Revised Oct 27, 2016

ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS - EDUCATION WORK PLAN 2016-2017

The Assembly of First Nations Education Work Plan obtains its strategic direction from three guiding documents:
1) 2015 - AFN Federal Election Priorities for First Nations and Canada: Closing the Gap
2) 2015 - TRC of Canada: Calls to Action (Education)
3) 2016 -AFN Resolutions passed by Chiefs in Assembly

Education Strategic Directions

AFN Closing the AFN 2016

TRC Education Calls to Action (#W6 Closing the Gap)
Gap Resolutions
1. Strengthening #6. We call upon the Government of Canada to repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Resolution
First Nations, Code of Canada. 14/2016 -
Families and Support for the
#7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint
Communities World Indigenous
strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and
The federal Peoples
non-Aboriginal Canadians.
government will Conference on
launch an honourable #8. We call upon the federal government to eliminate the discrepancy in federal Education 2017
joint process to close education funding for First Nations children being education on reserves and those
the education gap First Nations children being education off reserves.
through First Nations #9. We call upon the federal government to prepare and publish annual reports Resolution
control of First Nations comparing funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves, 16/2016 -
education. To include: as well as educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada Honourable
a) immediate and compared with non-Aboriginal people. Process to
continues new Develop
investments in Recommendation
classroom funding s to support First
b) a guaranteed Nations Education
annual escalator Reform
which ensures
equitable funding #10. We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education Resolution
c) new investments
legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples. 36/2016 -
for regional
The new legislation would include a commitment to sufficient funding and would Inherent and
education
incorporate the following principles: Treaty Right to
organizations, i. Providing sufficient funding to close identified education achievement gaps within one Post-Secondary
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generation. Education
ii. Improving education attainment levels and success rates.
iii. Developing culturally appropriate curricula.
iv. Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal
languages as credit courses.
systems v. Enabling parental and community responsibility, control, and accountability, similar to
development, new what parents enjoy in public school systems.
school vi. Enabling parents to fully participate in the education of their children.
construction, vii. Respecting and honouring Treaty relationships.
operations and
maintenance.
2) Sharing and #11. We call upon the federal government to provide adequate funding to end the Resolution
Equitable backlog of First Nations students seeking a post-secondary education 39/2016 - First
Funding Nations National
a. The federal Working Group on
government will Early Learning
lift the 2% cap and Child Care
on federal #12. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal governments to Resolution
funding to First develop culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Aboriginal 40/2016 - Call on
Nations and families. Canada to
immediately #62. We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in address the
eliminate the consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, backlog for
funding gap it to: eligible First
created. i. Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal Nation post-
b. Immediately peoples historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory secondary
establish a new education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students. students
fiscal ii. Provide the necessary funding to post-secondary institutions to educate
relationship, teachers on how to integrate Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into
inclusive of new classrooms.
fiscal transfer iii. Provide the necessary funding to Aboriginal schools to utilize Indigenous
arrangements knowledge and teaching methods in classrooms.
with equitable iv. Establish senior-level positions in government at the assistant deputy minister
escalators for level or higher dedicated to Aboriginal content in education.

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#63. We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an
annual
commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:
i. Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and
ongoing learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and
funding. legacy of residential schools.
ii. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to
residential schools and Aboriginal history.
iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and
mutual respect.
iv. Identifying teacher-training needs relating to the above
#65. We call upon the federal government, through the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council, and in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, post-
secondary institutions and educators, and the National Centre for Truth and
Reconciliation and its partner institutions, to establish a national research program
with multiyear funding to advance understanding of reconciliation.

Project #1: AFN Toolkit

TRC Education Calls to
AFN Closing the Gap AFN 2016 Resolutions
Action
#62, #63

ACTIVITY PROJECT TIMELINE/ PROGRESS REPORT

LEAD DATES
1) Work with Apple and BV02 to finalize digital version of
toolkit Jarrett and September
Education staff December
2016
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2) Liaise with Manitoba Ministry of Education
to distribute physical toolkits Janice September
2016 March
2017
3) Promote toolkit Jarrett and September
Education staff 2016 March
2017

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Project #2: K-12 Education Transformation (713)
$165,000
AFN Closing the Gap AFN 2016
TRC Education Calls to Action
Resolutions
#1, #2 #7, #8, #10 Resolution
#16/2016
ACTIVITY PROJECT TIMELINES PROGRESS REPORT
LEAD / DATES
1) Work with technicians ( CCOE/NIEC and INAC) to Completed Oct 2016
finalize a mutually agreed upon Terms of Reference. Jarrett Oct 2016

2) Coordinate and support AFN-CCOE-INAC Joint Working Jarrett / Oct 2016 - Mar
Committee. Paulette 2017
3) Coordinate and support AFN-NIEC-INAC technical Jarrett / Oct 2016 - Mar
work. Paulette 2017
4) Joint Task Team on Funding Mechanisms
a. Identify task team members.
b. Finalize operational terms.
c. Meet to review and make recommendations
Nov 2016 Mar
regarding regionally based funding mechanisms & Jarrett
2017
fiscal frameworks.
d. Share information.
e. Summarize and report.

