What can your school expect from your independent school association? A lot, it turns out. A recent study by Cardus examined 56 independent school associations in Canada and found that independent schools, although independent, do not operate in isolation and instead turn to associations to enhance their delivery of quality education. Schools typically rely, the study found, on associations for up to four key items: professional development; government relations; administrative operations support; and student services.
The vast majority of independent school associations in Canada offer professional development for teachers and up to two-thirds of the associations offer board and governance development. Almost three-quarters of associations are involved in public relations and government relations on behalf of the sector they represent. About two-thirds of the associations support the administrative and managerial operations of independents schools, and only about a third of associations are involved in offering student services such as facilitating student events and programs.
It turns out independent school associations that have a religious orientation are typically involved in offering more types of services or activities than those associations without a religious emphasis. It is also of interest that three-quarters of Canada’s independent provincial school associations are located in the provinces where some government funding is available for independent schools—British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec. That may be surprising given that those provinces are home only half of Canada’s independent schools. It may well be an indicator that where there is funding for independent schools there is more collaboration through associations.
Should you be expecting more from your independent school associations? See Mapping Independent Schools Associations in Canada for more details.