School board elections one step closer to returning to P.E.I. this fall
Bill to amend Education Act passes second reading in legislature
It looks likely Islanders will elect trustees for the Public Schools Branch this fall for the first time since 2008 after a bill to amend the Education Act passed second reading Thursday in the legislature. The bill still requires third and final reading and royal assent.
The new model includes a hybrid board for the Public Schools Branch, including eight elected trustees from across the province and three appointed members — one Mi'kmaq representative, and two members at large appointed through Engage P.E.I.
One elected trustee will come from each school zone, except for Charlottetown, which will have two. They will be three-year terms. The appointed members will be on two-year terms.
The trustees will be elected through Elections P.E.I.
The French Language School Board will continue to be elected and consist of nine elected trustees from across the province.
The last election of school board trustees was in 2008.
Schools have been administered by various appointed bodies since the merger of the eastern and western boards in 2012. Those two school boards eventually merged to become the English Language School Board, which was ultimately replaced by the Public Schools Branch.