Vancouver Greens on open school board decisions, reconciliation and staff relations
The Green Party of Vancouver would publish plain-language summaries and progress measures for major school board decisions, build relationships with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, work closely with the Indigenous Education Council, and hold regular talks between trustees and employee groups.
SCHOOL BOARD · PAGES 67 TO 69
Good Governance, Relationships and Reconciliation: what the Platform 2026 says
The Green Party of Vancouver's last school board chapter is about how trustees make decisions. The party says trustees answer for how a decision is made as well as for the decision itself. It would make public meetings easier to follow, publish major reports early enough for the public to review them, give plain-language summaries of major decisions, and explain the reasons for large policy and budget choices. The Greens would also publish performance indicators, measures that show progress on each major priority, and give more information on matters discussed in closed meetings where privacy law allows.
On reconciliation, the Greens would build ongoing relationships with the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and work closely with the Indigenous Education Council, which the platform says has legal duties of its own. The party points to the district's FESL data, the yearly report on student results that the Province requires of every school district, and says the five-year Indigenous graduation rate is falling and now sits below the provincial average. The platform gives that rate as ~49%. The Greens would report reconciliation actions publicly as measurable steps.
The final sections cover consultation and staff. The Greens would respect the role of Parent Advisory Councils and the District Parent Advisory Council, explain how public input changed each final decision, and offer ways to take part beyond evening meetings. With employee groups, they would hold regular talks with trustees, respect collective bargaining and existing agreements, and plan the workforce over longer periods. The Board of Education sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so most of this chapter is within the board's own power.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Five-year Indigenous graduation rate in VSB's FESL data, as the party states it (the PDF marks the figure as approximate)
The party's figure, page 6828 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Make public meetings easier to follow
The Greens would make public meetings accessible and easier to follow.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Publish major reports early
The party would publish major reports and recommendations early enough for real public review wherever possible.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Plain-language summaries of decisions
The Greens would provide plain-language summaries of major decisions.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Explain major policy and budget choices
The party would clearly explain the reasons for major policy and budget choices.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Report on implementation after approval
The Greens would improve public reporting on how major initiatives are carried out after the Board approves them.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Publish performance indicators
The party would publish easy-to-find performance indicators, measures that track progress and corrective actions on major Board priorities.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
More openness on closed meetings
The Greens would give more information on matters discussed in closed meetings while respecting legal privacy and confidentiality rules.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own reporting, within the privacy and confidentiality rules that apply to it.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Make public participation easier
The party would make it easier for the public to understand how and when they can take part, and add more meaningful ways to take part.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 67
Build relationships with the three Nations
The Greens would build respectful, ongoing relationships with the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board can build its own relationships with the Nations.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Work with the Indigenous Education Council
The party would work closely with the Indigenous Education Council and respect its statutory responsibilities, the duties the law gives it.
