Government asked Dr. Avis Glaze, a world-renowned education consultant, to do a review of the province’s education administrative system.
The review looked at how public schools are administrated, including elected school boards and their central office administration, and administration at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Administrative Review FAQs - Raise the Bar EN
Topic: Raise the Bar and education system change
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What was Dr. Glaze’s review focused on?
Answer:
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How many people did Dr. Glaze talk to as part of doing her review? Did she consult?
Answer:
Dr. Glaze met with more than 500 stakeholders during 91 consultations across the province.
Another 1,500 people responded to an online survey on the issues.
A complete list of individuals and groups that Dr. Glaze consulted with can be found in Appendix A of the Raise the Bar report, available at https://www.ednet.ns.ca/adminreview
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What is the evidence this new structure will improve the education system and benefit students?
Answer:
Dr. Glaze based her recommendations for what will work best in Nova Scotia on her review of the current system, input from more than 500 stakeholders she met with and 1,500 people who completed an online survey, and her extensive experience.
Our changes will shift resources (including staff and funding) from administration into classrooms to support students, and give parents and teachers a greater voice about priorities for their school.
As an example, our changes will move math and literacy specialists out of offices and into classrooms to provide teachers and students more support.
Topic: Decision-making
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Does this mean all decisions will be made centrally by the department?
Answer:
No. These changes will empower teachers, principals and parents by giving them a greater voice about priorities for their schools.
For principals, these changes will mean greater autonomy and independence to be the instructional leaders our education system needs.
Educators will be able to select textbooks and learning materials to best support their teaching needs.
Classroom teachers will have more input on curriculum through staff exchanges with the department.
Parents will have a stronger voice through enhanced School Advisory Councils (SACs).
Regional offices will remain in place.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How will decisions on things like school closures due to snow and other inclement weather be made?
Answer:
Regional offices will remain in place.
Local decisions like snow days will be made locally by regional offices.
Topic: Teachers
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What will government consult with the NSTU on?
Answer:
Government will consult with the NSTU on several important items including extracurricular activities, professional development, workforce recruitment and retention strategies, and targeted strategies for rural education, French language education, and the educational needs of new immigrants, students living in poverty and children in care. Discussions in these areas will begin before the end of this school year.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How will government make changes to allow teachers to move and teach in other areas of the province?
Answer:
Government will consult with the NSTU on how to give teachers more flexibility to teach in different regions, while protecting their seniority without bumping other teachers out of their positions.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How will government ensure enough teachers choose rural communities?
Answer:
This is one of the areas that government will work with the NSTU on. Government will consult with the NSTU on recruitment and retention strategies, and how to give teachers more flexibility to teach in different regions, while protecting their seniority without bumping other teachers out of their positions.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will there be any impact on teachers’ medical and other benefits?
Answer:
No. There will be no impact to teachers’ benefit and pension coverage.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will there be one seniority list for the province, or seniority lists for the current boundaries?
Answer:
Seniority lists are governed by regional collective agreements with each board being a separate employer. That will continue under the new structure with regional offices. Government will work with the NSTU on how to give teachers more flexibility to teach in different regions, while protecting their seniority without bumping other teachers out of their positions.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What is the plan for people who have their recall status?
Answer:
Teachers with recall status will continue to have that status within their region.
Topic: Principals, vice-principals and supervisory staff
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Why are principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff being moved from the NSTU? How will they be represented?
Answer:
We want principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff to increase their focus as instructional leaders in their schools, and to remove the conflicts currently faced by administrators. This will model the standard administrative model for workplaces, similar to what is in place for Nova Scotia’s nurses. Administrators will move from the NSTU to a professional association, to be called the Public School Administrators Association. While the association is not a union and will be separate from the NSTU, it will be affiliated with the union. Association members will not able to take job action or engage in collective bargaining. The affiliation will fully protect existing compensation and benefits. The association will clearly define administrators as the managers and educational leaders within our schools.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will the seniority, compensation, benefits and pension of administrators be protected and stay the same? Or will they change?
Answer:
Seniority will be protected, as will existing compensation, benefits, and pension. While the new professional association will not be a union and will be separate from the NSTU, it will be affiliated with the NSTU. The affiliation will ensure seniority and compensation are protected, and principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff receive the same benefits and pension they do now. Any salary or benefit enhancements negotiated by the NSTU for its members will also be provided to principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Can principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff move to teaching roles and stay in the NSTU?
