Inspiring success: First Nations and Métis preK-12 education policy framework

Excerpted from Introduction

The Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond provides specific targets to be achieved by the province in education. The plan commits the education sector to reduce the disparity in graduation rates between First Nations and Métis and non-First Nations and Métis students by 50 per cent by 2020; and to lead the country in Grade 12 graduation rates by 2020. The Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP)1 is the education sector’s approach to achieving the targets set out in the Plan for Growth. It is within this context that Inspiring Success – Building Towards Student Achievement: First Nations and Métis Education Policy Framework (2009) was identified for renewal and reintroduction to the PreK-12 education sector.

Inspiring Success: First Nations and Métis PreK-12 Education Policy Framework (Inspiring Success) replaces and builds upon the accomplishments of the 2009 framework. It continues to guide the development of First Nations and Métis education plans at the provincial, school division and school levels, and to ensure that Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing continue to shape the learning experience for all students. Inspiring Success also guides strategic actions at all levels of the provincial education sector to improve outcomes for First Nations and Métis learners.

Inspiring Success is the umbrella for all actions related to First Nations and Métis education. It offers a comprehensive approach to improving student engagement and achievement through policy, programs, curriculum, building partnerships, shared decision-making and accountability, and helps ensure alignment of ministry and sector actions with the goals of the ESSP. Inspiring Success supports the infusion of Indigenous content, perspectives and ways of knowing into renewed curricula to benefit all learners; teaching Indigenous cultures, languages and histories in the classroom; building positive relationships; reconciliation; and mandatory treaty education.

Métis and First Nations organizations, Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers, provincial PreK-12 education stakeholders and teacher education programs worked with the Ministry of Education to renew this policy framework. It is also informed by key learnings from the Joint Task Force on Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for First Nations and Métis People (2013), the province-wide Student First engagement (2014), the Following Their Voices initiative and other education sector initiatives.