Question Period Note: Education (Graduation rates)

• All Indigenous people deserve culturally relevant education that
enables them to reach their full potential.
• This is why we:
o co-developed a policy framework to transform the way
First Nations elementary and secondary education on
reserve is funded;
o are supporting First Nations adult education to help close
the education attainment gap; and,
o co-developed distinctions-based Indigenous postsecondary
education strategies to support First Nations,
Inuit and Métis Nation students.
• By working together with Indigenous partners, First Nations,
Inuit and Métis Nation students will have access to a high quality
education that responds to their needs.

Elementary and Secondary Education
Budget 2016 invested $2.6 billion for elementary and secondary education
programming for First Nations on reserve, including significant additional investments in
language and cultural programming, literacy and numeracy, and special education. With
these investments, the Department also worked with First Nations to fundamentally
transform funding for elementary and secondary education on reserve. The
co-developed policy proposal to strengthen and transform First Nations elementary and
secondary education was endorsed by Chiefs-in Assembly in December 2017 and was
used to establish a new policy framework that was ratified by Cabinet in 2018.
Launched on April 1, 2019, this new framework is aimed at fundamentally improving the
way Indigenous Services Canada funds First Nations elementary and secondary
education while supporting regional and local diversity and implementing the principle of
First Nations control of First Nations education. This includes supporting formula-based
regional funding for elementary and secondary education to ensure that students
attending First Nations schools are supported by predictable funding that is more
directly comparable to what students enrolled in provincial education systems receive.
On top of this base funding, the Department provides additional funding for expanded
language and cultural programming, full-day kindergarten, before-and-after school
programming, and other initiatives that respond to the unique needs of First Nation
students, as well as regional education agreements that advance First Nations’ selfdetermination
over their education systems.
In addition, Budget 2021 invested $726 million over five years and $188 million ongoing
to support work with partners to adapt elementary and secondary education funding to
meet First Nations’ needs. This investment provides supports to enhance funding
formulas in critical areas such as student transportation, to ensure funding for First
Nations schools remains predictable year to year, as well as to develop and conclude
more Regional Education Agreements. Budget 2021 also invested $350 million over five
years to support adult education on reserve, which will fill a long-standing gap in the
Government of Canada’s support for First Nations’ education. As part of the Canadawide
early learning and child care program, Budget 2021 invested $515 million over five
years and $112 million ongoing for before- and after-school programming on reserve.
Increasing access to on-reserve before- and after-school programming is expected to
support parents and primary caregivers in balancing work and family, and could also
reduce barriers by providing more opportunities for young parents to attend school or
enter and remain in the workforce.
Regional education agreements respond to the education goals and priorities set by
First Nations. These agreements identify collaborative education service delivery
strategies, and outline how the Government of Canada can best support First Nations
schools, students, communities, and education organizations in ensuring that First
Nations students receive a high quality, linguistically and culturally appropriate
education that improves outcomes.
Budget 2022, announced an investment of $310.6 million to support better student
outcomes through a regional education agreement with the First Nations Education
Council, which includes 22 member communities in Quebec. This agreement
demonstrates Canada’s active partnership with those First Nations in implementing their
vision for education to improve student outcomes.
In recognition of the challenges facing First Nations as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic, on August 26, 2020, the Prime Minister announced $112 million to support a
safe return to First Nation elementary and secondary schools on reserve. This is in
addition to the $2 billion that was provided to provinces and territories through the Safe
Return to Class Fund. Of this, $100 million was provided to First Nations to directly
support the needs of students and education staff, including salaries for staff, access to
technology, purchase of e-learning software, and the development of take-home
learning materials. The remaining $12 million supported schools to undertake retrofits
needed to follow public health guidelines and respect adequate physical distancing as
school activities resumed. This investment enabled First Nations the flexibility to
respond to operational and student needs. Budget 2021 also provided an additional
$112 million in 2021-2022 to extend this support for a safe return to elementary and
secondary schools for First Nations on reserves.
Post-Secondary Education
Budget 2017 announced a comprehensive and collaborative review with Indigenous
partners of all current federal programs that support Indigenous students who wish to
pursue post-secondary education. Between 2017 and 2018, Indigenous Services
Canada held a series of discussions with Indigenous students, academic leaders and
institutions to obtain a wide range of reflections on the Government of Canada’s current
post-secondary education programming for Indigenous students, and to discuss
possible improvements. The department also engaged with the Assembly of First
Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council on potential postsecondary
education reforms. As part of this process, these three National Indigenous
Organizations each developed distinctions-based policy proposals for transforming
Indigenous post-secondary education.
Stakeholder feedback from the review and the National Indigenous Organizations’
policy proposals informed Budget 2019’s total investment of $814.9 million over 10
years and $61.8 million ongoing to support distinctions-based Indigenous postsecondary
education strategies. For First Nations, this includes $320 million over 5
years to renew and expand funding for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program,
and $7.5 million over 3 years to support First Nations engagement on the development
of integrated First Nations regional post-secondary education models. Currently, First
Nations-led engagement is ongoing and reports are expected in June 2023.
In addition, Budget 2019 allocated $125.5 million over 10 years and $21.8 million
ongoing for a new Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy, and $362 million over 10
years and $40 million ongoing for a new Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education
Strategy. These strategies include direct funding assistance for students (including
tuition, supplies and accommodation), complementary programs and services, and
institutional and governance capacity to support service delivery.
On April 22, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a comprehensive support strategy for
post-secondary students and recent graduates during the pandemic, which included a
one-time increase of $75.2 million in 2020-21 for Indigenous post-secondary students.
In addition to the existing distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis
Nation students, this investment helped mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous
PSE students to ensure they could continue to pursue and maintain their studies.
On October 30, the Prime Minister announced $25.9 million to provide immediate
support to Indigenous post-secondary institutions in 2020-21. The investment helped
these institutions address increased costs and financial uncertainty resulting from the
pandemic, including providing supports to retain staff, automating services to process
student applications and registrations, adapting courses for online learning, and
implementing public health and safety measures for in-person services.
To address the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous postsecondary
education, Budget 2021 invested $150.6 million over two years, starting in
2021-22, in distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students
pursuing post-secondary education, as well as $26.4 million in 2021-22 to support
Indigenous post-secondary institutions and community-based programming.

