Summary:
- On January 17, 2025, the AFN released its K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report.
- The K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report highlights the limited progress in finalizing REAs and the need for greater collaboration between federal departments, particularly Central Agencies, to adequately support First Nations in improving their education systems.
- To access the K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report, click here for the Full Report or the Report Summary.
Background
In 2019, in co-development with AFN, the Government of Canada implemented a new funding approach for First Nations education. This approach, called K-12 Education Transformation, replaced outdated, inefficient, and inadequate proposal-based education programs with more predictable core funding. K-12 Education Transformation implemented Interim Regional Funding Formulas (IRFF) to address the specific needs of First Nations schools and students. The other component of K-12 Education Transformation is Regional Education Agreements (REA), a mechanism for First Nations to develop their own local, regional and/or Treaty-based education agreements that identify the funding required to implement their vision of First Nations control over First Nations education. Despite the Government of Canada’s goal to finalize 20 REAs by 2022-2023 as of 2025, Canada has only signed 10 REAs.
ISC has failed to secure funding for REAs, with no funding allocated in the last two years. This lack of funding has stalled negotiations for new agreements: at present, six REAs are finalized but they are not signed due to lack of funding. This limited progress leaves First Nations students with major gaps including the lack of sufficient support for cultural programs, inclusive education, teacher pensions, adult education, transportation, operations and maintenance, and infrastructure—basic needs, yet essential for success.
To assess the implementation of the K-12 Education Transformation, the AFN commissioned a study in 2024 to evaluate its successes and challenges, provide data for advocacy efforts, and support future federal budget requests. On January 17, 2025, the AFN released the findings in its K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report.
Findings
The K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report highlights several funding gaps in the IRFFs and limited progress toward finalizing REAs. As such, the Government of Canada, through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Central Agencies, is failing to meet its fiduciary duty to adequately fund First Nations education. K-12 Education Transformation increased the amount of funding that most First Nations receive for K-12 education, however, the current funding model is insufficient to fulfill First Nations’ real, demonstrated needs.
Owing to historical and ongoing injustices, First Nations students do not start from a comparable place to non-Indigenous students in Canada. As such, provincial funding comparability alone is insufficient to address the unique circumstances of First Nations students.
The report indicates that a shortfall of operations and maintenance (O&M) funding for education infrastructure was a key concern for most interviewees as they reported their O&M funding declined, with reductions as much as 40-50 percent. Half of First Nations schools, a total of 202, are overcrowded, and 56 require replacement due to poor conditions. The condition of First Nations schools indicates that Canada has failed to uphold its fiduciary duty towards First Nations education and that these learning environments are not equal to non-indigenous schools.
Most First Nations across Canada, including those with existing REAs, continue to struggle to secure funding that meets their needs. Based on budget requests from three First Nations education authorities, Canada has funded existing REAs at least 50 percent below their actual needs.
The Government of Canada must continue to implement nationwide funding enhancements in high-needs areas, like language and culture, nutrition, education infrastructure, and inclusive education. It must also appropriate the funds necessary to conclude REAs according to First Nations’ real needs.
To access the K-12 First Nations Education Transformation Costing Analysis Report, click here for the Full Report or the Report Summary.
For more information, please contact:
Ayman Hammamieh
Communications Officer
Assembly of First Nations
[email protected]