Ministry Policy Site

Glossary

This page contains definitions of specialized or unfamiliar words and phrases.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

“Course Plan”: A document for each course that provides links to learning outcomes, performance standards, required resources, and assessment strategies. Examples include course outlines, syllabi, and instructional designs.

Term	Definition

Aboriginal Education Programs and Services	Are Aboriginal Language and Culture programs, Aboriginal Support Services, or other Ministry approved Aboriginal Programs. For more information see the Form 1701 instructions. Such programs and services are articulated in Enhancement Agreements, developed collaboratively by the board of education and district Aboriginal communities. Enhancement Agreements are signed by the board of education, the Aboriginal communities, and the Ministry of Education. By 2005 all Boards of Education and district Aboriginal communities should have entered into such agreements.
Aboriginal Languages	Those languages indigenous to the Aboriginal people of British Columbia.
Aboriginal Student	"Aboriginal student" refers to students who have reported themselves as Aboriginal.
Accelerated Credit Enrolment in Industry Training (ACE IT) Program	An industry-training program that allows secondary students to earn credits toward both secondary school graduation and Level 1 or higher certification by the Industry Training Authority. School districts may partner with post-secondary institutions to deliver industry training courses.
Accreditation	A process involving all BC public schools, focusing on school improvement and accountability. The process involves participation in a school self-assessment, the development of a school growth plan, and evaluation by an external team. Student outcomes (knowledge, skills, and attitudes), parent/teacher satisfaction, and community satisfaction are examined and reported.
Adaptations	Teaching and assessment strategies made to accommodate a student’s special needs, and may include alternate formats (e.g., Braille, books-on-tape), instructional strategies (e.g., use of interpreters, visual cues and aids) and assessment procedures (e.g., oral exams, additional time, assistive technologies).
Adult	An adult is defined as somebody older than "school age" as defined in the School Act.
Adult Student	A student 19 years of age or older as at July 1 of the current school year. Note: "adult student" is defined in the Student Credentials Order for the purpose of that order.
Adult Student FTE	Calculated based on 8 courses being one full- time equivalent (FTE). Each full course (four credits) is funded as 0.125 of an FTE, up to 8 courses. Partial or shorter courses (i.e. 2 credit courses) are prorated. Challenge or college level courses must not be included for funding purposes.
Applied Skills	The Applied Skills subject areas for the 1995 Graduation Program include Business Education, Home Economics, Technology Education, Information Communication Technology, and in some cases, Physical Education.
Attend (Distributed Learning)	(a) to be enrolled in an educational program that includes distributed learning, and (b) to participate in an educational activity by means of distributed learning;
Attendance (Adult Education)	Attendance is defined to be over one registration period AND either 1) a minimum of 10 hours of instruction in a classroom or learning centre for each course or a demonstrated completion of 10% of the course requirements OR 2) meets the active policy for distributed learning. Attendance for students in Correctional Facilities is defined as over one registration period AND: 1) For sentenced inmates, either 5 hours of instruction in a classroom or learning centre or demonstrated completion of 5% of the course requirements; for remanded inmates, either 3 hours of instruction in a classroom or learning centre or demonstrated completion of 3% of the course requirements OR 2) meets the active policy for distributed learning. Continuing Education and K-12 schools must choose either the 10/10 criteria (5/3 for programs in correctional centres) OR the active policy as a definition of "attendance".
Authority (Public)	A francophone education authority as defined in the School Act.
Authority (Independant)	An independent school authority as defined in the Independent School Act.

Bilingualism	For the purpose of this policy, bilingualism is defined as oral fluency and literacy in both English and French.
Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) Courses	Grade 10, 11 and 12 courses developed or adopted at the district/school level that meet requirements set by the Ministry of Education as outlined in Course Information for the Graduation Program. (See additional guidelines in Board/Authority Authorized Courses: Requirements and Procedures.) For more information please see the Board Authorized Course Order.
Board of School Trustees, or Board of Education	An elected board of trustees as constituted under the School Act. Board and board of education are defined in section 1 of the School Act.

