2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Education

Ministry Overview

The business of the ministry is to allocate funds for the education system, set educational standards based on the outcomes students need to achieve, monitor student performance and report the results to the public. It is also the ministry’s role to work with schools and communities to improve student and school performance, and oversee the governance of the system as a whole. British Columbia’s K-12 system serves approximately 587,000 public school student FTE's, approximately 60,100 independent school student FTE's and over 3,300 home-schooled children.

Improving student achievement is the overarching goal in the ministry and in all parts of the education system. To support this goal, the ministry is committed to local autonomy for school boards, strong accountability measures, and a broader range of choice for students and parents.

School board autonomy means that the ministry will continue to eliminate unnecessary regulations and allow boards to do their work with as few strings attached as possible. It allows them to be more responsive to their communities and gives them the opportunity to explore entrepreneurial options.

Strong accountability measures include individual accountability contracts with each school board and plans for improvement developed by each school. Schools, school boards and the ministry will monitor progress towards improving student performance and will report these results to parents and the community.

Involvement of parents and the wider community is critical to the success of the K-12 education system. School Planning Councils will be implemented in every school, giving parents a meaningful contribution in drafting school improvement goals. Satisfaction surveys will continue to be administered and will enable schools, districts and the ministry to monitor satisfaction levels of students, parents and staff in the education system.