There were school boards in Sask-atchewan even before it was a province.
Their history dates back to 1885 when 59 school districts were established. Each board comprised two Protestants, two Roman Catholics and the lieutenant governor of the Northwest Territories.
The concept of a board of education was developed in 1905, followed by the establishment of the first Saskatchewan School Trustees Association (SSTA) in 1915.
The focus of the early boards centered around language. English was not yet universal, which caused major education delivery issues.
In 1920, issues over language of instruction and religious symbols resulted in the formation of the Catholic School Trustees Association of Saskatchewan.
It amalgamated with the SSTA in 1951, forming the Catholic Schools Section, which retained direct access to the government on issues directly affecting it.
The SSTA came of age in 1952 when it was incorporated by a special act of legislation that reaffirmed its voluntary nature. The organization was renamed the Saskatchewan School Board Association in 2003.
