3 Nov 2003 ... Mary-Jo O'Keefe, SD22 Vernon and BCCT Councillor; Marie Kerchum, ... The
BCCT councillors and registrar provided an overview of the ...
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL SYNOPSIS NOVEMBER 2003 The full Provincial Council Synopsis, at www.bcsta.org under “Publications,” “Provincial Council,” is a chronological report of proceedings. Following are highlights from the October 31-November 1 meeting. For more information contact Communications Director Jean Ciriani or Associate Executive Director Susan Job at 604-734-2721.
HIGHLIGHTS BC College of Teachers (Friday, October 31) Mary-Jo O’Keefe, SD22 Vernon and BCCT Councillor; Marie Kerchum, BCCT Registrar; Tarry Grieve, BCCT Council Chair (retired superintendent); Phillip Milligan, BCCT Councillor (teacher). The BCCT councillors and registrar provided an overview of the college’s new structure, its strategic plan and just-released standards document. In addition, Mary-Jo O’Keefe spoke briefly to the four motions on BCCT issues on the PC agenda for Saturday. Highlights are noted below. (You can find the presentation on BCSTA’s website, www.bcsta.org, under “Publications,” in “Provincial Council.”) Duty to report professional misconduct The onus is now on the professional membership to report on misconduct. Misconduct speaks to behaviour, not professional competence. Person complaints The college accepts complaints from the general public. The person complaint process has been developed with reference to the complaint processes of other professional organizatons, including those of the lawyers, nurses and engineers. Complaints must be submitted to the BCCT in writing. It was noted that the college receives many more phone calls than written complaints. The BCCT’s first response to a complaint is to refer the caller to school district processes and to provide information on how to access these processes. Composition of the council It was noted that while elected BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) representatives no longer form the majority on the council, the majority of councillors (two-thirds) are BCCT members. Superintendents, principals, retired educators and private school teachers are examples of BCCT members who are not also BCTF members. 2004 Graduation Program Information (Saturday, November 1) Susan Kennedy, Manager, Student Transition Branch, Standards Department, Ministry of Education This session provided an overview of the graduation program, with particular attention to the use of portfolio assessment. Additional Graduation Program Information is available at: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/graduation www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/drafts Graduation Program Listserv: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/graduation/sub.htm Ministry Update
Dr. Emery Dosdall, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Dosdall said is closely following the discussion on the restructured BCCT closely. The minister is acting on legal advice not to meet with BCTF as long as the matter is before the courts. BCTF has brought a constitutional
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challenge, opposing the changes to BCCT. This challenge will be heard in early December. Dr. Dosdall said that once the challenge has been heard, the minister will be able to meet with BCTF. On the payment of BCCT fees and requirement that public school teachers be members of the college, the minister has a number of options available to her: • Pay the dues on behalf of teachers by deducting the amount from the grant to school boards. • Abolish the college, which would deprofessionalize teachers. • Create a regulatory licensing body requiring teacher certification and possibly recertification exams. • Follow the Ontario model, which requires college membership as a precondition for membership. • Do nothing and let it play out. When asked how school boards could avoid the BCCT crisis, Dr. Dosdall said there is no simple solution and it will be BCTF’s call. The minister is closely monitoring the situation. All-day Kindergarten and early literacy The cost of province-wide, full-day Kindergarten would be approximately $90 million. The ministry is looking into whether any federal funds could be used for this purpose. Communication with school boards The ministry is working on reactivating the chairman’s e-board to encourage communication between school board chairs and the minister of education. In addition, the ministry is working to provide school boards advance notice of announcements. Guest Speaker (Saturday, November 1 at noon) Dr. Jack Blaney, Chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform Dr. Blaney reflected on his long association with the BC School Trustees Association. He first worked with the Association in the early 1960s when school trustees were integrally involved in the creation of the community college system and in developing trustee education sessions. Dr. Blaney also provided information on the work of Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Business Session (Saturday, November 1) E. Councillor Motions Note: amendments are indicated in all caps/strikethrough. E1. School Board/Municipality Partnerships “That BCSTA request the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) under the Protocol between UBCM and BCSTA to jointly establish a task force, with representation from the Ministries of Education and Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services, Ministry of Children and Family Development school districts and municipalities to investigate potential partnerships and strategic alliances between municipalities, and school boards, recognizing areas of joint opportunity and challenge.” Carried as amended
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E2. Employment of Children Under 15 “That BCSTA request the Minister of Skills Development and Labour to retain: a. Application provisions requiring school authorities to endorse employment applications for children to work during the school year, and b. The requirement for the employer to endorse that the position of employment is not of a dangerous nature nor detrimental to the health and welfare of the child.” Withdrawn (The movers are satisfied that recent changes to legislation will address their concerns.) E3. No More Funding Cuts “That BCSTA reiterate its urgent request to government to provide full funding for: a. Legislated teacher and other staff settlements, b. Inflation, and c. Other required costs, such as Medical Service Plan increases, implementation of new reporting requirements, etc. d. THE COST OF ADEQUATE INTERVENTION FOR ALL SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS RATHER THAN ONLY THOSE FITTING THE CRITERIA FOR THE CURRENTLY RECOGNIZED THREE CATEGORIES.” Carried as amended E4. BCPSEA Wellness Program “That BCSTA request the: a. BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) to establish a school district employee wellness program that targets stress-related problems that are adding to school board costs; and b. Minister of Education to provide funding to BCPSEA for a school district employee wellness