Starting April 30, First Nations and Treaty First Nations have the option to apply a Model Local Education Agreement (LEA) for the 2024/25 school year with boards of education if a First Nation requests it, and no LEA is currently in place.
The Model Local Education Agreement (LEA) is intended to ensure a minimum standard LEA can be in place at the request of the First Nation. It also creates a focus on First Nation student achievement and attendance and sets out expectations for adequate supports. The Model LEA is a contract that contains specific accountability and reporting requirements for boards of education to increase informed dialogue with First Nations on supporting First Nation student success.
In the 2024/25 school year, Indigenous Education Councils (IEC) will support boards of education in the provision of education and supports for Indigenous students, including providing advice on, and approving the board’s spending plans and reporting in relation to Indigenous Education Targeted Funds (IETF). The ministry has updated the IETF policy, on an interim basis, to align with IEC implementation.
The changes to the IETF policy outline the requirement of IECs to be involved in the planning, spending, and reporting of Indigenous Education Targeted Funds. Where a school district has prior year unspent IETF, the planning, spending, and reporting of those surplus funds need to be approved by the IEC in accordance with ministry direction. This is an interim update to the IETF policy. Future work on a more substantial IETF policy update will be done in conjunction with an update to the compliance audit.
Please contact EDUC.IndigenousEducation@gov.bc.ca for questions about the IETF or the Model LEA.