The Sommet du Québec et de la jeunesse (Québec Youth Summit) provided a forum for discussions on the future, on Québec's youth and, of course, on education. At this summit, the various socioeconomic partners made two commitments for the coming years: to emphasize the importance of education in all sectors of Québec society and to promote success for the greatest possible number of young people.

The Minister of Education feels strongly that education must be a central priority for Québec. Education is a major challenge, one that involves not only the education community but all of Québec society.

In the spring of 2000, the Ministère de l'Éducation du Québec (MEQ) adopted measures to translate its commitment to success into concrete action. It asked all elementary and secondary schools to draw up and implement a success plan. Since then, each school team has established clear and measurable goals with respect to student achievement and determined the means by which it intends to attain these goals. Each school team has also identified ways of measuring the results of its plan on a regular basis in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

It should be remembered that the success plans are comprehensive: they deal with all aspects of school life. The governing board, which is responsible for developing the success plan, has sufficient leeway to adapt it to the realities of the school. The success plan will therefore reflect the particular characteristics of the school community.

In February 2001, the MEQ assessed the success plan operation at the elementary and secondary levels. This first assessment was very positive. Pleased with the participation and commitment of the school system and with the quality of the plans themselves, the Minister of Education stated that "the success plans were among the most ambitious initiatives undertaken to date specifically to promote success for the greatest possible number."

Updating the Success Plans

The success plans may cover a three-year period but must set targets for each year. The school boards sent the MEQ updated consolidated plans for 2000-2003 on November 30, 2001. The consolidated plan of a school board includes the success plans of all the institutions under its jurisdiction.

The success plan operation offers all those concerned a unique opportunity to remove obstacles and to create the necessary conditions for all young people to achieve success. This educational endeavour is well under way. The Minister is convinced that the schools and school boards are best able to assess the measures taken to promote student success and to suggest those most suited to their milieux, their students' needs and parents' expectations. Furthermore, he is persuaded that, together, parents, students, school personnel and partners in business and industry will make a major success of this undertaking.

• A Success Plan - For our Elementary School ( file, 206 ko)

• A Success Plan - For our Secondary School ( file, 215 ko)

• The Success Plan - For Vocational Education Centres (courtesy version)

All documents are in 8 1/2 X 14 format.