If pressed on Elementary and Secondary Education:
• ISC co-developed a policy framework to transform the
way First Nations elementary and secondary education
on reserve is funded. ISC also provided funding that is
comparable to what students receive in provincial
schools.
• Through this approach, funding for elementary and
secondary education has grown by 74% between 2015-
16 and 2021-22 and ISC increased investments in First
Nations language and cultural programming.
• Since 2015, the Government has invested over
$5.9 billion for elementary and secondary education to
help First Nations children living on reserve receive
high-quality schooling. This also includes $1.8 billion in
infrastructure funding, which has already supported 261
school facility projects.

If pressed on Graduation Rates:
• According to Census data, the gap between First Nation
and non-Indigenous Canadians education attainment
has narrowed from 44.5% seen in 2016 to 37% in 2021.
• When looking at graduation rates for First Nations
students, assessing achievement beyond the point
where youth graduate from secondary school, provides
a longer timeline to better understand the progression
of education attainment.
• ISC is implementing a new cohort-based methodology
which will be applied to graduation rates and reported
out in the 2022-23 Departmental Result Report
• Education is a strong protective measure for overall
community wellness. Results of increased investments
and program changes are only seen over the long term.

If pressed on Annual Increases to Funding:
• The co-developed funding approach for First Nations
elementary and secondary education provides
provincially comparable funding for on-reserve students
plus enhancements to meet unique needs.
• The funding formulas are updated annually to account
for a variety of factors, including student population
growth and provincial funding rate changes.
• The formulas are refined in partnership with First
Nations to reflect more accurate data when it is
available, and have been stabilized to ensure that First
Nations receive predictable funding year-to-year.

If pressed on Education Infrastructure:
• Since April 2016 and as of December 31, 2022, more than $1.73
billion in targeted funds have been invested to support 273
school-related infrastructure projects, including the
construction or renovation of 204 schools, benefiting
approximately 35,000 students.

If pressed on Language and Cultural Programming
• Our Government recognizes that investments in language and
culture are a critical component of successful on-reserve
education systems.
• That is why we provide up to $1500 per student per year to
support language and culture programming in on-reserve
schools.
• Close to 92% of students attending First Nations administered
schools are taught at least one subject in a First Nations
language.

If pressed on Regional Education Agreements
• Our Government recognizes that the establishment of education
systems designed, implemented and managed by First Nations
is a significant step towards improving educational success for
First Nations students.
• Regional education agreements are an avenue for First Nations
to advance self-determination over their education systems. To
date, we have signed nine regional education agreements with
partners.
• Budget 2022 invested $310.6 million over five years to support
better student outcomes through a Regional Education
Agreement with the First Nations Education Council, which
includes 22 member communities in Quebec.

If pressed on Post-Secondary Education Support for Students:
• Since 2015, the Government has invested over $902
million in Indigenous post-secondary education.
• These investments were used to expand financial
assistance for First Nations students while supporting
First Nations engagement on the development of
regional post-secondary education models.
• They also support the Inuit and Métis Nation postsecondary
education strategies, which includes direct
funding for students.

If pressed on Post-Secondary Education Support for Institutions
• We provide funding to support First Nations to define their own
partnerships with institutions, leading to an increase in the
availability of post-secondary education programs tailored to
First Nation’s cultural and educational needs.
• Currently, the main program that supports First Nations Post-
Secondary Education institutions and community-based
programming has a core budget of over $22.20 million per year.
• We are also supporting the Inuit and Métis Nation strategies,
which can support both post-secondary education institutions
and community partnerships.
• Numerous First Nations, Inuit- and Métis Nation-established
post-secondary education institutions exist in Canada and vary
widely in terms of size and program offerings.

If pressed on Reform of Provincial School Curricula
• Given that education falls under the jurisdiction of
provinces and territories, the Government of Canada
has no direct control over the development of curricula.
• Indigenous Services Canada supports First Nations to
engage with provincial and territorial governments on
such matters.
• Canada has worked to leverage relationships with
organizations such as the Council of Ministers of
Education, in order to enhance the knowledge and
awareness of Indigenous history and culture across
Canada. However, provinces and territories are wholly
responsible for modifying school curricula to ultimately
raise awareness on residential schools and Indigenous
peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to
Canada.