b'June 2024REPORT CSBAtoReport to the Canadian School Boards AssociationProvincial Advocacy Distinctions-Based Approachand Election Year A distinctions-based primer was released by the province with the goal of advancing reconciliation and the B.C.s provincial election will take place on October 19, 2024,implementation of the United Nations Declaration on and BCSTA has created an advocacy plan to support boardsthe Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The primer will guide of education in advancingpublic education as an electionprovincial government engagement and decisions involving issue. The association will have a provincially focusedthe provinces relations with First Nations. advocacy strategy and will also create plans for boards to use locally based on our shared priorities of student outcomes, recruitment and retention and capital andBill 40, Local Education deferred maintenance.Agreements and Indigenous BCSTAs Advocacy Day, which took place on October 19,Education Councils2023, saw B.C.s board chairs gather in Victoria, the provincial capital, to engage in active dialogue and build relationshipsBill 40 focuses on First Nation students on reserve, with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).including specificity on Local Education Agreements (LEA) The association hosted an Education Matters MLA Forumand priority enrolment for Indigenous students living on during our AGM, allowing members to have their questionsreserve. The bill also established a requirement to have, about public education and their top advocacy prioritieswhere wanted by the First Nation, an Indigenous Education answered by MLAs from three of the four provincial parties.Council (IEC) in each school district.The IECs will help boards of education provide education Government Relations and support for Indigenous students, including advising on and approving spending plans and reporting for Indigenous and Member PrioritiesEducation Targeted Funds (IETF) in alignment with updated BCSTA recently held meetings with the Ministry ofinterim policies. More information can be found here.Education and Child Care representatives in Victoria to discuss member priorities. These meetings focused2024 Budgeton discussing and developing strategies to address theAnnounced on February 22, B.C.s 2024 budget delivered resolutions passed by the associations membership at thesome positives but did not address many pressing needs. As most recent annual general meeting.noted in the associations media release, Funding to ease Trustee Mike Murray, chair of the Capital Working Group,enrolment pressures and escalating costs facing families joined the meetings to share the groups recently publishedare welcome news, but this budget missed addressing report, Making Progress Toward Sustainable Schools: Nextkey issues facing schools, including aging infrastructure, Steps. BCSTA updates members regularly on the progressinflation-driven operating costs and recruitment and of resolutions through a weekly publication and the motionsretention pressures. Read BCSTA President Carolyn database.Broadys experience of the budget lockup here. bcsta.org'