*NEW* Essential Governance 2025
The mandatory completion deadline was August 31, 2025
Essential Governance 2025 is a Ministry of Education-mandated professional development training program designed by OESC for Ontario school board trustees and directors of education. This program supports sector implementation of the recent regulatory amendments set out in Bill 98, The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act.
The program consists of six self-directed online modules:
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Module 1
Effective Governance -
Module 2
Effective Governance for Student Achievement and Well-Being -
Module 3
Roles and Responsibilities -
Module 4
Common Ground, Common Purpose: Key Relationships in School Boards -
Module 5
Director of Education: Hiring and Performance Appraisal -
Module 6
The Strategic Role and Multi-year Strategic Planning -
Module 7
Exercising Authentic Governance: The School Board’s Role as Policymaker -
Module 8
Understanding Conflict and Managing it Effectively -
Module 9
Effective Community Engagement to Support Student Achievement -
Module 10
Advocacy: Engaging the Public -
Module 11
Legal Aspects of School Board Governance -
Module 12
Running Effective Meetings -
Module 13
Education Finance -
Module 14
School Boards and Human Resources -
Module 15
What Makes a Great Board Chair? -
Module 16
First Nation Trustees: Unique Roles & Responsibilities -
Module 17
Trustee Code of Conduct -
Module 18
Social Media -
Module 19
Audit and the Role of Audit Committees -
Module 20
A Journey Towards Truth and Reconciliation -
Module 21
Board Self-Assessment: Governance Performance
To begin tracking your progress, click on the modules above and enter your information. OESC will automatically track your progress through the six modules.
Trustees and directors of education who complete these six Essential Governance 2025 modules will receive a certificate of completion in recognition of their commitment to the leadership and the good governance of Ontario’s education system. You may request your certificate of completion by clicking on the certificate button.
Required Training at-a-Glance:
- Six self-directed online modules
- Webinar: Effective Community Engagement to Promote Student Achievement
- Webinar: Mediation and Conflict Resolution
- Webinar: Financial Management and Governance
- Webinar: Director of Education Performance Appraisal*
*At the Ministry of Education’s request, this webinar is designed for school board trustees only.
Reminder: Completion of the online modules and webinars is mandatory. Completion will be tracked and reported to the ministry by OESC. OESC is eager to support 100% completion by trustees and directors by August 31, 2025.
Please note:
Only the above modules must be completed as part of the Essential Governance 2025 program. This website also hosts OESC’s comprehensive professional development program for Ontario school board trustees. The comprehensive program consists of 21 modules that provide trustees with a substantive overview of the areas that are essential to their governance role. This program is primarily intended to support trustees, but directors of education, board staff and other stakeholders are welcome to review the modules.