School Board Audit Committee Training
Pre-training module 1
Education in the Province of Ontario
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Session objectives
After completing this session you will better understand:
o What governs education in the Province of Ontario, who the major players are, as well
as their roles and responsibilities
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1. Overview of Education in the Province

Education in Canada

What governs education in the province?
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Major players in education
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Roles and responsibilities
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Board committees
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Education in Canada
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Education in Canada is a provincial responsibility
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Elementary and secondary education in Ontario is governed by the
Education Act and any amendments made to that Act
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What is the Education Act?

In Ontario, children between the ages of 6 and 18 must be enrolled
in a formal education program
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The province’s Education Act and the regulations made under it
establish the framework for the delivery of education

The Act outlines the responsibilities of the key partners in the
education process:
 Minister of Education
 District school boards
 School board supervisory officers
 Principals
 Teachers – effectively delivery curriculum
 Parents – ensure students go to school
 Students – attending class and discipline
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Other Legislation that Affects Education

Although Ontario’s Education Act is the major statute governing elementary
and secondary education in the province, other legislation also significantly
affects school board operations. These laws include the following:
the Child and Family Services Act
the Education Quality & Accountability Office Act
the Employment Standards Act
the Human Rights Code
the Immigration Act (Canada)
the Immunization of School Pupils Act
the Labour Relations Act
the Municipal Act, 2001
the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
the Municipal Elections Act, 1996
the Occupational Health and Safety Act
the Ontarians with Disabilities Act
the Ontario College of Teachers Act
the Pay Equity Act
the Planning Act
the Public Inquiries Act, Part II
the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada)
the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
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Ministry of Education

Represents the interests of the Ministry at the provincial cabinet and assists
in the development of education policy

Administers the provincial statutes and regulations that concern education –
Education Act

The Ministry of Education provides leadership and sets the direction for
education policy by:

setting provincial standards for student outcomes
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promoting a safe, effective, and respectful environment that supports learning;
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developing and sustaining a rigorous and challenging province-wide curriculum;
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promoting accountability throughout the publicly funded education system;
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promoting and supporting excellence in teaching; and
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providing school boards with resources, including financial resources, and
support for program implementation.
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Ministry of Education cont….

The Ministry is also responsible for:
 developing curriculum
 setting policies and guidelines for school board trustees, directors of
education, principals and other school board officials
 setting requirements for student diplomas and certificates
 preparing lists of approved textbooks and other learning materials
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District School Boards

There are currently 72 publicly funded district school boards in the
Province of Ontario broken down into four distinct groups
Number of Boards
English public boards
French public boards
English Catholic boards
French Catholic boards
Total
31
4
29
8
72

District school boards ensure that local decision making is retained.

Represents 1,919,485* students
Represents average daily enrolment from 2008-09 revised estimates
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District School Board Responsibilities

The Province’s 72 district school boards operate the day to day activities of
the province's publicly-funded schools - Manage over $20 billion budget

Responsible for:
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Determining the number, size and location of schools
Building, equipping and furnishing schools
Providing education programs that meet the needs of the school community
Prudent management of the funds allocated by the province
Preparing an annual budget
Supervising the operation of schools and their teaching programs
Developing policy for safe arrival programs for elementary schools
Establishing a school council at each school
Hiring teachers and other staff / helping teachers improve their teaching
practices / teacher performance
Approving schools' textbook and learning materials choices
Enforcing student attendance
Ensuring schools abide by the Education Act and its regulations
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District School Board Organizational Structure
Trustees
Director of Education
Senior
Administration
Supervisory Officer
Supervisory Officer
Supervisory Officer
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Trustees

Officials elected every four years during municipal elections

Provide an important link between local communities and the school
board - trustees play a key role in ensuring that schools operate
within the standards established by the province, and that the
programs and services remain responsive to the communities they
serve

Explain the policies and decisions of the board to community
residents

Support and encourage public education

Under the law, only the elected board has the power to make
decisions. Trustees do not have individual authority.
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Trustees cont…

The Role of Trustees in School Boards is to:
 Help establish a vision and climate for the school board
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Policy making
Evaluating and recruiting a chief executive (Director of Ed.)
Planning, goal setting, and appraisal
Allocating resources (budgeting process)
Staffing policy, employment procedures, collective bargaining
 Student achievement, programs of instructions and learning materials
 School facilities policies that maintain and protect the boards assets
 Student supports policies that guide the actions of administration and
school staff in their dealings with students and their families (i.e.
discipline etc..)
 Communication with school staff, parents & students
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Director of Education

The Director of Education is the chief executive officer and chief
education officer (CEO) of the school board and Secretary Treasurer
of the Board
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Hired by the trustees, and report to the board usually through the
chair

All school board staff report either directly or indirectly to the Director
of Education.