Career Programs	Educational programs focusing on a career or career-related area of study, which combine related courses with a work component. For purposes of reporting to the Ministry, career programs may include any of the following types of programs: Career Preparation, Co-operative Education, Secondary School Apprenticeship, Accelerated Credit Enrolment in Industry Training or Career Technical Centre Programs as defined in the Work Experience Order. This term is defined in the Work Experience Order for the purposes of that order.
Career Technical Centre (CTC) Program	An educational program that combines secondary and post-secondary courses in a range of applied technology and trades areas, and allows students to earn credits toward both secondary school graduation and a post-secondary credential.
Challenge	A formal complaint to the Ministry concerning the appropriateness of a Recommended learning resource. There is also a process set out under the British Columbia Adult Graduation Requirements Order that allows for an adult student to challenge a course and get a mark or a credit by demonstrating achievement in the prescribed learning outcomes.
CommunityLINK	LINK is an acronym for Learning Includes Nutrition and Knowledge
CommunityLINK Schools	For the purpose of the CommunityLINK policy, the term “CommunityLINK schools” means schools with a significant percentage of vulnerable students. In determining vulnerability, school districts may consider: low income measures; involvement with the provincial social service ministries and related agencies; information obtained through community mapping; community socio-economic demographics, such as aboriginal ancestry, and other relevant information.
Compliance Audits	Student enrolment audits conducted by the Funding and Compliance Unit of the Resource Management Division to ensure districts are in compliance with the Ministry's school and student data collection instructions.
Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique (CSF)	The CSF is BC's only francophone education authority. It was established in 1995 to meet BC's obligation under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to enable francophones to manage their own education programs. Students enrolled in CSF schools are taught the same standard curriculum as any other BC student; however, they receive their instruction in French, and have an added linguistic and cultural component.
Continuing Education	An education program offered by school districts, primarily for adults, leading to either secondary school completion or the upgrading of a current graduation certificate.
Core French	A second-language program for Grades 5 to 12, designed to enable students to begin to understand and communicate in French, as well as to experience francophone cultures.
Course Enrolment Form (Adult Education)	A document on file at the school listing the course(s) in which the student is enrolled and the date(s) of enrolment.
Course Plan (Distributed Learning)	A document for each course that provides links to learning outcomes, performance standards, required resources, and assessment strategies. Examples include course outlines, syllabi, and instructional designs.
Criminal Records Check	This term refers to a check covered by the Criminal Records Review Act and conducted by the Criminal Records Review Program, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General ("Criminal Records Review Program"). Individuals working with children should ensure that they have had a criminal records check, or that they have been exempted under section 3 of the Act. Section 25(1)(c) and 29 of the Teaching Profession Act set out requirements regarding Criminal Record Checks.
Curriculum	What students are expected to know and be able to do at each grade in each subject. Boards of Education are required to address these expectations. The applicable educational program guide set out in the Educational Program Guide Order, and the subjects set out in the Required Areas of Study in an Educational Program Guide Order or a Board developed program or a Board Authorized Course. Curriculum is defined in the Student Progress Report Order for the purposes of that Order.

