Planning: community engagement

Requirement

To support an integrated approach to the planning and delivery of before and after school programs, school boards are required to consult with the following community partners to determine demand and program viability (section 4 of O. Reg. 221/11):

• Service system managers for the service areas of the school board
• any First Nation with students attending a school of a board through an existing Education Service Agreement^{footnote 1[1]}, an Education Agreement ^{footnote 2[2]}or the Reciprocal Education Approach
• operators of existing third-party programs selected by the school board (such as, licensed child care programs and authorized recreational and skill building program providers)
• parents with children who are enrolled/they intend to enroll in Kindergarten to Grade 6 with the school board
• Indigenous organizations that provide culturally appropriate programs and services to urban Indigenous communities

School boards are required to include information regarding the estimated daily fee and non- instruction fee for school board-operated and third party programs when assessing demand. School boards are also required to assess demand for non-instructional days.

Working with Indigenous organizations as local partners

The Ministry of Education recognizes the value of culturally appropriate early years and child care programs for Indigenous communities, and is committed to working closely with partners to support a strong early years and child care system for Indigenous children and families.

Early years and child care in urban Indigenous communities

The Ministry of Education provides funding to Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Services Administration Boards, to support culturally appropriate programming through 61 off reserve Indigenous-led child care and early years projects. This programming is delivered by Indigenous-led organizations in partnership with service system managers.

Indigenous education strategy

Ontario's Indigenous Education Strategy sets the foundation for improving achievement among Indigenous students in provincially funded schools. The strategy supports life-long learning beginning in the early years and continuing through postsecondary, training or workplace opportunities. In addition, it raises awareness about First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultures, histories, perspectives and contributions among all students.

The Ministry is committed to providing equitable, culturally appropriate, positive and safe education for Indigenous students through strengthening Ontario’s education system and well-being for First Nation, Métis & Inuit learners and all learners.

The government is also committed to continuing to build positive relationships with Ontario First Nation, Métis and Inuit partners and working in a spirit of mutual respect through all interactions. Strong partnerships between the ministry, school boards, schools, educators, families, students, community organizations and Indigenous partners are essential.

Considerations

District school boards should engage regularly with local First Nation communities and with their Indigenous Education Councils and partner with Indigenous organizations, such as their local Indigenous Friendship Centres, to support Indigenous students who may be accessing before and after school programs.

Collaborating with Indigenous communities and organizations will help the province meet its commitments to both reconciliation and its equity and inclusive education policy.

A consistent approach for families

Considerations

As part of the consultative planning process, school boards must work with their local service system manager(s), community partners and Indigenous education partners, including urban Indigenous organizations, to develop an approach to assess sufficient demand and viability. The regulatory framework provides flexibility for partners to work together to assess viability and demand and develop planning processes that are culturally responsive to the particular needs of a community, including First Nations,

Métis, and Inuit communities. Factors for consideration may include:

• Demand and/or gaps in services:
  • these gaps may include specific populations that face barriers to accessing programs and may require specific programming to accommodate their specific needs
  • partners may wish to co-create community surveys and share existing information such as waitlist data for child care or enrolment data in schools
  • interests identified by children and families in programming (programming content, hours of operation, provision of snacks)

• Capacity to expand and/or establishing program:
  • partners may identify existing service providers and their capacity to meet specific programming needs in the community (for example, culturally responsive, newcomer programs)
  • partners may consider the availability of qualified staff and/or service providers that are able to meet the programming requirements
  • school boards may take an inventory of existing programs offered in their schools that operate before and after school such as licensed child care centres, nutrition programs, and after-school programs funded by the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries

• Parent fees:
  • programs should consider demand for both full fee paying families and families that require subsidy to access programming
  • where demand is insufficient in the absence of subsidies, a program may not be viable
  • school boards are encouraged to work with their local service system manager to support equitable access to before and after school programs for children

School boards and local service system managers are encouraged to share information to develop a common approach to assessing viability of programs and identify potential solutions at a community level.

School boards are encouraged to work through their local service system manager(s) to engage with existing third-party providers.

Co-terminous school boards

Consideration

School boards are encouraged to work with their co-terminous school boards to ensure a consistent approach to the provision of before and after school care for families across the community.

Please note: The regulatory requirement that each parent is surveyed every year has been removed from regulation (though school boards may continue to use the survey to inform planning discussions).

Exemptions from duty

Requirement

A before and/or after school program may not be required for a school if the school board, the local service system manager and any First Nation with students attending that school^{footnote 3[3]} are in agreement that there is insufficient demand.

This assessment must be informed by the consultative process set out above, which includes engagement with urban Indigenous organizations, existing third party providers and parents.

Determinations

Requirement:

Based on the consultative process, school boards must determine:

• the schools in which the school board will offer before and after school programs in the next school year for students enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 6 including:
• the length of time the program will operate
• the times in the day during which the before and after school portions of the program will operate
• any non-instructional days on which the school board anticipates before and/or after school program will operate
• the features the school board-operated program will include (for example, provision of snack, homework help)
• the daily fee and non-instructional daily fee for school board-operated program

Reporting requirements set out in the reporting to the ministry section below include an affirmation signed by the school board, relevant local service system manager(s) and First Nations indicating there is agreement that where a before and/or after school program is not offered, the school is exempt from the duty because it is not viable (for example, if there is insufficient demand).