District Education Council (DEC)

What’s a District Education Council?

District Education Councils (DECs) provide local governance and community input to the education system. DECs set and monitor the policies and objectives to be carried out by the district staff and schools. Members are not involved in day-to-day decision-making and do not deal with issues regarding staff or individual students.

DECs focus on the big picture, setting priorities and addressing the needs for education, performance and infrastructure for all schools. This is different than the Parent School Support Committee which provide advice to principals at the school level.

DEC members are elected during municipal elections and serve a four-year term.

More information can be found on the provincial District Education Council website. Visit Elections NB for information about eligibility and nomination requirements.

Members

Each DEC member represents the sub-district in which they have been elected, and all the schools located within that sub-district.

Find your DEC Representative

Meetings

The DEC holds a public meeting once a month during the school year. Members of the public may attend.

Meeting Documents

Public Comment

A 15-minute public comment period will be included at DEC meetings whenever possible. This is an opportunity to present feedback or concerns to the council for its further consideration. 

We value public feedback and ask that members of the public respectfully follow the meeting guidelines below.

Council members will not respond to questions or engage in dialogue during the meeting. To discuss issues at length or to ask questions, we ask that you contact the District or DEC via email at asdsinfo@nbed.nb.ca.

Limit comments to matters related to the mandate of the DEC. Feedback related to the following is not permitted: 

1. legal or potentially legal matters 
2. matters or issues relating to a specific staff member or student
3. operational matters relating to a specific school
4. solicitation

Please wait to be addressed and then introduce yourself. Comments should be directed to the Chair.

It is the intent to provide each participant a fair and equal opportunity to be heard and as such the Chair may choose to limit the time or subject matter of each speaker.

Participants who are not following the guidelines or are otherwise disruptive will forfeit their opportunity to address the Council and may be asked to leave the meeting. 

Reference: DEC Policy GP 4.7, Public Comments and Presentations at DEC Meetings