High Standards

What students know and what they are expected to learn with respect to knowledge and competencies is reflected in a strong core curriculum. Student performance with respect to provincial standards will be key to moving forward. Student progress will be reported to parents in a more meaningful, effective and consistent manner across the province, enabling parents to play a key role in shaping their children’s education.

Action Items
  • We will ensure our standards remain relevant and robust so that every graduate has every advantage to succeed in life.
  • We will build on basic core curriculum skills but also make sure that students are well-versed in the competencies they need to succeed, like critical thinking and teamwork.
  • All assessment activities, whether province-wide or classroom-based, will support ongoing student learning. Our provincial assessment programs will be reviewed to ensure they focus on key competencies and critical skills and knowledge. Classroom assessment tools, including performance standards and other assessment support material, will be developed with educators.
  • Effective intervention strategies and supports will be available to teachers, students and parents to more quickly identify students who are struggling and to address their specific needs.
Initiatives

Graduation Requirements

Topic Description

This fall (September-December 2012) we will be meeting with the public to review BC’s graduation requirements.

Actions Being Taken

Planning
An initial meeting was held in August with the Ministry of Education and education partners to review the current graduation program and to plan the fall consultation sessions. See these documents for more details:

Regional Graduation Consultation Sessions

  • Consultation sessions around the graduation program are being held across the province this fall. These sessions are expected to include a mix of parents, teachers, students, educational administrators, community members, business and trades people, post-secondary representatives, and others.
  • These sessions will provide ideas that may influence any changes we make to the current graduation program.
  • Here is the schedule of the sessions, if you’d like to attend:
    Graduation Requirements: Schedule of Regional Consultations

If you’d like more information on the graduation program please contact educ.gradstandards@gov.bc.ca.

Progress to Date

Last updated October 5, 2012

Timeline

By December 2012, we hope to have completed the regional public consultation sessions and a response draft for discussion, but we will extend the timelines if required due to participation demands.

Reporting & Report Cards

Topic Description

Design, pilot and implement student plan and standards-based report cards that are aligned with new curriculum, competencies and performance standards.

Actions Being Taken

Consultations on promising practices and possible new directions for communicating student learning to occur this fall.

Last Updated December 2012

Timeline

24 month process

Teacher Regulation

Topic Description

Create an accountable and transparent teacher regulation system.

Actions Being Taken

  • Introduce legislation; Teachers Act enacted January 9th, 2012 (completed)
  • Implement new system upon legislative approval. (completed)
  • Elected/appointed the 16-member BC Teachers’ Council and 9 member Disciplinary and Professional Conduct Board. (completed in March)
  • In-service training for the new Disciplinary and Professional Conduct Board (completed in July)
  • Review by the BC Teachers’ Council of the Standards for the Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators of BC (ongoing – Council workplan in progress)
  • Ensure certificate holders uphold the Standards (ongoing)
  • Incorporate the Independent School Teaching certificate holders into the Teacher Regulation Branch (completed)
  • Outreach and education with stakeholders on the shared responsibility for regulation in BC (ongoing)
  • Open disciplinary hearings to the public to the fullest extent possible; (ongoing)
  • Publish hearing schedule, citations, discipline decisions and the reasons for the decisions; (ongoing)
  • Maintain a current list of all certified teachers (public and independent) and a permanent record including all reasons for decisions in all discipline matters on the new public registry. (ongoing)

Last Updated September 2012

Timeline

6 month process