Smaller class sizes, a modern curriculum and a more equitable education system are among the priorities identified by Albertans during a months-long public engagement effort aimed at creating a vision for the future of public education.
As part of its ongoing Stand for Education campaign, the Alberta Teachers’ Association held a series of round-table discussions throughout the province. The themes that emerged from this process are summarized in a recently released report that identifies five key solutions to strengthen Alberta’s public education system.
- Reduce class size and complexity
- Develop a modern inclusive curriculum
- Provide learning supports
- Create a more equitable education system
- Increase investments in public education
After identifying the five priority public education solutions generated by the roundtable discussions, the ATA commissioned a poll by Environics that found that more than 80 per cent of Albertans agree the five solutions are important. More specifically, “providing learning supports” received 96 per cent support from those polled, and “increase investments in public education” received 88 per cent support.
“The findings are clear: the vast majority of Albertans want the government to commit to five important solutions to the serious issues impacting the education system,” said ATA president Jason Schilling.
The poll results show strong majority support for these solutions from both UCP and NDP supporters, he said.
“We hope all political parties this election are listening to Albertans on this important issue, and we look forward to hearing where the parties stand on these solutions,” Schilling said.
The entire report, released on May 5, contains polling data around the five solutions, quotes from roundtable participants and questions to start conversations with candidates and parties for each of the five identified solutions.
Participants in these round tables included parents, community members, business and civil society representatives, teachers, elected school board and municipal leaders, and representatives of Indigenous and francophone communities.
Guiding question
“What are your hopes for Alberta’s children and our public schools so that they can thrive now and into the future?”
Roundtable responses
“More teachers so class sizes are smaller, more paraprofessionals (educational assistants), and more recognition for the important work teachers take on so that in the future we have high-quality, trained people attracted to teaching as a career.”
– Parent
“The government needs to provide more support for teachers expected to implement so many curriculum changes in such a short period of time. They need to take into consideration the rural context and that some teachers teach multiple grades in a classroom.”
– School leader
“The space and ability to safely live within the culture. To have Indigenous epistemology and pedagogy be the foundation of educational planning versus integration into mainstream education. More Indigenous classes like language, history and culture with less filtered information about us in the curriculum. An Indigenous liaison at all schools.”
– Indigenous parent
“I would like to see funding that is stable and not dependent on which government is in power. We should not have to be debating funding and fighting for every dollar.”
– Parent
“Reinstate full program unit funding (PUF) and establish full-time kindergarten.”
– Parent
Questions for consideration
Some questions to start the conversation with political candidate(s) and their parties in relation to the path forward.
- How will you support children and youth with complex needs (social/emotional, behavioural, cognitive)?
- What is your plan to reach the ACOL (2003) class size requirements?
- Will you commit to implementing a new phased-in curriculum that was developed collaboratively with teachers, parents guardians and other educational experts?
- What is your position on the new kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum?
- What is your plan to provide increased support for students with exceptionalities?
- How will you resource and support mental health in our public schools?
- What is your position on funding and integrating full-day kindergarten and early childhood programming?
- What is your plan to ensure equitable supports for all students, especially Indigenous and francophone students, and our rural and remote schools?
- Would your party transfer current private school funding to support programs for students in poverty?
- Will you commit to restoring public education funding to above the national average, and match funding to inflation and the growing number of students?
- What is your plan to attract and retain professional teachers and other education workers in Alberta?
A new ATA report summarizes five main priorities identified during a recently concluded public engagement initiative.
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