--- title: "Governance, School Programs and Student Supports: the OneCity plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/parties/onecity/2026-platform/better-schools/governance-and-student-supports" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:00:43.214Z" meta: description: "OneCity's School Board candidates say they would open board meetings with oral question periods, reverse recent cuts to arts, music, physical education and..." "og:description": "OneCity's School Board candidates say they would open board meetings with oral question periods, reverse recent cuts to arts, music, physical education and..." "og:title": "Governance, School Programs and Student Supports: the OneCity plan | Vancouver 2026" "twitter:description": "OneCity's School Board candidates say they would open board meetings with oral question periods, reverse recent cuts to arts, music, physical education and..." "twitter:title": "Governance, School Programs and Student Supports: the OneCity plan | Vancouver 2026" --- ** OneCity · Vancouver 2026 # OneCity on the VSB: open meetings, protected arts and music, AI limits in schools OneCity's School Board candidates say they would open board meetings with oral question periods, reverse recent cuts to arts, music, physical education and libraries, support Indigenous language learning, press the Province on special education, expand mental health services and limit AI chatbots to Grades 10 to 12. All 6 commitments [Read the party's own page ](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools) [**13**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/candidates) [**7/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/platform) [**14**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/onecity/money) **8**Questions answered BETTER SCHOOLS ## Governance, School Programs and Student Supports: what the Our Plans says The last part of OneCity's Better Schools plan, released on September 29, 2026, is about how the Vancouver School Board runs and what students get in class. The candidates say they would bring back public participation and openness at the board table. On governance, they would open meetings to the public, add chances for input such as oral question and comment periods, and publish information early. On programs, they would reverse recent cuts, set minimum service standards, and protect arts, music, physical education and school libraries as core parts of public education. Two items concern particular students. The party would work with the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) on Indigenous language learning, land-based education, culturally safe supports and accountability for results. For students with disabilities, it would press the Province on staffing, funding and training for educators. It would also expand mental health and substance use services in schools through a district-wide strategy. The page attaches no cost or date to any of these items. On artificial intelligence, the party calls its approach harm reduction centred on learners: safeguards, AI literacy, privacy protection and age limits, with chatbot access limited to Grades 10 to 12. The party says human relationships and supervision would stay available at all times. The board sets these rules itself. The Province sets the funding formula the district budget depends on, which limits how far the board can restore programs. THE PARTY'S NUMBERS ## Figures in this chapter **Grades 10 to 12** Grades OneCity would limit AI chatbot access to The party's figure 6 COMMITMENTS ## What the party says it would do 1. ### Transparent & Accountable Governance at the Board Table OneCity would restore public participation, openness and democratic accountability at the VSB by opening meetings to the public, adding chances for input such as oral question and comment periods, and publishing information early and in public.
Who has the power
School Board The Board of Education sets its own meeting rules and public consultation.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
2. ### Protected School Programs The party would reverse recent cuts, set minimum service standards, and protect arts, music, physical education and school libraries as core parts of public education.
Who has the power
School Board The board approves the district budget, though the Province sets the funding formula that the budget depends on.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
3. ### Indigenous Student Success Through Language & Culture OneCity would work with the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) to strengthen Indigenous language learning, Indigenous-led land-based education, culturally safe student supports and accountability for Indigenous student success.
Who has the power
School Board The School Board sets programs in its own schools and can work directly with the three Nations.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
4. ### Staffed & Funded Supports for Kids with Disabilities The party would focus its advocacy on the Province to improve staffing, funding allocation and professional development for educators who support students with disabilities.
Who has the power
Province The party itself frames this as advocacy, because the Province sets the funding formula for schools.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
5. ### Expanded Mental Health & Substance Use Prevention OneCity would expand school-based mental health and substance use services, strengthen prevention and early intervention, and improve partnerships with families, health providers and community groups through a district-wide strategy.
Who has the power
City, with others The School Board runs services in its schools, while health services are provincial.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
6. ### A Nuanced and Cautious Approach to AI in Schools The party would adopt what it calls a learner-centred harm reduction approach to AI, with new safeguards, AI literacy education, privacy protection and age-appropriate access limits. It would seek to limit AI chatbot access to Grades 10 to 12, with human relationships and supervision always available.
Who has the power
School Board The School Board can set rules for technology use in its own schools.
Source
OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT ## Where the power sits for this chapter School Board4 City, with others1 Province1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ## Questions about governance, school programs and student supports
What is OneCity's policy on AI in Vancouver schools? OneCity says it would adopt a learner-centred harm reduction approach to AI, with safeguards, AI literacy education, privacy protection and age limits. It would seek to limit AI chatbot access to Grades 10 to 12 (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).
Would OneCity restore music and arts programs in VSB schools? Yes. OneCity says it would reverse recent cuts, set minimum service standards, and protect arts, music, physical education and school libraries as core parts of public education (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).
How would OneCity change Vancouver School Board meetings? OneCity's candidates say they would open meetings to the public, add chances for input such as oral question and comment periods, and publish information early and in public (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).
What would OneCity do for students with disabilities? OneCity says it would focus advocacy on the Province to improve staffing, funding and training for educators who support students with disabilities. The Province sets school funding, so the board can only ask (OneCity Better Schools plan).
Can the School Board restore cut programs on its own? The board approves its own budget and can choose which programs to protect, as OneCity proposes. The Province sets teacher pay and the funding formula the budget depends on, so the board can only spend within those limits (OneCity Better Schools plan).
What does OneCity propose for student mental health? OneCity would expand school-based mental health and substance use services, strengthen prevention and early intervention, and work more closely with families, health providers and community groups through a district-wide strategy (OneCity Better Schools plan, September 29, 2026).
ON THE BALLOT ## The OneCity candidates behind this ### School Board [301**Krista Sigurdson**Ballot 301](https://voche.me/candidates/krista-sigurdson) [302**Rory Brown**Ballot 302](https://voche.me/candidates/rory-brown) [321**Sherry Breshears**Ballot 321](https://voche.me/candidates/sherry-breshears) [325**Christopher Lee (李基鵬)**Ballot 325](https://voche.me/candidates/christopher-lee) [328**Steve Cardwell**Ballot 328](https://voche.me/candidates/steve-cardwell) ## 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. 1. [OneCity's School Board Team Announces Better Schools: A Plan to Harness the Power of the VSB to Build More Childcare, Community Centres, and Homes ](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/news/better-schools)SAYS SO ITSELFOneCity · published September 29, 2026 · checked September 30, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.