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POLICY STATEMENT

The Ministry of Education provides enhanced funding to school age students of Aboriginal ancestry. Enhanced funding provides culturally appropriate educational programs and services to support the success of Aboriginal students.

RATIONALE

This policy is part of a larger policy framework to support the achievement of Aboriginal students. Other components of the policy framework include Enhancement Agreements, Accountability Contracts, school plans, and District Reviews.

LEGISLATION/ REGULATIONS

Section 106.3 of the School Act describes how the operating grant to boards is calculated. Sections 106.4 and 117(1)(f) of the Act provide the legal authority for targeted grants.

POLICY

Targeted Aboriginal Education Funding

Targeted Aboriginal education funding requires the collaboration of Boards of Education and local Aboriginal communities to develop and deliver Aboriginal education programs and services that integrate academic achievement and Aboriginal culture and/or language.

School age students of Aboriginal ancestry participating in Aboriginal education programs and services offered by public schools are eligible for Aboriginal education funding. Adult students are not eligible.

Students qualifying for Aboriginal education funding will be funded at $1014 per full-time equivalent.

Funds provided to Boards of Education for Aboriginal education programs are targeted and must be spent on the provision of these programs and services. The delivery and outcomes of Aboriginal programs and services must be documented, preferably through Enhancement Agreements.

Funded Aboriginal education programs must be additional to any other programs and services to which an Aboriginal student is eligible, including provincial base funding, ESL and Special Education.

Targeted Aboriginal education funding must not be used to replace other funded programs such as Special Education or ESL.

Targeted Aboriginal education funding must not be used for the delivery of provincial curriculum (provincial curriculum includes courses such as BC First Nations Studies 12 and English 12 First Peoples).

Full-Day Kindergarten

Aboriginal education students enrolled full time in an eligible (see K-12 Form Instructions) full-day kindergarten program will be funded as one full-time equivalent (FTE).

Boards of Education are encouraged to consult Aboriginal communities in the development and delivery of full-day kindergarten programs.

Full-day kindergarten programs must be culturally appropriate.

To qualify as a program eligible for 1.0 FTE, the morning and afternoon programs must differ in delivery and content.

PROCEDURES

Aboriginal ancestry is determined on a voluntary basis through self-identification. School districts report students of Aboriginal ancestry using Box 16 according to Form 1701 Instructions.

School districts report students participating in Aboriginal education programs and services on Form 1701.

Students who are First Nations status living on reserve and who are receiving an education program offered from the school district offered by a public school should be reported on Form 1701.