Distance Education	Course work that takes place without a requirement for the learner to be physically present in a traditional classroom setting. Instruction occurs through correspondence, telecommunications, or other electronic media and is provided throughout the year, permitting a flexible schedule. Distance education courses are available to public and non-public K -12 school students. Note: this term has been replaced in the School Act with the term distributed learning.
District Approved	Learning resources that have been evaluated and selected based on policies and procedures established by the school district and approved by the Board of Education.
District Parent Advisory Council	Under section 8.4 of the School Act a District Parent Advisory Council may be created upon application to the board. A District Parent Advisory Council may advise a board on any matter relating to education in the school district.
Distributed Learning	A method of instruction that relies primarily on indirect communication between students and teachers, including internet or other electronic-based delivery, teleconferencing, or correspondence. Defined in section 1 of the School Act.
Distributed Learning School	A school or francophone school that offers instruction by means of distributed learning only. Defined in section 1 of the School Act.
Diversity	is an overarching concept that reflects a philosophy of equitable participation and an appreciation of the contributions of all people. It is a concept that refers both to our uniqueness as individuals and to our sense of belonging or identification within a group or groups. Diversity refers to the ways in which we differ from each other. Some of these differences may be visible (e.g. race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability), while others are less visible (e.g. culture, ancestry, language, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background). Goals or purposes for Diversity include: taking into account the different beliefs, customs, practices, languages, behaviours and physical differences of individuals and cultural groups encouraging understanding, acceptance, mutual respect and inclusion, in order to make school communities and society as a whole more equitable for all people
Dogwood Diploma	A certificate granted to students who meet secondary school graduation requirements by successfully completing Grade 11 and 12 required courses (Foundation Studies) and elective courses (Selected Studies). Also known as the British Columbia Certificate of Graduation. The Student Credentials Order set out the requirements for receiving the British Columbia Certificate of Graduation.
Dogwood District/Authority Awards	Monetary credits awarded by a board of education or independent school authority according to Ministry of Education guidelines and criteria determined by the local District Scholarship Committee. These credits can be applied to post-secondary education and used to acquire specific tools or materials needed by students to directly enter the world of work.

Early French Immersion	A program where instruction to students (in some subject areas) is offered in the French language. This program is normally offered to students whose first language is not French.
Early Learning	the knowledge, skills and dispositions that preschool children acquire in the years before school entry in key developmental domains: cognitive, physical, language and communication, social and emotional. Defined in section 1 of the School Act.
Educational Program Guide	A document specified as an educational program guide in Ministerial Order 333/99, the Educational Program Guide Order M333/99.
Elective Credit	Additional credits earned by students to support their academic, career, or personal interests.
Elementary students in grades 1 to 7	Students age 6 or older are funded as a full FTE. If a student is underage (5) in grade 1, the student will be funded according to their age (0.5 FTE).
Eligible courses	"Eligible courses:" For non-graduated adult students, eligible courses include Ministry Authorized courses, Board/Authority Authorized courses, Locally Developed courses, and courses listed in Appendix 1 of the Education Guarantee Information page. For graduated adult students, eligible courses include only courses listed in Appendix 1 of the Education Guarantee Information page. Locally Developed courses apply only for the 2008-2009 reporting period and only for existing courses that are being used by Boards to upgrade students’ academic skills and knowledge in preparation for entry into a graduation program or for preparation for the GED. In 2009-2010 these courses will be replaced by the new ministry authorized Literacy Foundations courses.
Employee	The Criminal Records Review Act defines an employee as an individual who is employed by an employer and includes an independent contractor who has entered into an agreement with an employer. Section 15 of the School Act deals with employees of boards of education.
Employer	The definition of employer in the Criminal Records Review Act includes, among others: the government; an agency of the government; a board as defined in the School Act; a francophone education authority as defined in the School Act; a board, commission, council or other body of persons appointed by an Act, the Lieutenant Governor in Council, or a minister of the government; and, an authority as defined in the Independent School Act.
English as a Second Language (ESL)	Designed for students whose use of English is sufficiently different from standard English that they require specialized language services in order to be successful in the British Columbia school system. Instruction provided to assist students to become proficient in English and to prepare them to achieve the expected learning outcomes of the provincial curriculum.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Students	Are those whose primary language(s) of the home is/are other than English and who may therefore require additional services in order to develop their individual potential within BC's school system. Some students speak variations of English that differ significantly from the English used in broader Canadian society and in school; they may require ESL support. For additional information, see ESL Policy, Guidelines and Resources.
External Assessments	Assessments that lead to external credentials a student may earn and count toward graduation.
External Credentials	Documents or credentials earned by a student on successful completion of an external course.

