The amount of tuition paid by international students to British Columbia (BC) public school districts in the 2017-18 school year reached $256,829,094. That is an increase by nearly $15 million compared to last year. This represents about 5% of total district revenues provincially, but the bulk of gains are concentrated in just 10 districts in…

This fact sheet reports on education funding in British Columbia (BC). Funding for public education significantly increased in 2017-18 and is projected to continue to increase in line with increasing student enrollment. However, government spending on K-12 education as a proportion of total public spending continues to decline. An increase in…

For years, British Columbia has been allocating far less money for special education to school districts than districts have been spending on special education. Meaningful inclusion for all students requires a broad array of supports--specialist teachers, educational assistants, learning resources, specialized equipment and more. There in turn…

Teachers welcome the British Columbia government's review of the funding formula for public education. While inevitably suffused with technicalities, this exercise is fundamentally an opportunity to ensure that schools and classrooms reflect both the needs of students and, more broadly, British Columbia's values as a society. It is a chance to…

The number of international students in British Columbia (BC) public schools has grown four-fold since the 2001-2002 school year. Two factors have promoted this growth: tuition from international students was one area that school districts could increase financial resources during a period of government austerity policies; and the province…

Although education research has shown collaboration to be of the utmost importance, schools continue to lack the necessary means to help them incorporate communities of practice (CoPs) to facilitate and sustain their development and growth. We analysed the process by which CoPs were successfully implemented, under the guidance of a…

This book critiques dominant discourses and debates pertaining to values education, cultural identity and teaching democracy, set against the backdrop of growing social stratification and unequal access to quality education. It addresses discourses concerning globalisation, ideologies and the state, as well as approaches to values education and…

This paper examines increasing privatisation of education in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Conceptually, the paper is informed by theories of privatisation and social justice; and methodologically, it uses policy analysis to examine documents and financial records obtained from government departments. The paper critically analyses…

Since 2002, British Columbia's education system has undergone extensive change following amendments to the "BC School Act" ("Bill 34"). This article presents a critical analysis of policy changes to the K-12 education finance system, particularly the expansion of the legal capacity of school districts to create "'school…

The author explores the technology procurement process in Ontario's publicly funded school districts to determine if it is aligned with relevant research, is grounded in best practices, and enhances student learning. Using a qualitative approach, 10 senior leaders (i.e., chief information officers, superintendents, etc.) were interviewed to reveal…

The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) is pleased to have the opportunity to present its views on priorities for the 2018 provincial budget to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The BCTF represents 43,000 members who are teachers and associated professionals in public schools across British Columbia. The…

The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) is pleased to have the opportunity to present its views on priorities for the 2017 provincial budget to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services (the Committee). The BCTF represents 41,000 members who are teachers and associated professionals in public schools across British…

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life for students, teachers and everyone connected to public schools. The crisis has also exposed the fragilities of the economy in meeting the basic needs of all and highlighted the importance of the public sector, of community, and of care work. Schools are key public spaces of community and care. They must be…

This article explores the links between English as a second language (ESL) instruction and literacy instruction through an examination of viewpoints from eight teachers in two Canadian provinces. Four of these teachers worked in government--funded adult ESL and literacy education programs for a large urban school district in the province of…

We report on a study of three school jurisdictions in the province of Alberta. The original premise for the research on which this report is based was to investigate the diverse ways that school districts had administered resources that were provided through a major initiative to improve learning in the province. This account is not centrally…