Answer:
Yes, administrators can decide to move to the classroom and stay in the NSTU, or stay in their current role and move out of the union. As long as the association is affiliated with the NSTU, administrators will be able to move between the association, as an administrator, and the union, as a teacher, any year, not just the first year, while having their seniority protected.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: If administrators choose to return to the classroom, will they lose their seniority with NSTU?
Answer:
Seniority will be protected and administrators will be able to move between the association (as an administrator) and the union (as a teacher), any year, not just the first year while the association and the union are affiliated.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Can a principal or vice-principal who has decided to return to teaching bump or displace another teacher because they have more seniority?
Answer:
Principals and vice-principals cannot bump other teachers out of positions now. Bumping or displacement would not occur in the future either.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Are principals and vice-principals out of the union elsewhere in Canada?
Answer:
Yes. In three provinces – British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec – principals and vice-principals are not unionized.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What will this change mean for principals’ and vice-principals’ medical and other benefit plans?
Answer:
Their existing compensation and benefits (including pension) will be fully protected. Any salary or benefit enhancements negotiated by the NSTU for its members will also be provided to principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Could principals and vice-principals be forced to move out of their community into schools in another part of the province?
Answer:
No.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Can principals and vice-principals still teach?
Answer:
Yes. Principals and vice-principals will remain as certified teachers and will continue to be able to teach, to a maximum of 50% of their time.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will people without education degrees be hired as principals and vice-principals to manage schools?
Answer:
No. Principals and vice-principals are the educational leaders in our schools now, and will continue to be. These changes will give our principals and vice-principals greater autonomy and independence so they can be the instructional leaders we need them to be.
Dr. Glaze also acknowledges that principals should not have to spend time on building maintenance issues. We agree and will act to make this happen so principals can focus on instructional leadership.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Could principals and vice-principals be expected to work a longer school year?
Answer:
There is no plan to lengthen the school year.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: In the event that I need legal support, will I be required to find and pay for my own legal counsel?
Answer:
The province provides legal support for its staff who are performing their duties in good faith. Principals, vice-principals and other supervisory staff would be entitled to the support that the province provides to its existing non-union staff.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will there be a PD fund set up for administrators?
Answer:
Yes. Administrators will be able to access the PD funds that currently exist through the collective agreement.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will department heads, IB coordinators, 02 coordinators, and athletic directors be removed from NSTU?
Answer:
These positions will continue to be members of the NSTU.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will consultants who are paid an admin allowance but do not have supervisory roles stay in the union?
Answer:
Yes.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: If I have accumulated sick days, will they be protected?
Answer:
Yes.
Topic: School Advisory Councils (SACs)
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What kind of decision will SACs be able to make?
Answer:
The Minister is talking to parents, teachers, principals and students about these very questions. We know that they will be able to decide on how some funding can be used. We will have more to share soon.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: If elected boards are gone, what happens to representation of African Nova Scotians and Mi’kmaq? Will it only be one representative for each on the provincial council?
Answer:
Along with representation on the provincial advisory council, diversity must increase within the membership of school advisory councils. This will help respond to the unique needs in rural areas and all parts of the province. Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotians are also represented on the Minister’s Council on African Nova Scotian Education and the Council on Mi’kmaq Education. Ways to elevate voices on these councils from across the province are also being pursued.
Topic: Parents and Students
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: With these changes, will decisions be made centrally at the department? How will parents, teachers and principals have a voice in decisions?
Answer:
These changes will empower parents, teachers and principals by giving them a greater voice about priorities for their schools.
Parents will have a stronger voice through School Advisory Councils that will be supported to advance local priorities for their communities.
For principals, these changes will mean greater autonomy and independence to be the instructional leaders our education system needs.
Teachers will be able to select textbooks and learning materials to best support their students’ needs, and they will have more influence on the development of curriculum, and more support in the classroom for them and their students from teaching specialists.
Regional offices will remain in place and will continue to make local decisions as they do now (e.g. bussing, snow day cancellations).
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What is the evidence this new structure will improve the education system and benefit students?
