The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (formerly the Halifax Regional School Board)[5] is the public school district responsible for 136 elementary, junior high, and high schools located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The current Regional Executive Director is Steve Gallagher. The district's office is on Spectacle Lake Drive in Dartmouth.[2] On January 24, 2018, the provincial government announced that the Halifax Regional School Board would be dissolved and that kindergarten to grade 12 education services in Halifax would administered by an appointed provincial council. The Halifax Regional School Board was dissolved on March 31, 2018.[6]
The Halifax Regional School Board was created in 1996 with the amalgamation of three school boards that had jurisdiction over the former components of the Halifax Regional Municipality, which was created at the same time.[2] Board elections have taken place in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
2006 board dismissal
On December 19, 2006, the Minister of Education, Karen Casey, dismissed all 13 members of the board due to interpersonal conflicts and having failed to comply with their Code of Ethics. The minister stated, "This board has failed to meet the performance standards set out under Section 64 (6) of the Education Act. Sec. 64 states that a school board, in carrying out its responsibilities under this act, shall meet education program services and performance standards established by the minister."[7] Seven of the former Halifax Regional School Board members are considering legal action against the government for disbanding the elected group.[8]
Howard Windsor, a former deputy minister, was appointed to act as the board until the municipal elections took place in October 2008.[9] Mr. Windsor decided to discontinue their yearly stipends of $8,200, stating: "I respect the work done by the previous board members, but I see no reason to continue to pay them when they have neither the responsibility nor the authority to act on the public’s behalf."[10] Windsor was replaced by a nine-member elected Board during regularly scheduled elections in 2008.
2018 dissolution
On January 23, 2018, education consultant Avis Glaze presented a report on the province's school system to government that included the recommendation that the seven elected regional school boards become regional education offices overseen by appointed provincial advisory council.[11] On January 24, 2018, the provincial government announced it accepted the recommendation and the Halifax Regional School Board and six other school boards would be dissolved though no date for dissolution was then announced.[12] The elected school board was dissolved on March 31, 2018.[6]
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