5) Joint Task Team on Statutory Funding

a. Identify task team members.
b. Finalize operational terms.
c. Meet to review and develop options for achieving Nov 2016 Mar
Jarrett
statutory/ legal guarantee for funding First 2017
Nations education.
d. Share information.
e. Summarize and report.

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Project #3: Education Directors Forum (714)

$88,000
TRC Education Calls to
AFN Closing the Gap AFN 2016 Resolutions
Action
#1

ACTIVITY PROJECT TIMELINE/ PROGRESS REPORT

LEAD DATES
1) Coordinate and support a 3 day national Director of Paulette and October March
Education Forum. This would be a professional Education staff 2017
development and networking opportunity.

2) a. Identify themes to support the Forum. Paulette and October March

b. Identify and coordinate potential list of keynote Education staff 2017
speakers.
c. Call for presenters.
d. Develop agenda and schedule of events (Trade Show,
Dinner, etc.)
e. Develop a communications strategy for the forum.

3) Identify and contact potential funders (government, Paulette and October March
foundations, private sector). Education staff 2017

4) Organize a trade show. Paulette and October March

Education staff 2017

4) a. Coordinate the logistics for the series of workshops Paulette and October March
(including meeting space, travel, food and gifts). Education staff 2017
b. Host the workshops
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5) Summarize the findings of the Directors Paulette and October March

Forum Education staff 2017

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Project #4: Student Success in Provincial Schools (715)
$51,300
AFN Closing the Gap TRC Education Calls to
AFN 2016 Resolutions
Action
#9, #12, #63

ACTIVITY PROJECT TIMELINE/ PROGRESS REPORT

LEAD DATES
1) Work collaboratively with provincial and national Paulette October March
bodies such as CMEC, School Board Associations, 2017
Student Associations regarding provincial schools and
the TRC Education calls to action.

2) Determine what can be done, by whom, and in what Paulette October March
timelines. 2017

3) Arrange meetings to explore initiatives and Paulette, October March

possibilities with individuals and groups. Pierrette 2017

4) Share information. Paulette October March

2017
5) Summarize and report. Paulette October March
2017

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Project #5: Post-Secondary Education (716)

$60,000
TRC Education Calls to
AFN Closing the Gap AFN 2016 Resolutions
Action
#7, #10, #11, #62 Resolution #36/2016,
Resolution #40/2016
ACTIVITY PROJECT TIMELINE/ PROGRESS REPORT
LEAD DATES
1) Support a joint task team. Janice October March
2017

2) Joint Task Team on Post-Secondary

Education Janice/Pierrette October March
a. Identify task team members. 2017

3) Finalize operational terms

Janice October March
2017
4) Meet to review and make recommendations regarding
PSE funding and PSSSP. Janice October March
2017
6) Share information.
Janice October March
2017
7) Summarize and report. Janice October March
2017

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Project #6: Early Childhood Education (717)
$60,000
AFN Closing the Gap TRC Education Calls to AFN 2016
Action Resolutions
#7, #12 Resolution
#39/2016
ACTIVITY PROJECT TEIMELINE PROGRESS REPORT
LEAD / DATES
1) Support a joint task team. Janice October March
2017

2) Joint Task Team on Early Childhood

Education Janice/Pierrette October March
a. Identify task team members. 2017

3) Finalize operational terms. Janice October March

2017
4) Meet to review and make recommendations regarding Janice October March
ECE funding and programming. 2017

5) Share information. Janice October March

2017
6) Summarize and report. Janice October March
2017

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Project #7: Measuring Success in First Nations Education (718)
$60,000
AFN Closing the Gap TRC Education Calls to Action AFN 2016 Resolutions
#7, #9

Activity Project Lead Timeline/Date Progress Report

s
1) Support a joint AFN-INAC task team Paulette October March
2017

2) Set up joint task team on post-secondary education Paulette October March

2017
3) Identify task team members. Paulette October March
2017

4) Finalize operational terms Paulette October March

2017
5) Meet to review and make recommendations regarding Paulette October March
mutual accountability and measuring student success in 2017
First Nations schools.
6) Share information Paulette October March
2017
7) Summarize and report Paulette October March
2017

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