ATA News

The Alberta Teachers' Association 2023/24 proposed budget

The 2023/24 budget developed by Provincial Executive Council (PEC) is continuing to move forward, with the final step being presentation to the 106th Annual Representative Assembly for debate and approval by the teacher delegates gathered in Edmonton on the Victoria Day long weekend (May 20–22). 

While an organization’s budget is often viewed as a financial document, the budget of the Alberta Teachers’ Association is also a reflection of the Association’s values, priorities, programs and activities for the upcoming year. As the proposal was being prepared, PEC considered options, deliberated and made critical choices, balancing financial considerations and member feedback before arriving at the proposed budget to be presented at ARA to delegates. At ARA, the work of delegates will be not only to consider the broad financial implications of the proposal, but also to examine the merit of the proposed programs and consider their value to members, to education and to the Association. We expect delegates will have thoughtful questions to ask, and your elected representatives and staff are ready to answer them.

Broadly considered, this budget is intended to enable the Association to continue providing the programs and services that are of direct and immediate benefit to members in the 2023/24 fiscal and school year. Furthermore, the budget will fund important initiatives to strengthen operational productivity and provide enhanced service to members while containing costs. While the proposed budget for 2023/2024 has remained largely consistent with 2022/2023, there are a few high-level considerations for members to be aware of. 

Firstly, on the staffing side, no new FTEs have been added to the current complement. Efforts continue internally to reallocate and redesign work processes to meet the changing needs of the Association and its members using the current staff complement. 

Additionally, aligned to the Association’s ongoing commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, included in the current budget draft is a proposal to increase by seven the corps of Indigenous education professional development facilitators from the current complement of 18, bringing the total number to 25. These teacher volunteers will support staff in meeting the demand for this important programming. 

Secondly, in recognition of the Association’s modified role, discipline-related committee expenses have been adjusted or deleted within the Government program area even as we plan to provide additional resources to represent members who are subject to the government’s conduct and competence processes. This is still very much an evolving situation, and we expect to know more as we proceed through 2023. 

Finally, some of what we learned from having operated virtually for approximately 24 months during the pandemic has led to committee budget lines being reduced by 10 per cent from the current 2022/23 budget. 

Beyond the challenges and responses noted, the Association continues to respond to the strictures imposed by the Alberta government’s Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act (AKA Bill 32), specifically key changes that took effect on Feb. 1, 2022. Managing this situation proactively in 2021/22, Provincial Executive Council established a new Defense and Advocacy Fund (DAF) and allocated a $16 million transfer to it from the Special Emergency Fund. Reflecting this, the 2023/24 budget is structured slightly differently than in previous years, with a separate section for the estimated $377,000 that will not be funded by member fees, but rather from investment income distributions flowing from the DAF. 

Based on feedback from locals demonstrating broad support for the programs and services included in the draft budget circulated and given that the proposed budget revenues can be realized within the current fee, Council is recommending no change to the current annual fee of $1,347 for the 2023/24 fiscal year. On a year-over-year basis, budgeted total expenditures and allocations for 2023/24 are two per cent lower compared to the 2022/23 budget. 

The following provides highlights of new programs and completed or discontinued programs within the proposed 2023/24 budget.

Sample of proposed 2023/24 new initiatives

Specialist council carousels — Professional Development: 
The proposed budget will allow two symposium-style “carousels” and smaller regional workshop or online events each year at which Association staff and specialist councils can provide focused professional development for student members from across the province.

Women in leadership grant — non-departmental commitments: 
The Association encourages its locals to establish women in educational leadership (WIL) committees. At this point, at least 50 per cent of locals have established WIL committees. The grant proposed is planned to run as a pilot program in 2023/24 and would provide support to WIL committees and teachers in locals that plan to engage in projects that promote gender equity. The budgeted amount for the grants is $10,000 and each eligible project would be provided with up to $2,000 per grant awarded.

Beginning Teachers’ Conference — Professional Development: 
In 2022, following two years of virtual format, a single event was held in Edmonton for all beginning teachers from across the province. Within the 2023/24 proposed budget, two Beginning Teachers’ Conferences are planned and would take place in each of Edmonton and Calgary. 

Cloud hosting — Information Technology Services: 
Cloud hosting makes applications and websites accessible using cloud resources and generally reduces the need for expensive capital IT investment in back-end infrastructure, i.e. servers. It also allows the Association to access support as part of the service package without having to directly staff positions, at considerable and rising cost. With the Association continuing to migrate more of its operations to the cloud and rely more on subscription-based and “pay as you go” platforms, such as M365, there will be a continued need to procure cloud-hosting services going forward.

