STUDENTS

1. What will happen to non-status students living on reserve?
   A. Within the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement, the term “student” has been defined as “a person who is eligible for primary, elementary, or secondary education who is ordinarily resident on the Territory of a Participating First Nation.” This definition of student allows any eligible students who reside on a Participating First Nation to attend that Anishinabek First Nation community’s school, regardless of Anishinabek First Nation community status. Non-status students living on-reserve will be funded for primary, elementary and secondary education under the Education Agreement.
2. What is the age level for the students?
   A. No age level has been established in the Education Agreement. This will be determined by each individual First Nation. Provincial law dictates that students must attend school from the age of 6 until the age of 18 years. Ontario also currently offers Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs starting at age 4. The Participating First Nations may choose to provide education programs and services for students aged 4 to 18, or whatever ages the Anishinabek First Nation community determines.
3. Is early learning part of this agreement?
   A. At this time, Canada will only consider students ages 6 and up, but negotiations are currently being conducted to include full-day JK and Kindergarten programs in the Anishinabek Education System, similar to the program that has been introduced at the Provincial level.

ANISHINABEK EDUCATION SYSTEM (AES) STRUCTURE

1. How will the concerns of each community be addressed if each Anishinabek First Nation community does not have a representative on its Regional Education Council?
   A. Each Anishinabek First Nation community that becomes part of the Anishinabek
   Education System will have a Local Education Authority. One representative from each LEA will be assigned to its respective Regional Education Council. Each Anishinabek First Nation community will have a representative that they select on its respective Regional Education Council.
2. How will the Anishinabek Education System affect political structures?
   A. The Anishinabek Education System is not a political system. It is an education system. It will not affect the political structures.
3. How will the Anishinabek Education System and the Kinomaadswin Education Body (KEB) know it is succeeding? How will the AES and KEB define success?
   A. The Participating Anishinabek First Nations will determine what the measurements of success are for their Anishinabek First Nation community, their education system, including the KEB. Success may be defined by the number of students who graduate with a secondary school diploma; by the assessment outcomes for numeracy and literacy; by the number of fluent Anishinaabe speakers that the Anishinabek Education System produces; or any, or all of these factors.
4. How will the data management systems function?
   A. A data system will be developed for the use of the Anishinabek Education System and the Anishinabek First Nation community schools. Discussions with Ontario have provided valuable guidance and direction for the development of an effective data management system. Several data management service providers have been identified and research has been conducted regarding service costs.
5. Why is Ontario’s recognition of the AES necessary?
   A. Ontario’s recognition is important to facilitate the transfer of students between the Ontario education system and the Anishinabek Education System. If Ontario is not familiar with or does not recognize the Anishinabek Education System, student transfers from one system to the other may become difficult. The Anishinabek system must work in conjunction with the Ontario system. Practical arrangements will have to be made that will ensure the recognition of Anishinabek school credits, graduation diplomas, etc.

CURRICULUM

1. Who will develop the curriculum and who will recognize/accept it?
   A. The Anishinabek education curriculum will be developed by the Anishinabek. In the interests of maintaining transferability with the provincial education system, the Anishinabek curriculum will be comparable to Ontario, but will also be culturally appropriate and applicable to Anishinabek First Nation community schools. Once Anishinabek education curriculum has been developed, Ontario has indicated the possibility of incorporating some elements of that curriculum into the provincial curriculum. Funding for the development of the Anishinabek education curriculum will be negotiated under the Education Fiscal Transfer Agreement.
2. Will the Anishinabek curriculum be system-wide?
   A. The Anishinabek Education System will besystem-wide. Any curriculum developed can be used in the schools of all Participating First Nations.
3. Will Anishinabek students be required to learn French?
   A. Each Anishinabek school will determine whether or not French will be included in its programs. Feedback from the Education Working Group has indicated that Anishinabek First Nation communities would prefer to include the Anishinaabe language in its language programs. Students attending schools off-reserve will continue to have access to the French and Ojibwe language programs offered by the local school boards.