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Education Reform Update of April 3, 1998, No. 4
Bill 180 (An Act to amend the Education Act and various legislative provisions), assented to December 19, 1997, is a key component of the reform set out in A New Direction for Success. The purpose of the amendments made in Bill 180 is to give schools more responsibility so that they can better adapt their teaching and organization to the needs and characteristics of their students. Some of the duties and powers which currently lie with the school boards are transferred to the schools and, more specifically, to the governing boards. These amendments are also aimed at according more authority and professional autonomy to teachers, who will shoulder major pedagogical responsibilities under the authority of the school principal. Other amendments provide for the creation of new types of educational institutionsadult education centres and vocational education centresand of the Commission des programmes d’études and three ministerial committees. One of these committees will be responsible for the evaluation of instructional material, and the other two, for matters related to teacher training. This issue focuses on the new powers of the school and the responsibilities entrusted to school principals and teachers. The governing board and the implementation calendar will be the subject of a future issue of Education Reform Update. Why amend the Education Act? Responsibility for students’ success rests first and foremost with the schools. In order to provide quality education across Québec and enable the greatest possible number of students to succeed, each school must have the means to adapt its teaching and organization to the needs and characteristics of its students, within the guidelines of the standard curriculum. Empowering Schools to Fulfil Their Mission More specifically, schools must be given greater scope for independent action so that teachers can have a say in decisions which have an impact on classroom teaching or school life. Schools must be freed from the many rigid standards and guidelines restricting them. Supporting Schools through Active Community Involvement Students’ success is not only up to the school: it concerns the community as a whole and requires a collective effort. School staff must receive strong support from the community. Parents in particular must become true partners of the school and help set and implement policy directions. Giving Schools the Autonomy they Need Bill 180 gives schools the leeway to set their own objectives and plan of action, and to carry out and evaluate their own educational projects. It transforms schools into institutions based on a partnership between users (i.e., parents) and the school staff, in which the role of each party is respected. The main orientations of Bill 180 are to:
The Outcome of Collective Reflection The locus of responsibility for education must be as close as possible to the very place where education is dispensed, namely the schools. This view, often expressed by the Conseil supérieur de l’éducation in its briefs and more recently by the Commission for the Estates General on Education, was supported by all those who took part in the process leading up to the approval of Bill 180. The fifty or so organizations that were heard during the parliamentary commission on the draft bill in the fall of 1997 were of the same opinion. In December, the National Assembly’s Committee on Education studied Bill 180 at length. The hearings it held gave the main partners in education an opportunity to reiterate their willingness to work with the government in order to give schools the autonomy they need. Greater Powers for Schools In order to reconfigure the education system around autonomous, accountable schools, Bill 180 gives each school all of the powers and means it needs to fulfil its mission in all areas of activity related to school organization. General Powers Each school must first set its objectives on the basis of its students’ needs and determine the measures required to achieve them. Thus, the governing board adopts, oversees the implementation of, and evaluates the school’s educational project. It also approves the school’s student supervision policy, rules of conduct and safety measures. Powers Related to Educational Services Very important powers are transferred to the school so that it may adapt its educational services to students’ needs. Hence, the governing board will:
Powers Related to Human, Material and Financial Resources The school must have control over the resources it needs in order to achieve its goals. To this end, Bill 180 gives the governing board the authority to:
Powers Related to Community Services So that the school can truly provide a stimulating environment which meets the needs of the community, the governing board is given the power to:
New Powers for Teachers The fact that teachers are represented on the school’s governing board gives them a greater say in policy directions of a pedagogical nature. Teacher representatives on the board will be entitled to vote on matters of importance such as the definition of the educational project, the approach for the implementation of the basic school regulation, the overall approach for the enrichment or adaptation of the programs of study and the development of local programs, the time allocation for each subject, and the implementation of student services. Before making any decisions on the above matters, the governing board must consider proposals made by the school staff. Furthermore, Bill 180 fully recognizes the exclusive authority and professional autonomy of teachers by delimiting an area of responsibility that is specifically theirs. Teachers will be responsible for making proposals to the principal on the following points:
Finally, teachers will be consulted by the principal as regards the organization of professional development activities. Provisions for Teachers’ Autonomy The educational policy set out in Québec Schools on Course provides for teachers’ professional autonomy by giving teachers more freedom in the classroom within the guidelines of the standard curriculum. For example, at the elementary level, the new subject-time allocation will allow greater flexibility in the amount of time devoted to each subject within a given cycle. At the secondary level, all new programs will leave 25 percent of the allotted time open so that teachers may use it to enrich or adapt content as they see fit.
The next issue will look at:
Survey-Education Reform Update-Survey-Education Reform Update-Survey-Education Reform Update We value your opinion. Please take a few minutes to complete the following survey and return it to us by mail or fax. You may also send us your comments by e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation.
Jean-Yves Daigle |
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