1. Funding And Resourcing Of Digital
Learning In Canada
Michael K. Barbour
Touro University California

2. http://k12sotn.ca

4. National Overview
Single provincial program
Primarily district-based programs
Combination of provincial and district-based programs
Use online learning programs from other provinces

5. Regulation

6. Activity: Distance & Online Learning

7. Activity: Distance & Online Learning

9. • in Fall 2017, BC began a review of its K-12
funding the model
o “to find a better way to provide equitable and
predictable funding to boards of education”
• panel released a discussion paper that stated,
o “an artificial division in the current model between
‘bricks-and-mortar’ and distributed learning, which
should not exist”
About the Study

10. 1. examine the nature of distributed learning
funding in British Columbia
2. examine how distributed learning funding in
British Columbia compares to other
jurisdictions in Canada
Purpose of the Study

11. • based on School Act and Independent School Act
DL funding is based on:
o continuous enrolment, rather than a single annual
snapshot
o actual attendance to initiate an enrolment claim,
rather than simple enrolment
o shift to course-based funding, beginning in grade
10
• FTE follows the student based on enrolment
DL Funding in BC

12. • differing funding amounts
o Brick-and-mortar: 100%
o Public DL: 83.5%
o Independent DL: 63% or 44.1%
• “individual e-learning programs must allocate
internal resources for the development of their
own course content and pay license and/or
service fees for a learning management system
to support distribution of the courses”
DL Funding in BC

13. 1. direct government funding and/or resourcing
of distributed learning opportunities.
2. a fee structure for students who enroll on a per
course basis.
3. direct funding through FTEs/CEUs
DL Funding in ROC

14. • provincial government funded the
administration, all teacher and staff salaries,
course development activities, Internet/network
connectivity costs for schools, K-12 technology
integration for the provincial K-12 school system
in support of the NSVS
• the NSVS and its participating schools must
meet requirements outlined in NSTU collective
agreement
DL Funding in Nova Scotia

15. • e-Learning Ontario provides
o Digital course content for complete courses, as well
as a learning management system to deliver that
content to students on, for district-based e-learning
programs for both Anglophone and Francophone
students
o funding for a TELTC in each school board to assist
teachers, schools, and the school board in using
these resources for both online and blended learning
• school boards operate e-learning programs
o fee for non-board students of $769/credit course
DL Funding in Ontario

16. • use of three specific codes schools enter into
the student information system
o a student in an online program (code 620)
• Certain areas of funding schools do not receive
for 620 students
o English as a Second Language Funding
o Northern Allowance Funding
o Equity of Opportunity Funding
o Transportation Funding
DL Funding in Alberta

17. Canadian eLearning Network
http://CANeLearn.net

18. http://k12sotn.ca

19. Your
Questions
and
Comments

20. Associate Professor of Instructional Design
Touro University, California
mkbarbour@gmail.com
http://www.michaelbarbour.com