2004 ANNUAL REPORT CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR TheS Choices We Make trolling along the edge of the sea, a man catches sight of a young woman who appears to be engaged in a ritual dance. She stoops down, then straightens to her full height, casting her arm out in an arc. Drawing closer, he sees that the beach around her is littered with starfish and she is throwing them one by one into the sea. He lightly mocks her: “There are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see, for miles up the beach. What difference can saving a few of them possibly make?” Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying, “It certainly makes a difference to this one.” And so it is with The Learning Partnership. Looking out across the “beach” of pub- lic education, we see a long list of issues and needs from which we must choose in order that we might try to make a difference. Each year, “one by one,” we do just Our Vision that; we make choices, develop plans and allocate resources to support new initiatives A strong public education system while sustaining others. In the past year alone, The Learning Partnership did make a difference for more than 740,000 students and teachers across Canada. valued by all Canadians and Were it otherwise, would not the Annual Progress Report on Public Education, Teacher eLearning, Canada’s Outstanding Principals™ and the Welcome to recognized as the cornerstone Kindergarten programs, to name but a few, still be on the “beach” with all the of a civil, prosperous and other “starfish”? With up to 30 per cent of our students at risk of dropping out of school, we cannot do less and, really, we must figure out how we can do more in democratic society. 2005 and beyond. We again gratefully acknowledge the professionalism and commitment of our staff, the longstanding support of our many friends and sponsors and the unwavering dedication of our President and CEO Veronica Lacey and the members of our Board of Directors. Without their efforts, we most likely would not even have a “beach”! Peter T. McInenly, Q.C. Chair, Board of Directors 2004 ANNUAL REPORT» 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Our Mission To champion a strong public education system through innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives and public dialogue. 2004 was a year of positive engagement for Our flagship program, Take Our Kids to Work™ celebrated its The Learning Partnership as we entered our second decade. 10th anniversary in 2004, having become an expected part of Ten years of championing public education in Canada has the school year for many grade 9 teachers and students given us the experience and standing to delve deeper into across Canada. Although the premise has not changed over more issues of importance. the years, the focus and supports around the program have. During two summits in 2004, we brought together more As an organization, we have worked with parents, students, than 500 people to talk about education governance. As teachers and employers to ensure the program remains rele- Bernard Shapiro, Principal and Vice Chancellor Emeritus, vant and serves those who have come to depend on it. Faculty of Education, McGill University, put it so eloquently, With representatives now in Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary, “Good governance is, naturally, scarcely noticeable, but bad we are ensuring better access to the wealth of resources we governance not only grates our sensibility, it also stifles and have to offer and providing another means of tapping com- suffocates initiative, thereby undermining the enormous public munity interest in public education. In 2005, we will continue investment in education.” building partnerships across the country including expanding We took that on in our deliberations. Reflecting our own the Technology Innovation Awards: The Faces of Innovation to accept partnership approach, key stakeholders from business, labour, nominations from across Canada. non-profit organizations, education and government were Our engaging programs, our significant policy work and our asked for their views. They whole-heartedly joined in and took outreach to Canada’s diverse communities individually have a a hard look at the system and how it can be made better. The significant impact and are valuable in their own right. Taken paper, Future Directions in Education Governance: Reflections of the together, they are a force of positive change and help ensure Summits 2004, is serving as a catalyst for further discussions in the continuation of a strong public education system in many arenas across the country. Canada. We sincerely thank our friends and supporters who Our latest Progress Report on the Quality of Public Education in join us in this important national effort. Canada focused on students at risk of failing high school. That paper too is spurring discourse on the factors that influence risk and local initiatives that have sought to reduce that risk. While many of our programs have contributed over the years to keeping young people in school, these policy discussions will help to facilitate a fuller understanding among more Canadians of the nature of the problem and its effect on the Veronica Lacey greater public good. President and Chief Executive Officer 2 » CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA FUNDING schools, school boards and educational institutions ($422,882 The Learning Partnership realized approximately $3.4 at 13%); foundations ($225,000 at 7%) as well as other million in cash and donations in kind in 2004, through a sources such as community contributions and interest income range of fundraising activities. The total revenue is represent- ($104,455 at 3%). ed by $2,244,609 of project funding and $1,145,579 contribu- Non-cash support, or gifts in kind, of $152,424 are included tions to the operating fund. in corporate revenue above. Overall, funding was derived from the corporate sector If you would like a copy of the audited financial statements, ($1,524,752 at 45%); government grants ($1,113,099 at 33%); please call The Learning Partnership at 416-481-0799. Project Funding Sources ■ Educational Institutions 171,032 8% ■ Corporate 801,902 36% ■ Foundations 195,000 9% ■ Government 1,056,499 47% ■ Community 18,190 1% ■ Other 1,987 0% 2,2244,609 100% Operating Funding Sources ■ Educational Institutions 251,850 22% ■ Corporate 722,850 63% ■ Foundations 30,000 3% ■ Government 56,600 5% ■ Community 23,6447 2% ■ Other 60,634 5% 1,145,578 100% Total Educational Institutions 422,882 12.5% Corporate 1,524,752 45.0% Foundations 225,000 6.6% Government 1,113,099 32.8% Community 41,834 1.2% Other 62,621 1.8% 2,2244,609 100% 2004 ANNUAL REPORT» 3 POLICY & RESEARCH Policy and Research at TLP of the many participants as well as the guidance of a steering TLP’s Policy and Research Department strengthens the orga- committee of 30 education stakeholders. It identifies impor- nization’s role as the national voice for public education in tant issues and provides a framework for improving education the areas of educational research and policy development and governance in the province. The paper concludes that good enhances the awareness of Canadians regarding public educa- governance is essential in order to sustain a strong public edu- tion issues. cation system and it makes recommendations for improve- ment. Among them are a call for greater responsibility among The Policy and Research Advisory Council educators and a stronger focus on student achievement. In cir- The Policy and Research Advisory Council translates the culation across Canada, the paper stresses the importance of success of the partnership concept to policies that can help local decision-making and the need to create conditions for improve public education on a national scale. Co-chaired by innovation that keep pace with the global knowledge economy. Don Drummond, Chief Economist for TD Bank, and Jane Progress Report on the Quality of Public Gaskell, Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, the Council’s 32 members Education in Canada represent all facets of the education community including Students at Risk is the subject of TLP’s second Progress parents, academia, business, labour and education. Report on the Quality of Public Education in Canada. Through this non-partisan forum, members voice their goals Based on a research paper prepared for TLP by Dr. Ben Levin, and policy recommendations and provide advice on major an international authority on the subject and now Ontario’s education issues. The Council pursues its goals through Deputy Minister of Education, the report focuses on the phe- summits, conferences, roundtables, research studies and nomenon of students at risk of failing high school with an publications. aim to facilitating greater understanding among Canadians of the nature of the problem. It outlines the factors that influ- Governance Summits ence risk and identifies school and community initiatives that TLP held two consultative Summits on Education have sought to reduce risk. The report concludes with a series Governance in Ontario in 2004. More than 500 people, of recommendations for educators and the community at including leaders of education, government, business, labour large, suggesting that with a sustained, concerted effort, and non-profit organizations from across Canada provided progress in this area is possible. wide-ranging views on governance. Summit I marked the first The report has been distributed to more than 10,000 edu- time that Ontario’s community of education stakeholders had cation, business and political leaders and parents throughout assembled on such a scale to identify critical issues and next the country.