Fine Arts	The Fine Arts subject areas include Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts.
Focus Areas	Organizers for groups of courses taken in the Graduation Program 2004, intended to enhance career development. The eight Focus Areas that all students will learn about during the required Planning 10 course include: Business and Applied Business; Fine Arts, Design, and Media; Fitness and Recreation; Health and Human Services; Liberal Arts and Humanities; Science and Applied Science; Tourism, Hospitality, and Foods; and, Trades and Technology.
Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA)	A large-scale provincial assessment for students in Grades 4 and 7, covering reading, writing and numeracy. This assessment is administered annually to all students in Grades 4, 7, and 10. It measures student achievement in reading comprehension, first draft writing, and numeracy.
Foundation Studies	A common core of learning comprised of provincially prescribed curriculum to ensure that all students learn to read, write, and do basic mathematics, solve problems, and use computer-based technology. These basic skills are emphasized through studies in English, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, and applied skills from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Refers to credits earned in the following subject areas: Language Arts 11 (4 credits) Language Arts 12 (4 credits) Social Studies (4 credits) Mathematics (4 credits) Science (4 credits) Fine Arts (2 credits) Applied Skills (2 credits) Career and Personal Planning (4 credits; in either Grade 11 or 12, students must earn 1 credit for 30 hours of work experience) (Foundation studies are discussed in the Graduation Requirements Order, but not in the Graduation Program Order.)
Francophone Education Authority	Means a francophone education authority established under section 166.12 of the School Act.
Francophone student	Defined in section 1 of the School Act as, an eligible child or an immigrant child who is enrolled in a francophone educational program provided by a francophone education authority.
French Immersion	A more ambitious second-language program than Core French, French Immersion is designed to produce functionally bilingual students by using French as the language of instruction. Upon graduation, students will have acquired sufficient language skills to be able to pursue post-secondary studies or work in either official language. The program generally begins in Kindergarten (Early Immersion) or Grade 6 (Late Immersion), starting with 100% French instruction during the beginning years, gradually diminishing to 2 courses in Grade 12.
French Immersion Student	A student participating in a board of education or independent school authority French Immersion Program.
Funding Allocation System	The system the provincial government uses to allocate funds to the school districts for public education. The yearly amounts are derived through a formula based on a student base allocation plus supplementary grants.

Grade Collection	The set of Recommended learning resources with the most comprehensive curriculum support for a particular curriculum.
Graduate Transitions	A standards-based assessment worth 4 credits, evaluated by schools based on Ministry of Education scoring guides included in the appropriate program guide (2007).
Graduated Students	A graduated student is defined as a student who has completed the graduation requirements from a secondary school or high school in BC or in another jurisdiction.
Graduation Program Examinations	Examinations that must be taken by students who are on the 2004 Graduation Program, in order to meet provincial graduation requirements. In order to earn credit in specific required courses, students must take five course-based provincial examinations in specific subject areas (Language Arts 10 and 12, Science 10, Mathematics 10 and Social Studies 11/12). In addition, Graduation Program Examinations include Optional Grade 12 Examinations that students may choose to take.
Guardianship	For purposes of determining the meaning of "guardian of the person" as used in Section 82 of the School Act, the following is a concise overview of how "guardian" is identified in the Family Relations Act. Individuals contemplating litigation or a definitive legal interpretation may wish to seek legal advice. 1. Where the parents of a child are living together with the child, they are joint guardians of the child unless a court orders otherwise. 2. If the parents live separately, the parent who has the usual care and control of the child is the sole guardian of the person of the child, subject to any Guardianship Order made under the Divorce Act, as administered by the Family Relations Act. 3. Where there is no order, parents may provide in a written agreement which of them will be their child's guardian. 4. Persons who are not a child's parents can become that child's guardian either by court order under Section 30 of the Family Relations Act or by a will under Section 40 of the Infants Act.

Homeschool	Students may be taught at home without the supervision of a school, but are registered with a public, francophone, distance education, or independent school or with the Ministry as required by section 13 of the School Act.
Homeschooling or Home Education	Means an educational program provided to a child by a parent that is not under the supervision or direction of a qualified teacher. The relevant sections of the School Act are sections 12, 13, and 15.