Answer:
Dr. Glaze based her recommendations for what will work best in Nova Scotia on her review of the current system, input from more than 500 stakeholders she met with and 1,500 people who completed an online survey, and her extensive experience.
The changes will shift resources (including staff and funding) from administration and governance into classrooms to support students, and give parents and teachers a greater voice about priorities for their school. As an example, teaching support specialists, in areas such as math and literacy, will spend more time in schools working directly with classroom teachers to support student learning.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: If elected boards are gone, what happens to representation of African Nova Scotians and Mi’kmaq?
Answer:
The voices of African Nova Scotian, Mi’kmaq and immigrant communities must continue to be heard. Along with representation on the Provincial Advisory Council on Education, diversity must increase within the membership of School Advisory Councils. We will consult with members of School Advisory Councils this spring on how to ensure there is diversity in their membership, as well as other matters. Two new executive director positions representing these communities are being created at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotians are also represented on the Minister’s Council on African Nova Scotian Education and the Council on Mi’kmaq Education. The department will work with these communities to enhance their voices.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How will you address rural schools and ensure rural voices are heard?
Answer:
We recognize the unique challenges facing schools in rural communities. There will still be regional offices and local decisions will remain local, as they are now. Changes will strengthen the voices of parents, teachers and principals in rural communities. These include supporting School Advisory Councils to advance local priorities; more autonomy and independence for principals; and, for teachers, more influence in developing curriculum, more support in the classroom for teachers and their students from teaching specialists. Dr. Glaze also recommends in her report that the department develop a rural education strategy to better respond to the unique challenges facing schools in rural communities.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What kind of decisions will School Advisory Councils be able to make?
Answer:
School Advisory Councils will be supported to advance local priorities for their communities. Consultations with current members will be held this spring to determine details such as their structure, membership, and supports needed for members.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Can you tell me more about having teaching support specialists in classrooms?
Answer:
Teaching support specialists will spend less time in regional offices and more time in schools where they will work closer with teachers and students. They will spend more time working directly with classroom teachers to support student learning.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How does this relate to the work of the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions and other initiatives underway?
Answer:
All of the initiatives - the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions, the Commission on Inclusive Education, the Pre-Primary Program, and the education system administrative review by Dr. Glaze – work together to build a stronger system and stronger classrooms, all with the goal of better preparing students to achieve success beyond high school. A streamlined, unified education system, focused on student achievement, will be the foundation upon which the other three initiatives depend.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What work is the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions doing?
Answer:
Since last year, teachers have been part of the Council to Improve Classroom Conditions that has $20 million to invest in frontline classroom changes. Council’s work has included hiring 139 new teachers, and establishing class caps for grades seven to 12, and the first-ever province-wide attendance policy.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: When will parents see changes on inclusion in the classroom? Why not wait for the final report of the Commission on Inclusive Education to make all the changes at once?
Answer:
The Inclusion Commission’s interim report, which can be found at www.ednet.ca, identified inconsistency in policies and processes as a major problem. A unified, focused system will support provincial policies and equity for all students. The Commission’s final report is due in March. Changes to the administration and governance structure will create the foundation upon which the other improvements can be made; specifically, increased support for all students through a new model for inclusive education.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What about students with special needs?
Answer:
The Avis Glaze report is focused on administration and governance. The Commission on Inclusive Education’s report is focused on inclusive education. The Commission’s report is coming at the end of March.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: Will the CSAP board structure staying in place? And why?
Answer:
CSAP has Charter rights to protect the culture and language of Acadians and Francophones. Because of that, their board structure remains intact.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: What was Dr. Glaze’s review focused on?
Answer:
Government asked Dr. Avis Glaze, a world-renowned education consultant, to do a review of the province’s education administrative and governance system. The review looked at how public schools are administrated, including elected school boards and their central office administration, and administration at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Published: Yes
Updated date: 02 February 2021
Question: How many people did Dr. Glaze talk to as part of doing her review? Did she consult?
Answer:
Dr. Glaze met with more than 500 stakeholders during 91 consultations across the province. Another 1,500 people responded to an online survey on the issues. A complete list of individuals and groups that Dr. Glaze consulted with can be found in Appendix A of the Raise the Bar report, available at https://www.ednet.ns.ca/adminreview.