Adam Davies, former elected school board representative

THE GLAZE REPORT - FIVE YEARS LATER (PT. 1)

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In January 2018, Dr Avis Glaze, an internationally recognized education consultant, released her report, Raise the Bar: A Coherent and Responsive Education Administrative System for Nova Scotia. In it, she made twenty-two recommendations to the government concerning public education. The government accepted eleven of those recommendations, including ones to dissolve the province's seven elected, English-language school boards; to remove principals and vice-principals from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) for their own association; and a new funding model for education.

Glaze stated in the report, 'The system has simply not worked to help Nova Scotian students improve their performance. Each model, each situation must be considered in its own environment, based on performance, coherence, responsibility and accountability. Regardless of student achievement levels, this proposed model should be reviewed in five years.'

And so, here we are five years later, ready to look at what has worked, what has not worked, and what has to be improved.

To that end, the administrators of the Nova Scotia Parents for Public Education (NSPFPE) Facebook group have decided to do their own review of the Glaze Report, five years later. At the time of writing (October, 2023), there has been no indication from the provincial government that it is interested in doing such a review. There was a ThoughtExchange online survey, administered in late 2022/early 2023, alongside discussions with targeted focus groups, but they were centred only on strengthening local voice within the school system, which was just one aspect of the Glaze Report. Moreover, there has been no indication on what follows from those consultations. The Glaze Report touched upon a host of education issues, not least of which was the very system structure itself, and it deserves a detailed and thorough review.

There are several important points to bear in mind. It must be emphasised that circumstances changed the trajectory of the Glaze Report over the past five years. In August 2021, the provincial Liberal government, which had been in power since October 2013 and had commissioned Dr Glaze to do her analysis, was defeated in an election and replaced by the Progressive Conservatives. Education was not a significant political issue during that election and there was very little mention of the report in the campaigns.

The other circumstance was, of course, the COVID pandemic. COVID had a searing effect on education, with at-home learning, school closures, and absences being the norm. Undoubtedly, whatever plans there were to implement aspects of the Glaze Report had to be delayed, altered, or abandoned.

It also has to be noted that the Glaze Report came at the end of a long series of education reform initiatives within the province. Things such as the Inclusion Report did feature in her report but that had a different pathway to implementation.

The purpose here is to use the fifth anniversary of the Glaze Report to take stock of what has happened in public education over that time. We want to compile a report that is one part statistical and the other part a record of the past five years, with all of the triumphs, questions, comments, and concerns noted. As a parent group, it is far beyond our abilities to comment or each and every recommendation. Whilst some of the recommendations had a noticeable impact, and certainly changed schools and classrooms, others were specific to parts of the system or to the background fabric of what happens at school. Accordingly, we are planning for a wide-ranging consultation with all of the partners in education so as to learn what has changed over the past five years - change for the better or for the worst.

And so to work. As a first step, here is the first in a series of posts to reintroduce the recommendations of the Glaze Report and to track, so far as possible, the impact that followed.

(For the Glaze Report in its entirety, please see: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/raisethebar-en.pdf)

As Taryn Grant, writing for the CBC, reports, the province is expected to announce plans for community involvement in schools this fall.

At the end of last year, the government launched a ThoughtExchange consultation on bringing 'local voice' into education policy and decision making, and data collected at that time has been included in the document linked below. A caveat, parts of the document had been redacted.

For the complete document see:

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23939555/school-board-foipop-nsndp.pdf

Annie Kidder, Executive Director of People for Education, calls for a new path or vision within public education, one that is focused on every student's right to a quality education.

The call was put forward in the latest issue of 'Principal Connections' (Fall 2022), and it can be read here:

https://peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PC-Fall2022-Vol26-Issue1-AnnieKidder.pdf

Although this is the best way forward for public education, Kidder seems to suggest that it can be realized within the existing system, with a new provincial approach, consultation at every level, and an increased role for school leaders. Am I too skeptical to think that it can only be done from outside the system? And maybe the first step is a Citizens' Assembly to create the framework.

A new approach to small and rural schools in NS?

The announcement of a new French first-language school in Tor Bay, Guysborough County, is welcome news. The school, with classes from pre-primary to Grade 9, will initially comprise of 'modular classrooms next to the Larry’s River Community Centre'. As noted, there are already about 50 students interested in attending the new school. This is only the first step, as 'CSAP will work with the community on a long-term infrastructure solution.'

This announcement suggests that NS has a new understanding and commitment to small and rural schools. It was not so long ago, during board-led school review processes, that communities asked for this kind of model; that is an unconventional learning environment (not a traditional school building), aligned with other community assets (dare I say, community hub?), and catering to a small number of students. The ideas did not find traction then, but perhaps the time has come now.

That said, if the government is indeed providing a new model for small and rural schools, than now would be the time to formulate a proper Rural Education Strategy to address the unique challenges facing schools in rural communities. In regard to this new CSAP school, it is also time for a French Language Education Strategy for the province or, better still, the promised CSAP Act.

Province Creates New School in Historic Acadian Community News releases from the Government of Nova Scotia

Today's release of the School Capital Plan does strike a number of important notes, with a focus on making repairs to aging infrastructure and planning for population growth in parts of the province.

There is a question however on how far $948 million over five years will really go at a time of inflation, labour shortages, and supply issues. Also, it is hard to hold the government accountable for its strategic approach to capital spending when the data used to inform that plan is not publicly known.

