CSBA Applauds PEI Government’s Decision to Reinstate Governing School Boards

Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

December 18, 2019

CSBA Applauds PEI Government’s Decision to Reinstate Governing School Boards

The Canadian School Boards Association is pleased to hear the recent announcement from the Prince Edward Island Ministry of Education and Lifelong Learning to reinstate governing school boards. Announced on December 4, 2019, the provincial government shared its intentions to build an education governance model designed to give residents a voice in public education. This model is to be in place by fall of 2020.

“This is wonderful news from the provincial government of Prince Edward Island,” said Laurie French, CSBA President. “The government is reinstating governing school boards with elected officials and will be seeking input from the public about how to best design a public education governance model for their schools and communities. With some provinces moving away from a community-centred governance approach for public education, this announcement is very encouraging.”

Most recently the province of Prince Edward Island did not have English governing school boards. A francophone school board remained as per the Charter of Rights, but the majority language boards had been abolished. “Their Minister of Education has identified the importance of locally elected governing school boards in public education,” said Ms. French. “In the government press release, the Minister is quoted as saying the new model will ensure school boards are representative of the Island population and are governed by elected trustees. The CSBA applauds this decision by the provincial government. The CSBA has a lot of experience and expertise in effective school board governance, and we have asked to be included in the consultations on the best governance model for residents of Prince Edward Island.”

The Canadian School Boards Association represents governing school board members from across the country through their provincial associations. The CSBA champions collaboration and innovation in public education as applied to both the delivery of education and system governance.

 

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For more information, contact:

 

Nancy Pynch-Worthylake

Executive Director

902-456-5574

executivedirector@cdnsba.org