BCTF Brief to the Minister of Education, the Honourable Jennifer Whiteside

British Columbia (BC) has experienced a significant teacher shortage for years. While every region of the province is impacted, rural and remote communities have experienced a worsening shortage especially during the pandemic. Additionally, there is a critical shortage of specialist teachers across the province. This Education Brief outlines five areas where a recommitted effort is needed to meaningfully and adequately address longstanding challenges and concerns in the BC public education system: (1) assessment and reporting; (2) curriculum and resources; (3) inclusive education; (4) the application of the "United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" in the K-12 sector; and (5) teacher recruitment and retention.