Parent Involvement Committees


Parents can get involved in their child's education in many ways, including through school councils and Parent Involvement Committees.

School councils focus on the local school and community. Parent Involvement Committees focus on things that affect more than one school.

The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) participates at the board level and is a key vehicle for enhancing parent involvement in support of student achievement and well-being. It operates as a direct link for parents to the director of education and the board of trustees.

Starting in January 2011, all school boards in Ontario must establish a Parent Involvement Committee. Recent amendments to Ontario Regulation 612/00, by Ontario Regulation 330/10, outline their composition, function and mandate.

The Parent Involvement Committee is a formal structure and an important advisory body. It, along with school councils, encourages parent involvement at the local and regional levels through a grassroots approach.

The ministry has established a Parent Engagement Office to develop and implement parent engagement initiatives that support learning and student achievement across the province. The government currently provides boards with base funding of $5,000 and 17 cents per student for a PIC and an additional $500 per school council to support parent engagement activities.

Extensive consultation took place throughout Fall 2009 with parents, caregivers, Parent Involvement Committees (PICs), school councils, educators and others with an interest in public education. Both the policy and the new regulation for Parent Involvement Committees, reflect a supportive approach that recognizes the complexity and differences among school boards and their communities.

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What do they do?

Every school board is different. So every Parent Involvement Committee is different too.

Parent Involvement Committees build parent engagement by:

  • providing the board with advice on parent engagement and how to communicate with parents
  • developing strategies and initiatives the board could use to engage more parents to support their children's learning at home and at school
  • sharing information with, and supporting the work of, school councils.

A Parent Involvement Committee's activities are based on the unique needs of its board and its diverse community, how it is organized and the members of the committee.

Who sits on Parent Involvement Committees?

The PIC is a parent-led committee. The chair/co-chairs are parents, and the majority of members are also parents. To provide a direct link to the board, the director of education and a trustee are also members. The PIC may appoint up to three community members. Each Parent Involvement Committee decides, based on their local needs, who else to include, such as a principal, teacher and support staff.

The committee meets at least four times a year. To qualify for election or appointment, a parent must have a child enrolled in a school of the board.

Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) Handbook

Making a Difference: A practical handbook for Parent Involvement Committee members is attached in draft form (PDF, 409 KB). The purpose of the Handbook is to provide practical, helpful and user-friendly information for PIC members to support them in meeting the requirements of Ontario Regulation 612/00. PIC members have been invited to use the handbook and provide feedback and comments to inform the development of the final product.

How can I get involved?

Contact your local school board or call the Ministry of Education Regional Office for your area. Either can put you in contact with your local Parent Involvement Committee.