Completed/discontinued initiatives

Given the Association’s evolving role with respect to discipline, the following committees are no longer budgeted as of 2023/24:

  • Complainant Appeal 
  • Professional Practice Review
  • Professional Practice Complainant Appeal
  • Professional Practice Appeal

Proposed annual fee for 2023/24

Provincial Executive Council is proposing no increase to the Association member fee, maintaining it at $1,347.

  2022/23 approved fee 2023/24 proposed fee
Total Fee $1,347.00 $1,347.00
Funding for programs for which the local rebate does not apply $156.00 $153.00
Net fee to distribute $1,191.00 $1,194.00
Local rebate at 20% $238.20 $238.80
Balance of net fee (80%) $952.80 $955.20

Budget by program area

There are two parts to the Association’s budget. The first part includes programs funded by the portion of the fee that is subject to a local rebate. In other words, for each dollar of the membership fee that is applied to this part of the budget, 20 per cent is rebated to local associations to fund their operations. Generally, this is referred to as the rebatable section of the budget. The remaining portion of the fee is used to help fund activities and/or programs not subject to the local rebate. This section is often referred to as the non-rebatable section of the budget.

Part 1: Budget subject to local rebate

Program area Mandate 2021/22 approved budget 2022/23 proposed budget
Teacher Employment Services
  • To improve the economic well-being of teachers through work in collective bargaining, pension and insurance
  • To effect increases in the funding for education
  • To provide services to individual members on matters requiring discipline, legal assistance and professional relations
  • To provide general service to and consultation with locals, sublocals and staff as requested
  • To enhance awareness of the Association’s services
 $8,703,400 $8,698,600
Professional Development
  • To provide for the improvement of teaching practice through specialist councils, conventions, curriculum work, current issues, local leadership development, assistance to local PD committees, field service and representation to other subgroups
  • To prepare a corps of instructors and facilitators
  • To improve the preservice education of teachers and liaise with other agencies in these fields and extended field experiences
$5,604,600 $5,609,800
Government
  • To govern the Association and provide for its obligations beyond Alberta’s borders
  • To liaise with other organizations within Alberta
  • To maintain communications internally with the membership and externally with the public
  • To improve conditions for education through the political involvement of members
 $10,533,100 $9,997,000
Building
  • To provide and maintain physical facilities for Association offices in Edmonton and Calgary
$3,248,000 $3,306,000
Operations
  • To provide for the financial and business operation of the Association, including business management, finance, general administration, human resources and document production
  • To provide services to other program areas and subgroups
$5,860,200  $5,785,000
Nondepartmental commitments
  • To provide for items that are not directly a part of any other department and for items affecting all or most other departments but which cannot be reasonably provided for within the department
$1,828,700  $1,708,200  

Food Services

  • To provide a catering service for participants at various meetings and other functions held at Barnett House
  • To operate a cafeteria service for staff, tenants and the public
$784,600  $822,100  
Information and Technology Services
  • To maintain and safeguard the Association’s information technology systems and equipment and to develop and maintain electronic capabilities and processes required by other program areas
$2,294,900    $2,754,800  

Part 2: Budget not subject to local rebate

Member fees required to fund the second part of the budget are not subject to the local rebate, and 100 per cent of these fees are available to fund provincial Association programs. The table below compares expenditures and allocations for the 2022/23 approved budget and the 2023/24 proposed budget and provides a brief description of the nature of the expenditures.

Expenditure 
and allocation
Description 2021/22 
approved
budget
2022/23
proposed
budget
Canadian Teachers’ Federation Provides support for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation based on a per capita fee $1,060,700 $1,060,700
Capital fund Provides an annual allocation to the fund, which is used to purchase any capital assets and to fund capital projects $940,700 $400,000
Special emergency fund Provides an annual allocation to the fund, which is used to fund emergent actions as approved by Provincial Executive Council $0 $0
Technology services project development Provides annual funding for projects related to membership application services; online services; unified communications; strategic technology management; and reporting, workflow and form services $800,000 $800,000
Specialist council membership grants Provides the annual operating grants to the Association’s 21 specialist councils $870,000 $870,000
Accountability 
action plan
Provides funding to support international partnerships focused on advancing system reform, as well as collaboration with subgroups and like-minded teachers’ organizations that advance the profession’s views $105,000 $105,000
Mortgage Provides for principal and interest payments on the mortgages in place for construction and renovations that were completed $2,323,000 $2,323,000
Public relations campaign Provides funding for a multidimensional public relations campaign to highlight the work of the Association and teachers to increase public awareness about the importance of public education and the need for appropriate funding for education $1,000,000 $1,000,000

 

 

 

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