Speaking of the Capital Plan, I wish someone at the Department would encourage the Regional Centres for Education to update their Long-Range Outlook documents and to make them easier to find on the RCE webpages. The Capital Spending Plan should align with each of the RCE's Long Range Outlook documents, and that is not happening.

https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20230616006&fbclid=IwAR1WfAL-RZgpbv2owrpfRVDEg7j08rKR3xrlfoAnC5lVHz252Y1GYm1M26k

School Capital Plan Addresses Growth, Invests in New and Existing Schools Across Nova Scotia News releases from the Government of Nova Scotia

Yesterday, 6 June, 2023, the NS Standing Committee on Human Resources met to hear testimony on school breakfast programs. The witnesses included representatives from Nourish Nova Scotia, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and Calvin Presbyterian Church.

This session takes on greater importance when we think about how food is provided to students during the current job action in HRCE, what the plan is for food security during the summer months (when schools are closed), and how the numerous programs available across the province are currently funded.

Here is the link to a video recording of the Committee hearing:

Jun. 6, 2023 - Human Resources Committee Proceedings Meeting start:Introductions: Opening remarks:PC Caucus questions:NDP Caucus questions:Liberal Caucus questions:Closing remarks:Committee business:Guidelines ...

Below is a link to the accumulated data from the inaugural School Advisory Council (SAC) survey. As noted, there are 351 SACs in the province (out of 370 schools), the average SAC is comprised of 8 members, and there are approximately 2,500 SAC members across the province.

This survey provides comments from members on recruitment, diversity, and professional development. These comments should encourage interesting discussions at SAC meetings.

The document also includes a link to professional development videos and resources provided by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

For the survey document see:

https://www.hrce.ca/sites/default/files/hrsb/Departments/BoardServices/Communications/sac_annual_survey_report_back.pdf

As news spreads about the changes that are happening at some Halifax-area schools to accommodate an influx of students, there are at least three questions or concerns that come to mind:

- Was the increase in student numbers anticipated? Is the increase of +1000 since the end of September 2022 in line with the planning models, or was that number unexpected?

- HRCE is ahead of the game in that its Long Range Outlook document has been updated and it is readily available on the RCE's website. It is a step forward when you consider other regions have not updated their own LRO for years (e.g. CCRCE) and other RCEs have provided no easy access to the document. That said, why was this document not used as a starting point to engage with local school communities before the decisions were made?

- The decision-making process in this instance is the same authoritarian coping strategy - where a small, select group of people are empowered to identify a problem AND to offer a solution - that has made our public education system so highly centralized. Yes, it speeds up decision-making but it leaves so many of the partners in education marginalized and increasing resentful. There are other ways to do this kind of work.

Perhaps more than anything else, HRCE's process in dealing with this issue reminds us of the need for elected, English-language school boards.

Halifax-area schools prepare for enrolment spike The Halifax Regional Centre for Education is advising students and families some changes are coming to accommodate an influx of students. Beginning in September, some grades and students will move out of some schools and into others. Preston Mulligan has the story.

First, the context: On 1 November, 2022, the premier stated in the House, 'Healthy eating in schools, supporting our children with nutritious meals - that's, of course, a priority of this government. We're looking at the school lunch program. There's a significant amount of work being done on that. We know that's something that can help a lot of families.'

Recently, during question period in the House, it was noted that a suggestion had been made at a Public Accounts Committee meeting in October, 2022 to request funding in the upcoming budget for a universal lunch program for Nova Scotia schools. As we know, a plan for that kind of program does not appear in the budget and, as the story linked below outlines, the intent is now to await federal funding; indeed it seems the federal government will develop a policy framework and program.

With that context in mind, a crucial question arises: Is the NS Department of Education and Early Childhood Development collecting data and information on the need for a universal lunch program and, crucially, is it being shared with the provincial government so as to inform policy and legislation?

The NS public education system is highly centralized but it seems there is little attempt made to deal with pressing issues (be it violence, staffing, or student assessment) and very little in the way of legislation pertaining to education. Is this another critical gap in public education?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/school-lunch-program-becky-druhan-education-students-food-1.6795380?fbclid=IwAR2yEOCI9Jy8FzuWypPyE3yKOJMnCNwmaVXMi49X5ZpfjSKCdqljKs8HlvY

Nova Scotia won't serve up universal school lunch program without Ottawa | CBC News Nova Scotia will be ready to launch a universal school lunch program when the federal government finalizes details for the plan, but the province’s education minister says the program will not start before that.

With the legislature now sitting, one hopes that public education will be discussed and new legislation will come forward to address the many gaps within the system. It is a concern that so many politicians are not talking about education and the future of education in this province.

Recently, the THINKING OUT LOUD series from Saltwire had an important conversation with Stacey Rudderham on addressing school violence in Nova Scotia, as well as other concerns about education. It is certainly worth your time to listen to it.

www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/opinion/regional-perspectives/thinking-out-loud-addressing-school-violence-in-nova-scotia-100836371/?fbclid=IwAR0zJiyPoaTvLz6GMmqM-Ot6NjTLcH-SdtJ0UsIFbDUw5F-JJU9hW3BUNx4

THINKING OUT LOUD: Addressing school violence in Nova Scotia | SaltWire An incident at a Halifax area high school sent two staff members to hospital and a 15-year old student in custody. Along with serious criminal charges, ...

Today may be a great time to submit your thoughts, or to rate the thoughts of others, in this ongoing survey from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

(It is interesting to note that this survey relies on thinking of the word LOCAL in a narrow, geographical sense)

Strengthening Local Voices | Education and Early Childhood Development The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) is seeking input from Nova Scotians on how to strengthen local voice in education policy and decision-making for Pre-Primary-12 education. We are exploring ways to improve opportunities for school community members to provide feedbac...