Advocacy: Support to School Districts when Mandating Non-Traditional Education Programs and Initiatives

Good day, Minister,

Subject: Support to school districts when mandating non-traditional education programs and
initiatives

The British Columbia School Trustees Association is a champion of good governance practices
among school boards, providing exceptional professional development and working with
partners to ensure the success of every student across British Columbia. As the sole
nonpartisan organization representing democratically and locally elected boards of education,
BCSTA has been a steadfast champion for good governance in public education for 120 years.

We were grateful that you were able to join us at BCSTA AGM 2025 in April of this year. During
the business portion of our event, members passed a motion requesting the Ministry of
Education and Child Care coordinate with the appropriate ministries and professional
organizations to provide support to school districts when mandating non-traditional education
programs and initiatives.

Over the past decade, the responsibilities assigned to school districts and administrators have
significantly increased or expanded in scope, without a corresponding increase in the resources
needed to accommodate the growing list of duties. Districts recognize the need for
initiatives/programs that keep pace with the changing needs of students in these dynamic times.
There are questions about the efficacy of placing all responsibility onto school districts, which do
not always have the knowledge or skill sets to provide the best experience for students.

To maximize the effectiveness of new and expanded programs and initiatives, we request that
ECC collaborate with other ministries and professional organizations that possess the best
expertise to achieve the desired outcomes. We also ask that ECC provide guidance to districts
on best practices to support these collaborations.

For example, new health initiatives, such as proposed naloxone training, should be coordinated
with the Ministry of Health and/or regional health authorities to provide professional support.
Oversight of the program/initiative will remain with the school district.

Funding these expanded responsibilities and using the expertise found in ministries across our
province, in our communities, will ensure students receive the best training and education for
items that fall outside traditional curricular guidelines.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Tracy Loffler
President
British Columbia School Trustees Association