Gulf Islands School District Questions Value of YouTube Streaming

Local school officials in the Gulf Islands School District are evaluating the effectiveness of streaming board of education meetings on YouTube after six months of implementation. This assessment comes as trustees advance plans to transition school board election notices from print to a fully online format.

Board meetings have always been accessible to the public in person. Since 2020, trustees and officials have frequently participated remotely via video conferencing when they could not attend in person. Notably, British Columbia’s School Act does not mandate the broadcasting of meetings, with written minutes serving as the official record. In 2024, as meetings were scheduled to occur solely at the district’s facility on Salt Spring Island, trustees opted to stream meetings using Microsoft Teams to facilitate attendance from other islands.

Despite initial improvements in accessibility, both the board and the public expressed dissatisfaction with the Teams experience. In response, the district switched to live streaming meetings on YouTube, a move intended to save on potential costs for upgrading meeting room equipment, as noted by Chaya Katrensky, the board chair. This decision was also part of the district’s commitment to transparency.

Now, board members are facing a recommendation from staff to consider discontinuing live broadcasts, as viewer data reveals only a minimal audience for these streams. During a school board meeting on February 11, 2024, district superintendent Jill Jensen reported that while some viewers joined the livestream, many did not stay for the entire duration.

According to a staff report, approximately 65 percent of those who viewed the latest meetings had previously watched earlier ones. However, the average viewing time was just 15 minutes, indicating most viewers left before the meeting concluded. Since September, the highest number of concurrent viewers has not exceeded five, including the streaming facilitator. On one occasion, the viewer count reached seven, though it remains unclear how many were internal district participants.

Staff observed signs of community interest, noting that users often attempted to access past livestreams, suggesting they were looking for recorded meetings. Such recordings are currently maintained by the Capital Regional District and the Islands Trust on their websites. The report indicated that while there is evident interest from a small group of returning viewers, the overall engagement remains modest, raising questions about whether the resources dedicated to the YouTube stream are justified.

The report highlighted that the streaming facilitator is an excluded staff member whose time could potentially be spent on other tasks that might benefit the organization. Jesse Guy, secretary treasurer, noted that the primary cost associated with streaming is the IT staff member required to run the broadcast. Jensen remarked, “YouTube streaming has been easier for the technology team, providing greater access for the public and ensuring more transparency in viewing board meetings.”

As the district prepares for funding discussions for the upcoming year, staff will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of continuing the streaming practice. Jensen indicated that they would present additional data at a future meeting regarding viewer engagement over the course of a livestream.

In addition to assessing the streaming initiative, the district is seeking feedback on plans to fully transition public election notices online. A draft bylaw that would eliminate the use of local newspapers for these notices has already passed its first reading. The district’s Policy Committee, comprising Deborah Luporini from Mayne Island, Greg Lucas from Pender, and Rob Pingle from Salt Spring, recommended this change, which would restrict publication to the district’s website and official social media channels.

Staff confirmed that the district’s Facebook page would serve as the primary online platform, as there are no other social media presences. Last month, the committee inquired about utilizing the district’s email newsletter for circulation purposes, but Guy shared that the legal team quickly indicated this was not suitable, although it could complement minimum legal requirements.

Luporini, who chairs the committee, emphasized the need to align the district’s bylaws with provincial expectations. The adoption of the new bylaw is anticipated at the next school board meeting on April 8, 2024. For further details on draft district policies and to provide feedback, visit sd64.bc.ca/draft-policies-in-circulation.