program.” Defeated E5. Employee BenefitsTrust “That BCSTA request the Minister of Education to explore the potential for a provincial benefit trust for all school district employees in the province.” Defeated E6. Reduction in the Number of Provincial Council Meetings “That the Provincial Council: a. Submit a motion to AGM 2004 changing Bylaw #7b to eliminate the provision for a specific number of face-to-face Provincial Council meetings per year, and replace it with a clause allowing up to three Provincial Council meetings per year: one required meeting immediately following the AGM to adopt the budget, and two meetings between AGMs to deal with emergent matters, which meetings would require an electronic membership vote of 50 per cent plus one to schedule; b. Request the Board of Directors to bring a report to the April 2004 Provincial Council on alternative ways than in-person meetings for Provincial Council and other governance committees to meet; and c. Allocate savings from any resulting reduction in budgeted Provincial Council expenditures in the 20042005 BCSTA budget to a reduction in AGM 2005 fees.” Defeated
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E7. Member Consultation on BCSTA CommunityLINK Grant “That the Provincial Council request the Board of Directors to consult with members on possible uses of the $50,000 grant received from the Minister of Children and Family Development ‘to facilitate the development of school board leadership in support of vulnerable students, and encourage the use of best practices for CommunityLINK Services.’ ” Carried E8. Administration Costs for CommunityLINK School Meals programs “That BCSTA urge the Minister of Children and Family Development to provide districts with funds under the new CommunityLINK program to cover administrative costs related to the School Meals program.” Defeated E9. Continuing Gaming Funds Distribution Problems “That BCSTA reiterate the urgent AGM request to the Minister Responsible for Gaming Policy that government: a. Consider for 2002-2003 funding all outstanding Parent Advisory Council (PAC) applications prior to February 28, 2003; and b. Provide funding in 2003-2004 according to the new formula in effect after April 1, 2003 to all schools, including those where PACS received funding in 2002-2003 under the prior system.” Carried E10. Proposed “Second Count” Aboriginal Education Grant Withholding “That BCSTA urge the Minister of Education to: a. Defer a proposal requiring districts to submit a ‘second count’ of enrollment to identify discrepancies with September 30 data, recognizing that there are many justifiable reasons for such discrepancies; b. Refrain from withholding targeted Aboriginal Education funds on the basis of a second count of enrollment because it is a punitive approach that will adversely affect Aboriginal Education programs, and c. Focus instead on assisting and encouraging school boards to negotiate and implement Local Education Agreements (LEAs) and Education Enhancement Agreements (EEAs) on the grounds that they are positive steps in building relationships between First Nations and school boards, and in improving First Nations student achievement.” Carried E11. Complaints to the BC College of Teachers “That BCSTA urge the Minister of Education to introduce revisions to The Teaching Profession Amendment Act, 2003 to allow the public and obligate a teacher to make direct complaints to the BC College of Teachers only after they have exhausted school district’s complaint process.” Carried E12. BC College of Teachers Registry “That BCSTA urge the BC College of Teachers to provide access to a new teacher discipline registry only to school boards and not to the general public.” Defeated F. Non-action Items F.1. Charter for Public Education Ginny Diebolt, Provincial Councillor, SD44 North Vancouver General discussion on the ways school boards have responded to the request to endorse the BCTF initiated Charter for Public Education.
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G. Committee Reports G1. Board of Directors’ meeting minutes: April 24, April 27, June 22, August 20, and September 19, 2003 G2. Education Committee meeting minutes: April 25 and May 28-29, 2003 G3. Finance Committee meeting minutes: April 24 and September 19, 2003 Carried H. Late Reports H.1. Expansion of Funding for Students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE) “That BCSTA: a. encourage the Minister of Education to expand current Special Needs funding categories to include Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE); and Carried b. request the provincial government to institute UTILIZE A SPECIFIC PORTION OF THE EXISTING TAX on alcohol sales, with proceeds dedicated to FOR school services for children who suffer from FAS/FAE, and to FOR public information on the potential risk of liquor consumption on unborn children.” Carried as amended H.2. BC College of Teachers (BCCT) Fees “That BCSTA urge the Minister of Education, the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA), the BC College of Teachers (BCCT) and the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) to work together to address disagreements regarding new legislation governing the BCCT, before issues like teacher fee payment affect students and learning.” Carried Rick Davis of the Ministry of Education provided the following information prior to debate on this motion: • September 1 – fees are due. • November 30 – final due date for payment. • A teacher who has not paid fees would be suspended for the month of December. During the month of December the teacher can reinstate membership. • If the membership lapses after January 1 – the teacher must reapply for membership. There is a legal question as to whether a school board can employ a teacher while suspended by the college. While a member is suspended he/she is still a member. • It is unlikely the college will be able to produce a registry indicating which teachers have/have not paid their BCCT fees until early in January or later in February. • Realistically, school boards are looking at addressing this issue in January/February if they learn that some of their teachers are not members. • Once a board learns that a teacher is no longer a member, there is a question on what length of notice is required to terminate employment. It is expected that BCPSEA will be providing advice on this question. H.3. Governance of the BC College of Teachers “That BCSTA urge the Minister of Education to amend The Teaching Profession Amendment Act, 2003 in order to ensure the composition of the governing Board of the BC College of Teachers includes a majority of College members elected by their peers.” Tabled
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H.4. Capital Construction Tendering “That BCSTA request the Minister of Finance to provide school boards with the authority to establish their own criteria for choosing construction contractors rather than being required to accept the lowest bid, which may result in increased costs, delays, and substandard construction.” Carried Following is the Vancouver Sun article of November 3, 2003 on BCCT.
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