NEW APPEAL PROCESS INTRODUCED FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

VICTORIA – A new appeal process provides another avenue of support for parents and students who have concerns about decisions made by board of education employees, Education Minister Shirley Bond announced today.

“Parents are important education partners, and we want to ensure that they are supported when there are different opinions on decisions involving their children,” said Bond. “The new appeal process will allow parents and students to appeal board decisions to a superintendent of achievement in situations where a decision by a board of education employee significantly affects the education, health or safety of a student.”

The new process allows for appeals on matters dealing with:

· Expulsions and suspensions, or disciplinary actions that require a student to compensate all or part of their education using distributed learning (DL);

· Some of the issues involving students with special needs, including decisions about individual education plans (IEPs);

· Complaints about weapons or other violence, including bullying and harassment;

· Excluding students from school because of medical conditions;

· Decisions related to a board of education’s financial hardship policy.

“We believe this new process can provide more consistency in how student appeals are handled, and we hope it encourages every district to use best practices that meet the needs of all involved, especially the educational needs of the student,” said Kim Howland, president of the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils. “BCCPAC is extremely pleased with how responsive the ministry has been to parents’ requests for information about this new regulation.”

The new process offers parents and students the opportunity to have an independent review of a board of education employee’s decision. Many of these types of disputes can be resolved through mediation or adjudication.

“In general, boards of education do a good job settling issues that arise between parents, students and school administrators,” said Bond, “but we made a commitment to respond to the concerns expressed by parents across the province who have said they sometimes do not feel they have had a fair decision from a board of education.”

Prior to introducing this new level of appeal, parents could appeal matters in dispute to their board of education; however, once the board reached a decision, its decision was final. Beyond that, parents could make a complaint to the Ombudsman or the Human Rights Tribunal or seek remedy in the courts. The new process offers an additional opportunity on some of the most important issues, namely those significantly affecting the education, health or safety of students.

For more information on the new appeals process, or to find out how to submit an appeal to a superintendent of achievement under the new process, visit the Office of the Registrar, Student Appeals Branch website at www.studentappeals.gov.bc.ca.

The appeal process was part of Bill 20, the School (Student Achievement Enabling) Amendment Act 2007, which was passed in spring 2007. It fulfils a throne speech commitment to introduce reforms that focus on improving quality, choice and accountability in education.

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Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Education 250 356-5963

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