2005 ANNUAL REPORT partnering from the beginning... it is never too early The Learning Partnership is a national not-for-profit organization that partners business, education, government, labour, policy makers and the community to strengthen public education in Canada. TLP accomplishes this by delivering innovative programs, credible research, and policy initiatives while engaging the public in meaningful dialogues. Since 1993, more than three million students and teachers across Canada have participated in one or more TLP programs. CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA A Message From The Chair Peter T. McInenly, Q.C. “Vision without action is merely a dream. what the future may hold for them; that championing Action without vision merely passes the time. public education must be about transforming values Vision with action can change the world.” into actions, visions into realities, separateness into Joel Arthur Barker solidarity and risks into rewards. TLP also knows that shared learning will always bring about the best results and enable many others to succeed. At the outset, The Learning Partnership (TLP) was organized to address student and community needs Working closely with our primary partners, Canada’s in public education, almost exclusively, in the Greater educators, TLP has sought to take full advantage of Toronto Area. Recognizing that those same concerns what it has learned, and to develop and implement are also present in most parts of Canada, TLP has additional new programs in other parts of Canada always had an interest to respond by extending some such as Welcome to KindergartenTM and Canada’s TM of its key initiatives, like Take Our Kids to WorkTM, Outstanding Principals , and to increase coverage in into other communities on a case by case basis. others such as Entrepreneurial Adventure (now active in four cities in Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia), But it has only been in the past three or four years Change Your Future and I3 – Investigate! Invent! that TLP has actually been able to develop and to Innovate (now active in Alberta and Ontario). put in place specific strategies to enable it to “go national” and establish a presence on a more Each program offers unique opportunities for our consistent basis. During this time, Veronica Lacey and children and teachers to grow and develop to their her team of experts have worked tirelessly to identify full potential; confident in the knowledge that there opportunities, engage supporters and solicit are parents, teachers, business people, labour resources. And I am pleased to report that TLP now groups, political leaders and many others standing has staff members resident in seven provinces to together in Canada’s public education system, to support a wide range of TLP inspired initiatives in ensure that their efforts are supported and programming, policy and research. recognized. TLP Progress Reports on the Quality of Public TLP acknowledges and applauds all of these people, Education in Canada are now routinely made who we are proud to have as our “partners”, and available throughout the country. Roundtables on without whom our system of public education could subjects such as governance and children at risk have not exist. It is their commitment and support that sparked considerable regional and national interest has become the cornerstone to our national strategy at all levels and have served to promote serious and to our reputation as a true champion of public public dialogue. education in Canada. In doing so, TLP has operated entirely on the basis that initiatives in education, wherever they are started and the lessons learned through their launch, could be applied to new initiatives elsewhere. TLP believes that children are our most precious resource; that getting a Peter T. McInenly, Q.C. proper start with children and parents often dictates Chair, Board of Directors THE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP – 2005 ANNUAL REPORT 1 A Message From The President Veronica Lacey As the champions for public education, we at The benefit their community. Groundwork done in 2005 Learning Partnership want to ensure that every will see Entrepreneurial Adventure programs in student strives for their own personal excellence and Calgary and Ottawa more than double in size and is ready for the opportunities that await them. will see the start of a pilot program in Halifax. 2005 was a testimonial that we are achieving this I3- Investigate! Invent! Innovate! which combines goal. Working with you our partners – from science, math and technology with entrepreneurship, educators to corporations, labour to communities now serves students in Alberta. and families to governments, The Learning Partnership achieved new heights. We expanded Canada’s Outstanding Principals, into its second year, across Canada. We increased the number of is moving towards the establishment of a virtual programs now being offered from coast to coast – national academy that will bring the best together to and we also now have staff located in those share ideas, provide support and work to ensure communities where our programs are taking place. quality education for students across Canada. Response among the honourees has been For the past 12 years, we have been developing overwhelmingly positive. innovative programs, delivering quality research initiatives and engaging Canadians in public policy Our policy and research work has spurred an discussions which will ultimately strengthen our important national discussion about kids at risk. public education system. Following up on earlier efforts, the National Roundtable on Students at Risk held in January 2005 One of our newest programs Welcome to has resulted in a dialogue among more than 150 Kindergarten, for instance, has taken off, expanding people from education, social services, health, into Alberta, British Columbia and New Brunswick. In justice, business, labour and the community at large 2004, as a pilot initiative, 1,200 children and their to identify strategies to help youth at risk complete families enrolled in the program. By 2006, it will high school. reach 12,000 participants and we are expecting that number to increase to 20,000. We’re also working There is tremendous potential for partnerships and with francophone and aboriginal communities to for making Canadian public education what every provide even wider access. The program’s quick child deserves: the best in the world. acceptance and success comes because it hits the mark in responding to the very significant need to Our public education system is one of the great start support for children and parents in early literacy legacies of this country. We must honour it and before starting school. continue our investment in it. In 2005, we did just that. We thank you for your partnerships and for Two of our more established programs your belief in The Learning Partnership. Entrepreneurial Adventure (EA) and I3 – Investigate! Invent! Innovate! have also seen significant expansion. Launched in Toronto 10 years ago, EA encourages students from Kindergarten to those in Veronica Lacey secondary school to create business ventures that President and Chief Executive Officer 2 CHAMPIONS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS CANADA FUNDING Through its many development activities, The Learning Partnership realized more than $3.7 million in cash and donations in kind in 2005. The total revenue includes $2,692,735 of project funding and $1,026,826 in contributions to the operating fund. Project Funding Sources Operating Funding Sources $2,692,735 $1,026,826 Total Funding Sources Copies of the audited financial statements may be obtained on request through The Learning Partnership at (416) 481-0799. THE LEARNING PARTNERSHIP – 2005 ANNUAL REPORT 3 POLICY AND RESEARCH 11,000 parents, educators, business and political leaders TLP’s Policy and Research Department was established to strengthen the organization’s role as the national voice for public education in the areas of educational research and policy development and to enhance the awareness of Canadians regarding public education issues. Policy and Research Advisory Council Designed to translate the success of the partnership concept to policies that can help improve public education on a national scale, the council’s members include parents, academia, business, labour and education representatives. The council is a non- Delegates at the National Round Table at Students at Risk partisan forum through which members voice their goals and policy recommendations and provide “Demographic changes taking place in Canada today advice on the major issues that drive the education will have vast implications for our education systems; debate. therefore, warrant broad national discussion. The Learning Partnership’s new study and public National Roundtable on Students at Risk engagement process will make a significant With the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, contribution to that vital dialogue.” The Learning Partnership organized a National Roundtable on Students at Risk for senior policy decision-makers from across the country. The one- day event and culminating dinner in January 2005 has spawned a national dialogue. More than 150 leaders are now involved in identifying strategies to move from good practices to good policies for helping youth at risk complete high school. The work is continuing into 2006. The effort began with a series of Progress Reports on the Quality of Public Education in Canada focussing on the topics, “Measuring Success” (2003) and “Students