P.E.I.'s English Language School Board to be dissolved

The P.E.I. government announced Thursday morning the functions of the English Language School Board will be integrated into the Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture.

The board of trustees has already been dissolved and a new Crown corporation, which will answer to Education Minister Hal Perry, is being created to oversee hiring teachers and transporting students to and from school.

Former English Language School Board superintendent Ricky Hood will oversee the transition.

While the timeframe has not yet been laid out, there will no longer be an English Language School Board once the process is complete. The province estimates it will take six to nine months to absorb the functions of the school board into the Department of Education.

There have been several high-profile disagreements recently between the board and the Department of Education over who should be responsible for different aspects of the education system, and trustees were at odds with the government this summer over its plan to eliminate 28 teaching positions.

Trustees were to begin this month discussing possible school closures, but the government now says there will be no closures until after the 2016-17 school year.

3 new councils

Perry also announced the creation of three new administrative bodies that will advise the department on education policy in the province.

The Family of Schools District Advisory Councils will be made up of high school students, school council/home and school association representatives, and the regional representative of the Home and School Federation. The councils will directly advise the Department of Education. A council will be created for each family of schools in the province.

The P.E.I. Principals Council will directly influence policy and program decisions in the K-12 school system. All Island principals will be invited to join.

The P.E.I. Learning Partners Advisory Council will be comprised of education and community leaders. This group will advise on all levels of learning in the province, from birth through public education, post-secondary and beyond.