- Who has the power
- School Board The platform says the council holds legal duties of its own, which the board must respect.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Improve outcomes for Indigenous students
The Greens would support better educational results for Indigenous students. The party says VSB's FESL data show a declining five-year Indigenous graduation rate (~49%), now below the provincial average and moving away from improving trends in other BC districts.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board runs Vancouver public schools and sets its own policies, so it can act on this alone.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Include Indigenous worldviews in learning
The party would strengthen the place of Indigenous worldviews, histories and perspectives in learning, in line with the provincial curriculum and local partnerships.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board shapes learning in its schools, within the provincial curriculum the platform refers to.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Review purchasing to support Indigenous businesses
The Greens would review purchasing and partnership opportunities that can support Indigenous businesses and organizations as appropriate.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board decides its own purchasing and partnerships.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Report reconciliation actions publicly
The party would make sure reconciliation commitments are reflected in measurable actions and reported publicly.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Treat reconciliation as ongoing work
The Greens say they would recognize reconciliation as an ongoing responsibility of the institution.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board runs Vancouver public schools and sets its own policies, so it can act on this alone.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Consult students before major decisions
The party would strengthen consultation with students before major decisions on their education or school experience.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Improve engagement with parents and caregivers
The Greens would improve engagement with parents and caregivers.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Strengthen Parent Advisory Councils
The party would respect and strengthen the role of Parent Advisory Councils and the District Parent Advisory Council.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Give employee groups a regular way to raise issues
The Greens would create predictable chances for employee groups to raise system-wide problems with trustees.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 68
Engage earlier before catchment and school changes
The party would engage the public earlier before major catchment changes (the boundaries that decide which school a child attends), program changes or school changes.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets catchment boundaries and its own consultation rules, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Explain how input shaped decisions
The Greens would explain how public and stakeholder input influenced each final decision.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Offer ways to take part beyond evening meetings
The party would use new and varied forms of engagement so people who cannot attend evening meetings can still take part.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Hold regular dialogue with employee representatives
The Greens would set up regular, predictable dialogue between trustees and employee representatives.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board can set up its own meetings with employee groups.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Listen earlier to staff problems
The party would listen earlier when staffing, workload, safety or implementation problems appear.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board can set up its own meetings with employee groups.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Respect collective bargaining and agreements
The Greens would respect collective bargaining processes and existing agreements.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board is bound by the agreements already in place, and teacher pay is set by the Province.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Encourage joint working groups
The party would encourage joint working groups where district-wide operating problems can be worked through together.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board runs Vancouver public schools and sets its own policies, so it can act on this alone.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Report on workforce trends
The Greens would report more openly on workforce trends that are not confidential, such as vacancies, hiring and retention.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
Plan the workforce for the longer term
The party would develop longer-term workforce planning in place of repeated short-term fixes.
- Who has the power
- School Board The board plans its own staffing, so it can do this itself.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 69
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about good governance, relationships and reconciliation
How would the Green Party of Vancouver make school board decisions more open?
The Green Party of Vancouver would publish major reports early enough for public review, provide plain-language summaries of major decisions, and publish performance indicators that track progress on major priorities. It would also give more information on closed-meeting matters while respecting legal privacy rules (platform, page 67).
What is the Vancouver Greens' plan for reconciliation in schools?
The Greens would build ongoing relationships with the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, work closely with the Indigenous Education Council, and report reconciliation commitments publicly as measurable actions (platform, page 68).
What does the Green Party of Vancouver say about the Indigenous graduation rate at the VSB?
The Green Party of Vancouver says VSB's FESL data show a declining five-year Indigenous graduation rate, which it gives as ~49%, now below the provincial average. FESL is the Province's Framework for Enhancing Student Learning, under which every school district reports on student results each year (platform, page 68).
Would the Vancouver Greens consult parents before changing school catchments or programs?
The Greens would engage the public earlier before major catchment, program or school changes and explain how that input shaped the final decision. They would also use new forms of engagement so people who cannot attend evening meetings can take part (platform, page 69).
How would the Green Party of Vancouver work with teachers' unions and school staff?
The Green Party of Vancouver would set up regular dialogue between trustees and employee representatives, respect collective bargaining processes and existing agreements, and encourage joint working groups on district-wide problems. It would also plan the workforce over the longer term (platform, page 69).
Can the Vancouver School Board make these governance changes without the Province?
For most of them, yes. The Board of Education sets its own meeting rules, consultation and reporting, so the Green Party of Vancouver's commitments on open meetings, plain-language summaries and public input are within its power. The School Act, which only the Province can change, sets the board's powers (platform, pages 67 to 69).
Do the Vancouver Greens support Parent Advisory Councils?
Yes. The Greens would respect and strengthen the role of Parent Advisory Councils and the District Parent Advisory Council, and improve engagement with parents and caregivers (platform, page 68).
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 67 to 69 · published · checked
- Framework for Enhancing Student Learning Province of British Columbia · checked