatives (6) • elected by the community following a consultation of parents of students attending the school board (if 15%* are in favour). • No specific sectors • Or may be designated by the Parents’ Committee following a public call for candidates* (interested persons must be supported by a body or organization) • sports or health; • culture or communications; • employment; • municipal • 2 others at large (need to be domiciled in the territory of the SB) * not need to be domiciled in the territory of the school board but they must serve SB territory Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • The following persons may not be members of a school council: • (1) Members of the National Assembly; • (2) Members of the Parliament of Canada; • (3) judges or justices of any court of justice; • (4) public servants of the MEESR or public servants of any other department assigned to the MEESR on a permanent basis; • (5) school board employees, except to hold the seats reserved for them; • (6) employees of the Comité de gestion de la taxe scolaire de l’île de Montréal, with respect to a school council of any school board on the island of Montréal; • (7) directors (administrators) of an association of employees or an association of management personnel that represents school board employees; • (8) persons under 18 years of age; • (9) persons who are not Canadian citizens; • (10) persons on whom a term of imprisonment has been imposed, for the duration of the term. In addition, a person may not be a member of more than one school council.” Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • The Chairman of the School Council will be elected by the members from among the parents or the community representatives. (It shall then appoint the vice-chair, who must be chosen from among the members holding a seat reserved for persons from the community if the chair holds a seat reserved for parents, and vice versa.) •All members have the right to vote except the Director General •Their term of office is 3 years • The quorum at school council meetings is both the majority of its members and the majority of parents and community representatives Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec School Governance • The term of office of a member of a governing board, the parents’ committee, the advisory committee on services for handicapped students and students with social maladjustments (SEAC) or learning disabilities, or the advisory committee on transportation shall end on the date the member takes office if the member is elected to the school council, except if his membership on the board or committee is based on his status as a school council member. • Members of the School Council will not be remunerated but will receive an attendance allowance as well as reimbursement for expenses (as determined by the government). Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Governing Boards • The functions and powers of the governing board are clarified in the educational project as well as in the operation of the school. • The governing board now has the power to adopt rather than approve topics such as the Anti Bullying-Anti Violence plan; rules of conduct; subject/time allocation, school supplies lists, etc. (Adopt = has the power to make changes Approve = accepts or rejects the document as presented) Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Governing Boards • The governing board may now advise the school board on the school principal’s work performance for the purpose of his annual evaluation. • The governing board shall appoint a member, other than a student or an employee, to participate in the selection of the school principal. • The school council and governing boards must receive training on governance, ethics and financial management. • A substitute member may, for each category of members, be appointed or elected Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Delegation of Powers to the Governing Board • The school council may also delegate certain functions and powers to a governing board or to the resource allocation committee established in accordance with section 197.1. (art 51, Bill 86) Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Role of Schools • The mission of school boards will be focused on providing support to schools. • Schools will play a central role in the progress of students. • Teachers are recognized as key pedagogical experts.(art 3) • The powers of the governing board are defined in terms of its contribution to developing the educational project and the operation of the school. Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Reporting Tools • Elimination of: Partnership Agreement between the Board and the MEESR Management and Educational Success Agreements between the Board and its schools School Success Plans The Board’s Strategic Plan (replaced by the Board’s Commitment-to-Success plan) However, these tools are extended until June 30, 2017, with necessary modifications (art 195) Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Reporting Tools • Maintained (4): School Board’s Annual Report School’s Annual Report Educational Project (schools and centres) School Board’s Commitment-to-Success Plan (July, 1rst, 2017) Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Educational Project • The school shall pursue its mission within the framework of an educational project. (art 4) • Some of the elements come from the Success Plan. (Content is defined in art 5). • The first Educational Project will take effect on July 1, 2018,one year after the Board’s new commitment-to-success plan. • The school’s educational project must respect students’, parents’ and school staff’s freedom of conscience and of religion. Secrétaires généraux des commissions scolaires anglophones du Québec Secretaries General of English School Boards of Quebec Educational Project • The governing board now sends the Educational Project and any evaluation of the project directly to the school staff and parents. • The school board is responsible for making the Educational Projects of its schools