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Beyond knowledge: preparing students for an uncertain future
A discussion paper
The Ontario Education Partner Discussion Table, convened by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), has released a new visionary discussion paper entitled, Beyond knowledge: Preparing students for an uncertain future / Au-delà des connaissances :Préparer les élèves à un avenir incertain.
This paper outlines an emerging vision, rooted in common aspirations shared in recent conversations across the Ontario Education Partner Discussion Table, and system priorities that education partners have identified to realize this emerging vision. Education Partner Discussion Table members represent a diverse selection of organizations in the K-12 and post-secondary education sectors. (Partners are listed on page 22 of the document)
Beyond knowledge takes what was heard throughout many months of comprehensive discussions and outlines the following:
- Education partners’ hopes for Ontario’s students and an emerging shared vision
- Proposed priorities for system action and change to support the realization of this emerging vision
- Remaining questions and considerations that need to be discussed and unpacked further through continued engagement with partners and the government.
This paper is meant to be the start of a conversation to clarify and refine a shared vision and priorities for the future of Ontario’s schools. The key recommendation is that the provincial government create a new Partnership table, modelled on the structure and stakeholders of the Education Partner Discussion Table, to work collaboratively on making the vision outlined in this paper a reality in the years ahead.
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2022-2026 Good Governance Guide
The 2022-26 Good Governance Guide is now available! This comprehensive guide, developed by the Ontario Education Services Corporation (OESC) in partnership with OPSBA, has been expertly crafted to provide school trustees with the knowledge they need to effectively govern and lead their school boards.
In this guide, you’ll find valuable information on topics such as trustee roles and responsibilities, how to craft effective communication strategies, and best practices for working with school staff and community members. The revised guide contains legislative, policy and funding changes that have occurred over the past four years, with specific relevance for Ontario’s public education systems. Whether you’re a new trustee or an experienced one looking to brush up on your knowledge, this guide is designed to help you make the most of your time in office.
In addition to the Guide, OPSBA and OESC also provide support for our trustees through the Trustee Professional Development Program, which provides additional information and guidance on a wide variety of governance-related topics.
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Student Trustee Handbook 2022
New Resource for School Boards
OPSBA and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association (OSTA-AECO) are pleased to announce the publication of a new Student Trustee Handbook, which was produced by the trustee members of the OPSBA-OSTA Liaison Committee and student trustees on the Public Board Council (PBC) of OSTA-AECO.
It has been created for use by all school board trustees to understand fully the requirements for the role of student trustees in the governance practices of the board, but also to build appreciation of and identify processes that will fully mobilize the valuable resource student representatives provide. A key goal is to standardize some of the activities in school boards across the province.
In order to maximize their role, student trustees require support from trustees and school board staff. Having a strong support system allows student trustees to adapt to a new work environment, and receive valuable advice to further our leadership. Student trustees are the voice of students in decisions about education and they help keep students informed about important decisions that affect them.
Download the Handbook (PDF)
The Handbook is a “living document” that will be updated when new and relevant information becomes available. The Committee is also committed to regularly reviewing the Handbook for improvements and greater means of accessibility.
Members of the OPSBA-OSTA Liaison Committee are:
- Cathy Abraham – Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB (Central East)
- Crystal Hewey – District School Board Ontario North East (North)
- Margo Shuttleworth – Halton DSB (Central West)
- Tiffany Lloyd – Limestone DSB (Eastern)
- Sarah Cipkar – Greater Essex County DSB (Western)
- Howard Archibald – District School Board Ontario North East (Indigenous Trustees’ Council)
- Deborah Williams – Toronto DSB (Black Trustees’ Caucus)
- Kathleen Woodcock – OPSBA President
OSTA-AECO’s Representatives include:
- Alexandra Gauthier – DSB Ontario North East
- Shivani Vimal – Thames Valley DSB
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Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience – A Discussion Paper
Ontario children are preparing to return to their public schools after the biggest disruption in a lifetime. What have we learned about student engagement, and how equitably we are connecting with all the province’s young learners?
Since first declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, COVID-19 has been, and continues to be, one of the great social and economic disruptors of our time with widespread impact on one of society’s most traditional institutions – school.
The Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience Discussion Paper reflects the initial thinking of OPSBA membership from first-hand accounts of remote learning during the pandemic, in all manner of school and geographic settings. This process of reflection has revealed two compelling realities: that a worrisome number of students have been unable to profit from remote forms of learning; and that several innovative practices in pedagogy and leadership have emerged that should be preserved and implemented on a broader scale post-pandemic.
What can we change, what can we deepen? This is a rare once-in-a-lifetime chance to reset how we go about education, a critical moment that needs everyone’s voice – students, educators, parents, trustees, everyone in our school communities.
OPSBA is encouraging opportunities to connect with our education partners to build on current observations and research evidence to generate recommendations for effectively transitioning from the COVID-19 school experience in the short and longer term.
This Discussion Paper is the launchpad for this conversation. We are calling for others to join us. For more information, please contact Judith Nyman, Director of Program Policy, at jnyman@opsba.org.
Read the Final Provincial Report – Online Learning and Covid-19 Community Survey
Read the Final Provincial Report from OPSBA’s Survey of Grades 5 to 12 Students regarding their experiences with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Discussion Paper on EQAO and Large Scale Testing
OPSBA announced the release of a Discussion Paper on Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and Large Scale Testing in Ontario in December 2016.
Guided by OPSBA’s 2013-2014 strategic priorities, which included a commitment to promote 21st Century Education, the Education Program Work Team launched a survey in November 2013 to gather input from member boards related to EQAO assessments and large scale testing.
The Discussion Paper summarizes the survey results, identifies key themes and issues for consideration when examining the future of large scale testing and proposes a series of recommendations. The conclusions drawn in the Discussion Paper, based on the survey findings, reflect OPSBA’s official position on EQAO testing.
We sincerely thank the members of our Education Program Work Team for their dedication to this three-year long project and to the many trustees and school board senior staff who participated in the initial survey and provided their invaluable feedback throughout the process.
It is hoped that this document will inspire and encourage much needed dialogue on this issue among our education partners in the Province.
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