1. What is a Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) course?

Board/Authority Authorized Courses are courses offered by School Boards to meet local needs and student interests. They are authorized by school boards according to requirements set by the Ministry of Education. BAA courses can be used to fulfill up to 28 elective credits required to graduate.

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2. What subjects are covered in BAA courses?

BAA courses cover subjects beyond the provincial curriculum, reflecting the unique needs and interests of the schools and communities in which they are offered.

For example, BC schools are offering many career-oriented courses in subjects like computer graphics and animation, culinary arts, fashion design and merchandising, fish and wildlife management, adventure tourism, forestry and journalism.

Schools of choice have resulted in the introduction of BAA electives like Hockey Skills 12, Soccer 10, ESL Strategies for Academic Success, Film Making and Trades Preparation 11.

Community interests are often reflected in BAA courses. The Kootenay-Columbia School Board, serving a well-established Russian community in the Castlegar area, offers Russian 10 and Russian Concert Choir among its selection of BAA courses. First Nations languages are offered by many school boards, including: Hul’qumi’num, Kwakwala/Liqwala, the Shuswap language and the Chilcotin language.

BAA courses are as diverse as the communities served by BC’s public schools.

The best way to find out what subjects are covered by BAA courses is to browse the BAA database. Click on the Search tab above.


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3. Why does BC have BAA courses?

The Ministry of Education encourages school boards to offer locally relevant courses to meet the needs of schools and their communities while providing choice and flexibility for students.

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4. What is a locally designed course and how is it different from a BAA course?

In BC, school boards have a tradition of encouraging education staff to develop innovative course offerings in response to local needs and priorities. As a result, there are hundreds of locally developed courses offered at schools across the province.

In order to count for credit toward graduation, a locally designed course must meet provincial requirements and be designated as a BAA course.


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5. What are the provincial requirements for a course to receive BAA designation?

The requirements for BAA Courses define the structure, components, and rigour of a course. They consist of the following:

1. Course name
BAA course names should reflect the subject area and include the grade level 10, 11, or 12 in the course name.

2. Grade level
The grade level reflects the appropriate level of instruction. In some cases, it may be appropriate to create several courses at the same grade level in order to treat different aspects of the subject. This strategy may also be used in the case of a large amount of content divided into several courses. Such courses could be labelled, for example, Psychology 11A, 11B, and 11C.

3. Number of credits
Credits refer to the value of a grade 10, 11, or 12 course. The credit value reflects the length and scope of a course. A full course is 4 credits (100 to 120 hours).

4. Course synopsis
The course synopsis is a statement of product. It outlines what a student has gained when the course is completed.

5. Rationale
The rationale is a statement of the reasons for wanting to offer opportunities to study this course. The rationale answers the question: Why is it important for students to take this course?

6. Organizational structure appropriate to subject/topic
The organizational structure includes the curriculum organizers (the big ideas) and the specific topics or units, which include the learning outcomes, instruction and assessment components, and time allotments.

7. Learning outcomes that are assessable and observable and that can be understood by students and parents

The learning outcomes are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do within each course curriculum organizer.

Learning outcomes for a BAA Course must be:

-written to complete the stem: It is expected that students will...
-appropriate to the age or grade range for which they are intended
understandable by students, parents, and educators
-observable or measurable (i.e., stated in such a way that it will be readily apparent when the student has met the expectation)
-clearly stated in terms of what will be expected of students
-supportive of a range of instructional and assessment strategies

8. Instructional component that clarifies the outcomes and provides a range of pedagogical opportunities

The instructional component of a course expands on and makes clear the intent of the learning outcomes. It involves the use of activities, techniques, and methods that can be employed to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the curriculum. The nature and features of the course will influence instructional strategies and activities.

9. Assessment component that provides a range of both formative and summative assessment

The assessment component provides opportunities to assess formatively and summatively the students’ achievement of the learning outcomes.

10. Learning resources that support the learning outcomes

The learning resources selected for the course should be age appropriate and support the learning outcomes. The selection and development of learning resources should take into account the needs of learners. Considerations include diverse learning rates and styles, and a range of special needs. Major learning resources, including teacher resources, should be listed. Learning resources that are selected to support BAA courses must be evaluated through the local school board approved process.


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6. Are there any locally designed courses that do not qualify for BAA designation?

The following types of courses are not eligible for Board/Authority Authorization:

Courses with significant overlap of current provincial curriculum

BAA courses do not have a significant overlap of expected learning outcomes with Ministry of Education authorized courses, except in Fine Arts and Applied Skills 11 courses. Please refer to the Fine Arts and Applied Skills Requirements in the Graduation Program at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/graduation/grad2004.htm for more information on how to use BAA courses for Fine Arts/Applied Skills 11 requirements

Modified courses

For example, a Locally Developed social studies course taken by Grade 10 students with intellectual disabilities, which has outcomes significantly different from the ministry Social Studies 10 IRP.

Remedial courses

For example, a Locally Developed math course designed to help students who have failed Principles of Mathematics 10, which provides review and remediation for them before they enroll in a Grade 11 math course; or a writing course designed to help students develop the skills needed to meet the outcomes of English 10.

Adapted courses

“Adapted” is another term used by some schools to describe modified courses that have outcomes or expected learning that is significantly different from the ministry or Board/Authority Authorized courses on which they are based – for example, Adapted Language Arts 10 for ESL students.

GED testing preparation courses

For example, a Locally Developed course that helps an adult review competencies and prepare for the General Education Development test battery.

There are still two categories of locally designed courses. The Ministry of Education refers to them as "Locally Developed" (LD) and Board/Authority Authorized (BAA) courses. The biggest distinguishing factor between the two is that BAA courses will now count for credit and can be used in an unlimited capacity towards elective credits on the graduation program.

District may still keep LD courses, but these courses will no longer count for credit on the 2004 Graduation program. They will still be fundable, but not creditable. Examples of LD courses that a district would still likely offer are LD General Education Development (GED) Prep or Modified Social Studies 10.


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7. I’m interested in learning more about local BAA courses. Who should I talk with?

There is a list of local school district BAA contact names under the Contact Us tab on this web page. Send an email to the contact person or phone your local school district to find out more about locally designed courses for students in grades 10 to 12.

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