Directors are responsible for:
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advising the board on operational matters;
implementing board policies;
managing all facets of school board operations;
developing and maintaining an effective organization
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Supervisory Officers
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Academic and business (often called Superintendents)
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Hired by Director of Education
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Provide strategic and operational leadership, and are accountable to
the director of education for the implementation, operation, and
supervision of educational programs in their schools.
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The Superintendent of Business*:
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manages and reports on financial operations, including the accounting,
budget, purchasing, payroll, capital planning and facilities functions.
The Academic Superintendents:
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assigned portfolios
provide leadership to and work proactively with school administrators
* Some boards also have Superintendents of Plant & Facilities, Superintendent of Human Resources
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Principals
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Principals are the educational leaders in their school communities
and are responsible for the organization & management of individual
schools.
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Some of the principals key responsibilities include:
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supervising teachers and programs at their schools
measuring and communicating student achievement results
work with staff, parents, and the community to develop and implement
school improvement plans that reflect school and board priorities
maintaining proper discipline in the school and attending to the care of
students and property
Responsibility for the budget assigned to the school by the school
board
One or more vice principals may also be assigned to the school to
help the principal with his or her work
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Teachers
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Teachers are the front-line representatives of the education system.
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Teachers must be members of the Ontario College of Teachers
(OCT) or who have a special letter of permission from the ministry to
teach in publicly funded elementary or secondary schools
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A teacher’s key responsibilities include:
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teach classes or subjects assigned by the principal
instruct, train, and evaluate pupils effectively
manage the classroom effectively
carry out the supervisory duties and instructional program assigned by
the principal
 cooperate fully with other teachers and the principal in all matters
related to the instruction of pupils
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Teachers cont…

Teacher responsibilities cont…
 be available and prepared before the start of classes
 prepare teaching plans and outlines
 ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in courses
and activities;
 ensure that report cards are completed
 participate in regular meetings with pupils’ parents or guardians
 perform duties normally associated with the graduation of pupils
 participate in professional activity days as designated by the board
 give notice of absence

Many teachers choose to participate in supervising co-instructional
activities at the school (i.e. after school sports etc..). These activities
continue to be voluntary
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School Councils

Each publicly funded elementary and secondary school in Ontario is
required to have a school council
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Made up of parent volunteers and are advisory in nature, providing
recommendations to the school principal
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Forum through which parents and other members of school
communities can contribute to school life

The objective should be to improve student achievement by
enhancing the way curriculum is delivered by creating a positive
environment for learning

Fundraising activities
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School Authorities
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Manage special types of schools
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Schools in hospitals and treatment facilities = 6
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Bloorview MacMillan SA
Campbell Children’s SA
John McGivney Children’s Centre SA
KidsAbility SA
Niagara Peninsula Children’s SA
Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
Schools in remote and sparsely-populated regions = 4
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Moosonee Public DSA
James Bay Lowlands DSA
Moose Factory Island DSA
Penetanguishene Protestant DSA
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Board Committees

The Education Act permits boards to establish committees of board
members to deal with the broad areas of “education, finance,
personnel and property
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Boards may also establish other committees and subcommittees
that include non-trustees (i.e. Audit Committee)

There are three kinds of board committees:
Standing or permanent committees
Ad hoc committees
Advisory committees
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Board Committees cont…

Standing or Permanent Committees
 generally deal with ongoing or recurring matters, such as those specified in the
legislation
 are an integral part of the board structure
 Examples include Audit Committee, Finance Committee

Ad hoc Committees
 like task forces or work groups
 investigate a specific issue and report within a stated time frame
 Examples include special committees that review controversial books

Advisory committees
 established on either a short- or long-term basis
 provide input into policy development or other areas where the board would
benefit from the experience and expertise of other participants
 Examples include SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee)
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