Independent School	A person or organization outside the public school system providing an educational program to 10 or more school-age students. These schools are governed by the Independent School Act and are grouped into four classifications. Group 1 schools offer programs consistent with the BC curriculum, employ certified teachers, maintain adequate education facilities, and meet municipal codes. They receive per-student grants at 50 per cent of the student costs of local public schools. [Group 2 schools meet the same requirements as Group 1 schools, but receive student grants at the 35 per cent level because their per-student costs exceed those of the local public schools.] Group 3 schools must maintain adequate facilities that meet municipal codes; Offer an education program; all employees must have a criminal record check; and they do not receive provincial grants. Group 4 schools cater to non-provincial students. They meet the same curriculum requirements as Group 1 and 2 schools. These schools must be bonded and are not eligible for grants.
Individual Education Plan (IEP)	An individual education plan designed for a student that includes one or more of the following: learning outcomes that are different from, or in addition to expected learning outcomes set out in the applicable educational program guide, a list of support services, a list of adapted materials, instruction or assessment methods. Defined in section 1 of the Individual Education Plan Order for the purposes of this Order.
Integrated Resource Package	An educational document that provides some basic information required by K -12 teachers to implement a subject/course. It contains provincially prescribed learning outcomes (also known as provincially prescribed curriculum), suggested instructional strategies for achieving learning outcomes, suggested assessment strategies, and provincially recommended learning resources. See the Educational Program Guide Order for more information.
International students	Students who have moved from outside of Canada to British Columbia and do not meet the residency requirements of Section 82 of the School Act.

Kindergarten students	Students 5 years of age at December 31 of the current school year are funded at 0.5 FTE unless the student qualifies for full day kindergarten (see 1701 Form Instructions for additional information). A 6-year-old student enrolled in Kindergarten will be funded as 1 FTE.

Language of Instruction	The language in which the subject area is taught.
Large Scale Assessment	Any provincial, national or international assessment, examination or test the Ministry directs Boards of Education to administer.
Late French Immersion	Beginning French Immersion in Grade 6. At the 8-12 level, these students move into and are reported under the Early Immersion stream.
Learning Resource	Information represented, accessible, or stored in a variety of media and formats, which assists student learning as defined by the learning outcomes of the provincial curriculum.
Locally Developed Programs	Section 85(2)(1) of the School Act gives Boards of Education the authority to offer education programs that are developed locally to suit the specific needs of the community. As much as 20 per cent of curriculum can be made up of locally developed programs.

Masking	The suppression or removal of numbers from public view.
Modifications	Learning outcomes that are substantially different from the regular curriculum, and specifically selected to meet the student’s special needs.
Modified Curriculum	Refers to outcomes that are different than the expected learning outcomes of a curriculum. When students with special needs are unable to meet the expected learning outcomes of a curriculum, and it is necessary to modify the students' education programs, Individual Education Plans (IEPs) outlining the goals and objectives for each student will be established. These goals and objectives should reflect how the curriculum has been modified for each student.

Offshore students	Students attending a school outside of Canada offering inspected and certified BC educational programs, offered in English and taught by a B.C. certified teacher.
Optional Grade 12 Examinations	A sub-set of the Graduation Program Examinations in the 2004 Graduation Program. Other than Language Arts 12 courses and BC First Nations Studies 12, students have the option of whether or not they take the examinations related to specific Grade 12 level courses. Full credit may be earned for the course whether or not the related examination is taken.

