Act
Proposal for amending the Education Act and making consequential amendments to other acts to recognize 'System Principals'
Regulation Number(s):
N/A
Instrument Type:
Act
Bill or Act:
Education Act
Summary of Proposal:
The Ministry of Education (EDU) is proposing legislative changes to the Education Act and consequential amendments to other Acts, which would recognize the system principal role in school boards. If passed, the amendments to the Education Act would:
• Recognize the system principal role as part of the legislative framework for public education.
• Support system capacity in succession-planning and leveraging of board management roles, including system principals, in advancing board-wide initiatives for student success and well-being and system effectiveness.
The proposed amendments to recognize the role of a 'system principal' would include requiring the following minimum requirements:
• Must be a member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT);
• Must have school board-wide responsibilities; and
• Must supervise one or more board employees.
These proposed requirements are intentionally a minimum baseline where a system principal is an OCT member whose managerial role involves overseeing one or more board-wide portfolios and responsibilities including staff supervision as part of a board management team.
To align with the above, amendments are also proposed for the following statutes:
• Provincial Schools Authority Act (PSAA) to identify system principals as employees of the Provincial Schools Authority;
• School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 to exclude system principals as board managers from any school board bargaining unit; and
• Teaching Profession Act to exclude system principals as board managers from the definition of "teacher".
• Recognize the system principal role as part of the legislative framework for public education.
• Support system capacity in succession-planning and leveraging of board management roles, including system principals, in advancing board-wide initiatives for student success and well-being and system effectiveness.
The proposed amendments to recognize the role of a 'system principal' would include requiring the following minimum requirements:
• Must be a member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT);
• Must have school board-wide responsibilities; and
• Must supervise one or more board employees.
These proposed requirements are intentionally a minimum baseline where a system principal is an OCT member whose managerial role involves overseeing one or more board-wide portfolios and responsibilities including staff supervision as part of a board management team.
To align with the above, amendments are also proposed for the following statutes:
• Provincial Schools Authority Act (PSAA) to identify system principals as employees of the Provincial Schools Authority;
• School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 to exclude system principals as board managers from any school board bargaining unit; and
• Teaching Profession Act to exclude system principals as board managers from the definition of "teacher".
Analysis of Regulatory Impact:
There are no anticipated direct compliance costs associated with this legislative proposal given the intention to recognize in legislation a role that already exists in school boards across Ontario.
Neither the province nor school boards will directly realize savings through the proposed legislative amendments; however, if the amendments are passed, school boards can benefit from enhanced system capacity, efficiency and flexibility for optimal time and talent management, and leveraging the skills of individuals with school management experience and/or subject expertise for the benefit of a broader student population. Over the longer term, the improved clarity and leveraging of the system principal role is expected to contribute to better conditions for system leadership including succession planning.
Neither the province nor school boards will directly realize savings through the proposed legislative amendments; however, if the amendments are passed, school boards can benefit from enhanced system capacity, efficiency and flexibility for optimal time and talent management, and leveraging the skills of individuals with school management experience and/or subject expertise for the benefit of a broader student population. Over the longer term, the improved clarity and leveraging of the system principal role is expected to contribute to better conditions for system leadership including succession planning.
Further Information:
Education Act
Proposal Number:
24-EDU017
Posting Date:
November 20, 2024
Comments Due Date:
December 1, 2024
Contact Address:
315 Front St W Toronto, Ontario M7A 0B8