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Reporting Requirements and Data Collection - Independent Schools

Last updated on September 12, 2024

Date came into force or revised

NA

Status

Current

Policy statement

Independent school authorities are required to provide information to the Ministry of Education and Child Care for funding purposes.

Independent school authorities have the responsibility to create their own student records policy.

Rationale or purpose of policy

To inform independent school authorities of their responsibilities with regard data that must be supplied to the Ministry of Education and Child Care for funding purposes and for the creation and maintenance of student records in the care and control of the Independent School.

Authority

Policy in full

Student Records

The Independent School Act and the Regulations and Orders made under the Act provide few directives on matters pertaining to student records. However, independent school authorities fall under the Personal Information Protection Act, therefore, it is incumbent upon authorities to create and maintain student records policies.

Legal and public expectations regarding the confidentiality, disclosure and transfer of student records are increasing. To assist independent school authorities with their responsibility to ensure that student record information is handled appropriately, the Inspector of Independent Schools, in consultation with the Federation of Independent School Associations (FISA), developed the document, Student Records: Requirements and Best Practice Guidelines for Independent Schools (PDF).

Procedures related to policy

Reporting Requirements - Data Collection

The Inspector requires all independent schools to submit data as required for statistical purposes on the date set out in the Data Collection Instructions for the current year. The information collected will reflect the school as it was on September 30 (Note: October 17 for the 2014-2015 school year only) of the school year.

School Data Collection Form (1601) (PDF) This form is used to collect the school demographics:

  • school name, address and email)
  • name of the principal
  • elementary and secondary student enrolment (headcount)
  • Full time equivalent (FTE) educators
  • the school organization
  • the number of elementary divisions
  • the number of secondary students receiving instruction at a distance, directly or a combination of both.

The information from this form is used in a number of ways: funding considerations, communications regarding characteristics of schools, demographics of independent schools, calculation of average class size statistics, and Ministry communications.

Independent School Authority Information Data Collection Form (1602) (PDF)
This form is used to collect and update information on the name, address and email of independent school authorities. It is also used to determine the standing of the authority with the Registrar of Companies.

Student Data Collection Form (1701)
1701 data is required for each student enrolled in the independent school and each homeschooled child registered with the school each school year as of September 30 (Note: October 17 for the 2014-2015 school year only) and early March (please see K to 12 Data Collection website for posted deadline dates). This 1701 file collects information about individual students:

  • name 
  • birth date
  • gender
  • grade level
  • English Language Learner program enrolment
  • number of courses for all enrolled secondary level students, adults and school-age students with graduation certificates.

The information collected on the 1701 is used in a number of ways: calculating the provincial education budget, allocating funds to independent schools, tracking student movement between public and independent schools and movement between provinces, and enrolment trends.

Electronic Transfer of Data

Independent schools are to electronically transfer their data to the Ministry by e-mail. Schools must use either software purchased from a certified vendor or the Ministry verification software to create the file. Data created with any other software package will not be accepted.

For more details refer to the Ministry information on data collection.

Reporting Requirements for Funding Purposes and Audits

For funding purposes, the following forms must be submitted:

Statement of Per Student Operating Costs (SOPSOC) - deadline October 15

Eligible Student (ES) Audit - deadline June 15

  • Group 1 and 2 schools must record student attendance and are required to have their auditor (a person qualified under section 205 of the Business Corporation Act) complete the Eligible Student (ES) Audit Form as of May 15. This form must be forwarded to the Independent Schools Branch by June 15. The information is required for the calculation of the school's June 30 grant payment (Independent School Regulation, section 2 (1)). 
  • Each authority of a Group 1 and 2 school must submit a "Direct Deposit Application". The form designates a bank account for direct electronic funds transfer from the government to the bank account of the school authority.

Student Records and School Closure

If a school closes permanently, the school must forward student records to the schools where students will be enrolled.

If the new enrolling school is not known, and

  • the authority continues to operate other school(s), then it retains the records at the operating school, or 
  • the authority does not continue to operate a school, then the records are forwarded to the Independent Schools Branch for Safekeeping (Inspector's Order 1/98, the Reports, Records and Data Submission Order, section 2).

Required items in a permanent student record are defined in Student Records: Requirements and Best Practice Guidelines for Independent Schools.

Calendar of Reporting Deadlines

August 30 Data Collection Forms (1601, 1602, 1701) are forwarded to schools.
October  (as specified on SOPSOC form)

Deadline for submitting Statement of per Student Operating Costs Form covering the previous school year for:

  • Group 1 schools (only schools desiring Group 1 classification need to complete and return this form)
  • all new schools who have been operating for one full year as a Group 3 school, applying for the first time for a funded classification
  • Distributed Learning Schools
October
(see data collection website for specific dates)		 Deadline for submitting Data Collection Forms (1601, 1602, 1701). Please use Ministry verification software to verify, correct and finalize data.
Mid-October Deadline for submitting a Direct Deposit Application Form. Schools receiving funding for the first time and schools that have changed bank accounts should return this form by the specified date.
End of October  Good Standing Check: School Authorities must file their annual report with the Registrar of Companies to maintain good standing under the Society Act or the Business Corporations Act. The Annual Report (Form 11) must be filed within thirty days of the annual general meeting. The Independent Schools Branch will follow up on the status of each School Authority's "good standing" with the Registrar of Companies.
Mid-February Collection of mid-year student enrolment data (Form 1701: Student Data Collection). Please refer to page 2 of the Independent School Inclusive Education Grant Mid-Year Application form for the specific due date for Pre-approval Applications. All Group 1 and 2 schools wishing to apply for inclusive education grants must submit application forms and required documentation.
Mid-June Deadline for return of Eligible Student (ES) Audit Forms (based on May 15th enrolment) for calculation of June 15th school operational grant payment.

Contact information

For more information about this policy, contact the Independent Schools Office

Email
EDUC.IndependentSchoolsOffice@gov.bc.ca