Board approves new financial literacy and radio frequency communications BAA courses
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Two new Surrey Schools courses will soon teach senior secondary students how to manage their money and take to the airwaves, expanding the district’s offerings of Board Authority Authorized (BAA) courses for Grade 11 and 12 students.
At the Oct. 8 public board meeting, the Surrey Board of Education approved the additions of Financial Literacy 12 and RF (Radio Frequency) Communications 11 for the 2026-27 school year, bringing Surrey Schools’ total number of BAA courses to 67. These courses are developed by secondary teachers in collaboration with helping teachers from the district’s Education Services department.
“Education Services continues to collaborate with secondary teachers in Surrey to develop new board authorized courses that explore content not offered in Ministry-developed courses,” said Leah Christensen, Acting Director of Instruction with Education Services. “Thank you to the teachers and administration at these two schools for creating well-designed, relevant courses, and to the curriculum helping teachers for their guidance through the process.”
Financial Literacy 12 was designed by Education Services School teacher Karan Bains while RF Communications 11 was designed by École Kwantlen Park Secondary teacher Adam Drake. Drake has also taught the district’s summer RF Communications course for Grade 8 to 12 students.
Board Chair Gary Tymoschuk expressed his excitement for the financial literacy course in equipping youth with the education and guidance to make smart decisions with their money.
“As a now retired executive from a non-profit credit counselling agency, we spent a lot of our resources on educating people on how to manage their personal finances,” said Tymoschuk. “I’m really delighted to see this particular course in the package.”
In recent years, the board has approved a wide variety of BAA course offerings for senior secondary students, including courses on Black studies, aviation, theatre and film production, first aid and e-sports.
See below for course descriptions on Surrey Schools’ two newest BAA courses:
Financial Literacy 12
This comprehensive course is designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills needed to achieve financial literacy and make informed financial decisions. Through a blend of theoretical foundations and practical applications, students will explore a wide range of financial topics, from basic budgeting to advanced investment strategies. The goal is to provide students with the tools and understanding necessary to manage their personal finances effectively and confidently.
RF (Radio Frequency) Communications 11
Radio Frequency (RF) Communications offers an introduction to, and a practical understanding of, modern radio frequency communications, encompassing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular and radio technologies. Students will explore the theory and practice around these methods of voice and data transmission, alongside the legal requirements to operate such equipment. They will consider practical use cases, including satellite communication, long range voice and data transmission, infrastructure design and emergency services communication.
