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Learn about the First Nations Education Council (FNEC) in Quebec, striving for autonomy in education. Discover their services, challenges, and initiatives.
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Our Journey Towards First Nations Control of First Nations Education QuebecRegion
About the FNEC • The FNEC was founded in 1985 by Chiefs and First Nations education representatives. • The FNEC is an assembly of twenty-two First Nation communities in Quebec. The FNEC respects First Nations autonomy and jurisdiction.
Our Mission • Our purpose is to achieve full jurisdiction over First Nations education. • This will be accomplished through mutual collaboration, individually with communities and through its assembly of education representatives and the Chiefs annual assembly and special assemblies .
First Nations Education Council (4 sectors and 1 Postsecondary Education) • Executive Management, we provide oversight and outreach to our political leadership • Educational services, we provide advice to school directors and their teachers in their path to implementing a “better school” teaching curriculum • Technology, we connect people • Programs and finance, we fund programs tailored by and for our members
First Nations Education CouncilStudying Funding level and Mechanism since 2005
Press Release: Poor funding mechanisms and impacts on students achievement(May 28, 2007) Pressconference
Rally to challenge the government to improve Education Funding(September19, 2007) Rallye / Ottawa
FNEC has worked over a year to get changes made to the Interim formula
FNEC has worked over a year to get changes made to the Interim formula, 2018
ISC’s Interim Funding Formula Inequitable Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Divisive Arbitrary Inappropriate results Inconsistent
Comparability • Quebec Ministry of Education has a very complicated formula that speaks to “difference” – each school board is funded based on an accommodation. • ISC application of Quebec Formula is not comparable to the province’s own applications – oversimplified and full of methodological errors. • It was an impossible task for 1 ISC person to adapt province of Quebec formula to FN • As much as 75% of application is based on “proxies”. • Risks associated with “linkage” to provincial budgets and policies for future indexation
ISC Misinformation on remoteness • ISC is using the provincial adjustment factors of a school board (with isolation premiums) to say to communities that this is “remoteness” - but then they apply it to all - urban, rural and remote…. • Remoteness is more than isolation premiums, it includes the increased cost of purchasing, travel, cost of non-teaching staff, cost of operations, cost of pedagogical services. • We have worked on a remoteness index for our own FNEC formula. We are currently testing it.
Methodology • The methodology of applying Quebec provincial budgetary regulations to FNEC schools is flawed in its application. • Province uses weighted student numbers for some measures/ ISC simply multiplies by nominal roll numbers • Per student amounts are generated by dividing school board expenses by number of students (often weighted). Result is amounts such as $2.64 per student for a measure. • Where $$ are provided to a school board for services such as management of schools, ISC applies funding to RMO and divides by number of schools. Schools within each RMO receive different amount because differing number of schools.
Review of the Interim Formula • FNEC requested a review of the Interim Formula by MNP, who have economists, actuaries, accountants and other experts. • MNP stated in its report that the Interim Formula was NOT comparable to the Quebec provincial formula in its treatment of school boards and in geographical considerations. • A copy of this report has been sent to the Minister’s Office. There has been no response to date.
State of the affairs • About half of the FNEC communities with schools have a poor funding offer • One has 6.8% less funding than last year – 2 communities have a 1% and 2% increase in funding • Some not enough additional funding to provide adult education (new ISC funding in Québec) or to account for increases in student population. • At least 5 communities are below the per-student average funding for FN in the Quebec region • There are funding differences between comparable communities • Arbitrary application of Remoteness funding to only 1 FNEC Community; refusal to fund others.
FNEC Communities mobilized • 8 FNEC members and their Chiefs asked FNEC to support them in their struggle for adequate funding and pressure to make a decision about staying in Global by ISC. • Meeting with Minister Feb 25th – promises made. • 3 subsequent meetings yielded no progress, ISC did not support the intent of the Minister • ISC brags on $$ received but does not want to see the inequitable distribution of this money because of faulty methodology. • April 11th, Chiefs in Assembly agreed to move towards a Regional Education Agreement based on our own FNEC formula.
Regional Education Agreement Decision • Resolution developed by FNEC legal team to move towards a Regional Education Agreement based on the FNEC formula • Creation of a chiefs committee to work with technical team and to negotiate the REA agreement • Creation of Terms of Reference for FNEC Chiefs Committee
FNEC Funding Formula • Instructional Services • Complementary Services • Educational Capital and Operations • Special Education • School Bus Transportation • Provincial Student Services • Technology
FNEC Funding Formula • A representative sampling of communities has been created to take part in virtual tests. • Eight volunteer communities are participating in the virtual testing process to: • Verify outcomes; • Provide missing data; • Compare outcomes with benchmarks; • Recommend changes and contribute to formula development.
