Danielle Smith’s vision for education includes more choice.
Parent choice was a main feature in her mandate letter to new education minister Demitris Nicolaides.
The letter calls for expanding parent and student options in the public, separate, francophone, charter, independent (private), early childhood and home education systems.
“Expanding parent and student options … will ensure parents have a host of tailored options for their children’s education that best suit the needs of their individual students,” stated Smith.
The mandate letter also touches on addressing specialized learning needs, increasing mental health support and building more schools.
Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) President Jason Schilling said the ATA is committed to working with the government on shared priorities, noting that supporting student learning is a common interest for both parties.
The optimism is tempered with caution, however, as another aspect of the mandate letter directed Nicolaides to explore the idea of shortening the education requirements of certificated teachers. In response, Schilling emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the teaching profession, and cautioned against fast-track certification.
“Attracting and retaining qualified teachers is a continuous concern,” Schilling said. “We anticipate many discussions with the province to explore potential resolutions.”
With the mandate letter calling for career pathways for students, Schilling also noted that a well-rounded education that equips students with critical thinking skills and adaptability is more important than preparing students for specific workplaces.
“We are living in a rapidly changing world, and students must be prepared for a wide array of future career opportunities,” Schilling stated. He pointed to the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence as an example of the ever-evolving job market.
Some of the other discussion points Schilling hopes to address in the coming years are class size and complexity and equitable access to education for all students.
“Historically, the success of our world-class public education system has been achieved through collaborative efforts between the government and the ATA,” Schilling said. “I’m looking forward to continuing this work through open dialogue and shared expertise.” ❚
Mandate letter highlights
- Fund growth of “CAREERS” with public and separate school divisions for off-campus programs or paid internships.
- Invest $20 million over four years in promoting career pathways, including the following:
- Organize career fairs for high-demand sectors.
- Establish an online career counseling website for students and parents.
- Launch a high school targeted advertising campaign for high-demand careers.
- Develop more teacher training for career and technology studies (CTS).
- Create and promote career educational scholarships for Alberta’s K–12 students in labour-shortage areas.
- Fund additional mobile CTS and career and technology foundations labs.
