Standards for First Nations Student Education Agreements
Official title: Education Services Agreement draft standards engagement
Why This Matters
If your child lives on a First Nation reserve and attends a provincial school, these standards shape how their education is delivered. They focus on learning needs, culture, language, and identity. A future review will gather more input on whether the standards are working.
What Could Change
The standards released in September 2022 through Ministerial Order now govern how school boards and First Nations create Education Services Agreements. After three years, Alberta will review the standards based on feedback from First Nations and school boards, which could lead to changes in how these agreements work.
Key Issues
- How should agreements address the learning needs of First Nations students?
- How can agreements support culture, language, and identity for students living on-reserve?
- What updates were needed to reflect changes in the education system since 2014?
How to Participate
- This consultation is now closed. Review the Education Services Agreements standards fact sheet to understand the final standards.
- Read the Ministerial Order (#015/2022) that established the standards.
- Visit Education Services Agreement Standards for implementation resources.
What Happened
The government used feedback from First Nations education authorities, provincial school authorities, the College of Alberta School Superintendents, and the Alberta School Boards Association to develop principle-based standards. Engagement sessions were held from August 24 to September 13, 2021. In September 2022, the standards were released through Ministerial Order #015/2022, focusing on learning needs, culture, language, identity, and students' unique circumstances.