Parent Advisory Council (PAC)	Under section 8 of the School Act, parents may establish an advisory council for the school their child attends. Through elected officers, the council may advise the board, principal, and staff on any matters relating to the school.
Passport to Education	A monetary credit applied to post-secondary education that is awarded by a school to a student, according to Ministry of Education guidelines and individual school's criteria.
Performance Scale	means a performance scale, as described in section 1 of the Student Progress Report Order, represented either as a graph or described in words, that shows progress in relation to the expected learning outcomes, for students in Kindergarten, as "Approaching", "Meeting" or "Exceeding" expectations, and for students in Grades 1 to 3 as "Not yet meeting", "Approaching", "Meeting", or "Exceeding" expectations
Personal Information	Recorded information about an identifiable individual, including: (a) the individual's name, address or telephone number, (b) the individual's race, national or ethnic origin, colour, or religious or political beliefs or associations, (c) the individual's age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or family status, (d) an identifying number, symbol or other particular assigned to the individual, (e) the individual's fingerprints, blood type or inheritable characteristics, (f) information about the individual's health care history, including a physical or mental disability, (g) information about the individual's educational, financial, criminal or employment history, (h) anyone else's opinions about the individual, and (i) the individual's personal views or opinions, except if they are about someone else.
Planned program of studies	Includes details such as the courses needed to graduate, and the timeframe for the start and completion of courses. The plan must be signed by the student and filed with the school.
Post Secondary Institution	For the purposes of this policy, a post secondary institution is a college, institute or university that is a member of the British Columbia Transfer System and articulates courses through the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer or offers post secondary courses in French under the auspices of Educacentre.
Prior Learning Assessment	A process that enables people to gain recognition and credit for what they already know and can do. Methods of assessment include a portfolio of evidence, projects and assignments, program evaluations, demonstration, oral questioning and course challenge. For further information on additional ways to earn credit, please refer to: Earning Credit Through Equivalency, Challenge, External Credentials, Post-Secondary Credit and Independent Directed Policy and External Courses to recognize other learning experiences (see the Course Information Book for information on External Courses).
Programme Francophone	A program provided in recognition of the unique rights of francophone parents under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. French is the language of instruction for this program and English can be considered to meet the second language requirement in Grades 5 to 8 for students in the program.
Provincial Grade 12 Examinations	Applies to the 1995 Graduation Program. If a student on the 1995 Graduation Program takes a course that has a related examination, the examination must be taken in order to earn credit for the course. Measure student performance in selected Grade 12 academic courses. Some independent schools in BC and some public schools in the Yukon also participate. Provincial examinations are currently held in November, January, April, June, and August. A specific type of provincial large-scale assessment designed to allow individual students to demonstrate they have met provincial graduation requirements. There are two types of Provincial Examinations, each related to a specific graduation program: the term "Graduation Program Examinations" applies to the 2004 Graduation Program; the term "Provincial Grade 12 Examinations" applies to the 1995 Graduation Program.
Provincially Prescribed Curriculum	The provincially prescribed (required) curriculum is contained within Integrated Resource Packages (IRPs) in the form of learning outcomes. These are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do in each grade. They describe the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. All learning outcomes complete the stem: "It is expected that students will ..."
Public School	A body of students, teachers, other staff, and facilities organized as a unit for educational purposes under the supervision of an administrative officer and administered by a district board of education. Types of public schools include standard, continuing education, and distributed learning schools.

Qualified Teacher	In reference to a public school, a teacher certified by the BC College of Teachers. In reference to an independent school, a teacher certified either by the BC College of Teachers or by the Inspector of Independent Schools.

Recommended Learning Resource	The status granted to a learning resource, which has been evaluated and approved by the Ministry for use in all B.C. schools and designated by the Minister as Recommended. Please see section 3 of the Educational Program Guide Order.
Relevant Criminal Offence	The Criminal Records Review Act designates which offences are relevant to the protection of children. Only offences associated with physical or sexual abuse, as listed in the Act, are considered. This includes indecent acts and violence. It does not include offences that are not relevant to the protection of children. Fifty-six offences are defined as relevant in the Act, including child pornography, sexual exploitation, homicide, assault, kidnapping, and trafficking controlled or restricted drugs.
Reporting Comments	Defined in section 1 of the Student Progress Report Order are comments describing: what the student is able to doareas in which the student requires further attention or development, and ways of supporting the student in his or her learning.
Residency	Section 82 (1) of the School Act states: "a board must provide free of charge to every student of school age resident in British Columbia and enrolled in an educational program in a school operated by the board" instruction in an educational program and educational resource materials necessary to participate in the educational program. Section 82 (2) states "for the purposes of subsection (1), a student is resident in British Columbia if the student and the guardian of the person of the student are ordinarily resident in British Columbia."
Required Courses	Credits that must be earned in the following subject areas: a Language Arts 10 (4 credits) a Language Arts 11 (4 credits) a Language Arts 12 (4 credits) a Social Studies 10 (4 credits) a Social Studies 11 or 12 (4 credits) a Mathematics 10 (4 credits) a Mathematics 11 or 12 (4 credits) a Science 10 (4 credits) a Science 11 or 12 (4 credits) Physical Education 10 (4 credits) Fine Arts and/or an Applied Skills 10, 11, or 12 (4 credits) Planning 10 (4 credits)

