As Richmond's kids get ready to go back to school next month, parents, teachers and trustees have already started wrestling with a new learning assignment.

Lesson one: define "Board of Education."

If you can't, you're not alone. Trustees and school officials have been scratching their heads about what their new name means ever since the provincial government re-branded school boards.

The move was part of wide-ranging changes that expanded the role of school districts to include pre-kindergarten learning and adult literacy programs.

But the lack of definition and detail provided by the province means the impact of the changes, including how an expanded mandate will be funded, is unknown, said trustee Sandra Bourque….

The old Board of School Trustees became a Board of Education effective July 1, after the School (Student Achievement Enabling) Amendment Act was passed in May.

"It is so ill-defined that we don't know what this is," Bourque said. "We can change our name to Board of Education, but that's window dressing; it's what we are supposed to be doing that is different."

Board Secretary-Treasurer Ken Morris said the district is waiting to see what substantial impact the name change will have.

"We (will) wait for regulations that come out that more fully describe the intent of the legislation," he said, and added he believes "the board will have increased responsibility in terms of pre-school education and education after Grade 12 -- notably continuing education."

The legal change has not changed the district's name, though, Morris added.

He said the move is likely the result the government's "increased interest in early childhood education."

Bourque also said she believes the board's increased mandate plays political gerrymandering in order to keep schools open in the face of declining province-wide student enrollment.

"If we broaden the mandate from just teaching school children, to include in those school buildings other functions, then you can (financially) justify keeping those buildings open."

She added, "We are only funded on a per-student basis."

The province funds school boards by each full-time equivalent student who attends classroom learning.

Morris noted school boards have charged usage fees for many after-school and out-of-classroom programs run by other groups -- like daycare -- because they were not funded by Victoria….