Procedure

Procedure 8320.1 - Community-Initiated Programs: Process for Submitting Proposals

COMMUNITY-INITIATED PROGRAMS: PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

1.1.

Prior to any consideration being made, proposed new programs must:

a)	Have a clearly articulated philosophy and mission statement.
b)	Acknowledge parental desire for programs with a particular educational emphasis.
c)	Fulfill a recognized educational need separate from existing programs and services.
d)	Conform with collective agreements.
e)	Be free from any religious, political, or ethnic affiliation.
f)	Be consistent with board policy.
g)	Be available to all students in the Surrey school district.
h)	Be funded at the same levels with respect to resources and staff as those established for elementary and secondary schools/grades/programs.
i)	Be housed in facilities where space permits and which are suitable to the program.
j)	Be maintained without transportation assistance from the board.
k)	Incur no extraordinary costs for program maintenance.
l)	Be subject to normal planning schedule established for the district.
m)	Be subject to periodic evaluations by the board and/or Ministry of Education assessments.

1.2.

Any community group seeking to have the board establish a program of choice will submit a written brief to the board which contains a clear rationale for the program as well as:

a)	A mission statement accompanied by the goals and objectives for the program.
b)	A statement which sets out the educational soundness of the program for Surrey; including how the proposal is distinct from existing educational programs or fills a particular educational need not currently offered in the district.
c)	A clear indication of the intended school population to be served including age, grade levels, learner characteristics, and the number of students to be served including the neighbourhood communities.
d)	A clear understanding of the qualifications and nature of professional staff, and support staff required to offer the program.
e)	A clear understanding of the facilities required to offer the program both in the immediate and long term.
f)	Evidence of community support for the program which indicates the parents have an understanding of the proposal and have or will have children who will enroll in the program.
g)	How students register for the program.
h)	Evidence of such programs’ success if they are operating in other school districts.

1.3.

Upon receipt of a proposal, the board may direct the superintendent to conduct a feasibility study which will set out costs and other issues including:

a)	Staffing/human resource requirements.
b)	Facilities, both interim and long term requirements.
c)	Curriculum development and implementation.
d)	Administrative requirements.
e)	Sources of funding/revenue including government, private, or corporate services and any obligations of the board in the event outside funds are provided.
f)	A proposed implementation timeline.

The superintendent may include members of the organization proposing the program in undertaking the feasibility study.

The board will reply to the proposal after a review of the feasibility study. Where a program is approved, the implementation will be the responsibility of the board.

Revised:	2020-12-09 2017-09-20 2002-12-03
Approved:	1997-11-27
XRef:	Policy #8450 Reg. #8450.1 Policy #9320 Reg. #9320.1