School Age	School age means the age between the date on which a person is permitted under section 3 (1) of the School Act to enroll in an educational program provided by a board and the end of the school year in which the person reaches the age of 19 years. (This is relevant because current funding practice dictates that adults are funded differently than students who are school age.)
School Age Student	A student between the age of 5 by December 31 of the current calendar year and 19 on or after July 1 of the current school year.
School Age Student FTE	Calculated based on 8 courses being one FTE (full time equivalent.) Each full course (four credits) is funded as 0.125 of an FTE, up to 8 courses. A base minimum of 0.5 FTE is provided for secondary school age (non-graduated) students.
School Completion Certificate	Please see the Student Credentials Order. A school completion certificate is issued in the case where all the learning outcomes of that student's educational program are contained in that IEP, the student meets the learning outcomes contained in that student's IEP, or in the case where not all the learning outcomes of that student's educational program are contained in the IEP, the student has successfully completed that student’s educational program.
School District	A geographic area constituted as a district under the School Act. There are currently 59 school districts and the Francophone Education Authority in the province.
School year	As defined in section 1 of the School Act, the period from July 1 to June 30.
Second Language course	A course in which the second language is studied as a subject rather than as a language of instruction. The study of second language courses is the focus of the Language Education Policy's requirement at the Grade 5 to 8 levels.
Secure Assessments and Examinations	Specific large-scale assessments that must be handled as determined by the Ministry of Education and may not be retained or re-used by Boards of Education or school personnel or other parties, except as specified by the Ministry of Education.
Selected Studies	Additional courses chosen by students to support their academic, career, or personal interests.
Special Education	Refers to a range of student support services provided by school districts to respond to the educational needs of its students, particularly those who are gifted or have a disability.
Special Needs Level 1	Dependent Handicapped (A) Deafblind (B) (See the K-12 Form Instructions for additional information)
Special Needs Level 2	Moderate to Profound Intellectual Disabled (C) Physically Disabled, Chronic Health Impaired (D) Visually Impaired (E) Deaf/Hearing Impaired (F) Autism Spectrum Disorder (G) (See the K-12 Form Instructions for additional information)
Special Needs Level 3	Intensive Behaviour Interventions Serious Mental Illness (H) (See the K-12 Form Instructions for additional information)
Special Needs, Students with	Students who have a disability of an intellectual, physical, sensory, emotional or behavioural nature, have a learning disability, or have exceptional gifts or talents, as defined in the Manual of Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines, Section E.
StrongStart Centre	A free early learning program located in schools, for preschool children accompanied by parent, other adult family member or caregiver, created through an agreement between school districts and the Ministry of Education.
Student of Aboriginal Ancestry	For the purpose of this funding policy, is defined as a school-age student who has self-identified as being of Aboriginal Ancestry (First Nations, status and non status; Métis; and Inuit). Aboriginal identification must be made on a voluntary basis.
Student Learning Plan	A document listing the courses or components of a student’s program of studies meeting Required Areas of Study or Graduation Program Order requirements.

Vulnerable Students	For the purpose of the CommunityLINK policy, the term “vulnerable students” means those students who may be at risk in terms of academic achievement and social functioning. These students primarily come from less affluent socio-economic backgrounds. In determining which students may be vulnerable, school districts may consider: low income measures; involvement with the provincial social service ministries and related agencies; community socio-economic demographics; information obtained through community mapping; and other relevant information including staff observation and self-identification.

Withdrawal	The termination of the Recommended status of a learning resource.
Work with Children	In the Criminal Records Review Act, "work with children" means "working with children directly or having or potentially having unsupervised access to children in the ordinary course of employment or in the practice of an occupation."