Class Size

An article in this morning's Calgary Herald, "Parents fear impact of fewer teachers, support staff in Calgary schools," included some interesting comments from Sharon Friesen, an associate professor of education at the University of Calgary. According to her, studies have demonstrated that class size does not have a significant impact on K to 12 learning and that other factors need to be considered as well.

In a letter to the editor responding to this article, Gordon Thomas explains why "Smaller classes make for better learning."

The Hon. Dave Hancock, Minister of Education, also talks about class size research in his blog posting, "Money Matters: Let's focus on what improves student outcomes." He states that, "there are, no doubt, students who benefit from smaller classrooms beyond grades K-3, but the research is clear that small class sizes are not the best way to improve student outcomes for most students."

Back in 2003, Alberta's Commission on Learning made recommendations around class size guidelines. Although there have been many more studies done on the topic since then, the rationale makes for an informative read (page 67).

What are your thoughts? Comment on this post or drop us a line at info@capsc.ca.

Schools need stable funding from province

Although this editorial "Schools need stable funding from province" appeared in the Edmonton Journal last spring, it is worth reading as we embark on the 2011/2012 school year.

Back to School Information

For great back to school information, check out the Calgary Board of Education's Back 2 School Website and Alberta Education's Back to School Information Kit 2011/2012.

Alberta Liberal Leadership Candidates on Education

The Alberta Teachers' Association has posted video of all five Alberta Liberal Leadership Candidates responding to questions related to education.

Parent Voice

A recent Calgary Herald article, “Parents have a voice they just need to use it,” delved into the many ways parents can have a voice in the school system. While the focus of the article was from the perspective of a parent in the Calgary Catholic School Division, many of the same opportunities exist within the Calgary Board of Education. After reading this article, one of our members brought it to our attention that it might be helpful for CAPSC to do a piece on parent voice specific to the CBE.

The Classroom
Students, parents and teachers alike benefit from forming a strong partnership. Research indicates that parental involvement in their child’s education, both at home and in the school, has a positive impact on their learning and personal development. Attending Parent/Teacher interviews, volunteering in the classroom during the day or from home after school, fundraising, and participating in school council meetings are all important ways to support student learning. It is important to be informed and share your voice. Two great parent resources are available from the Calgary Board of Education and the Alberta Teachers’ Association to help guide parents through this relationship building process - "My student and the Calgary Board of Education" and "Parenting Through the School Years: A Guide for Parents of K – 12 Students."

The School

Parents also have a voice through their school council. School Councils were mandated by the government in 1995 in order “to increase parent and community involvement in the education of children in Alberta.” The School Act describes a school council as an advisory/consultative body made up of parents, the principal, teachers and interested community members that come together to support student learning. This advisory role not only applies to the relationship with the principal but also potentially to the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education. A couple of handy resources to help you understand the role school councils play include the Alberta School Council Resource Manual and the CAPSC Resource: CBE Regulations Governing School Councils and School Societies.

The Administration

The Calgary Board of Education also offers opportunities for school council chairs, key communicators and parents to learn more about the school system and educational issues impacting their children. System Meetings are held four times a year and are open to all - parents and members of the public. Smaller sessions are held at Area Meetings. Both types of meetings are opportunities to interact with CBE Administration, Trustees and your Area Director – not to mention other parents. Find out more on the CBE Website page School Councils/Key Communicators

The CBE’s Community Engagement and Operational Planning Department works with parents around school accommodation issues (school/program closures, program placement/moves) and provide a multitude of channels for engagement and feedback.

The Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees can be reached in the traditional ways but are now moving into social media via Facebook and Twitter. Trustees distribute Trustee-zine on a quarterly basis and this publication "is intended to engage readers in an ongoing dialogue on issues relevant to student success." Public board meetings are held twice a month during the school year and the agenda includes an opportunity for public input.

The Calgary Association of Parents and School Councils

CAPSC is an incorporated non-profit society that meets on a monthly basis during the school year to share, network and advocate around educational issues impacting our students. We are an officially recognized stakeholder group and have a stakeholder seat at all public meetings of the Board of Trustees. In addition, we have a trustee liaison whose duties include bringing information to us from the board and taking information from us back to the board on a regular basis. We host one or more trustees at every meeting and often host CBE Administration, Alberta Education officials and other recognized experts in the educational field. Our guest speakers are always very appreciative of the opportunity to engage with attendees. Meetings are open to all parents in the CBE. Check out our website and follow us on twitter@CAPSCyyc.

Fuel Subsidy Reinstated for School Boards

Some time ago, Education Minister Dave Hancock committed to going back to Treasury once again and asking for funds to reinstate the transportation fuel subsidy for school boards. After reading a recent news article posted on twitter, CAPSC was able to quickly confirm the following with CBE Administration:


It is estimated that the CBE will receive approximately $1.2 million in fuel subsidy funding from Alberta Education. This estimate is based on the current pricing for fuel. However, fuel pricing can fluctuate so the actual amount that is paid could vary from the current estimate. These funds are paid to the CBE on a monthly basis.

In the 2011-12 budget, the transportation fee increase approved by the Board of Trustees did not cover the transportation shortfall by about $800,000. The first priority with the fuel subsidy funding will be to cover this shortfall. What happens if there are any remaining funds will be determined once we have the final numbers on enrolment, special needs of students and more later in the fall. Information on the allocation of these funds will be shared in the fall budget update to be presented to the Board of Trustees in late November or early December.

First Quarter Fiscal Highlights from the Alberta Government: Solid planning and increased revenue lead to lower deficit forecast

In a news release from the Alberta Government, Finance and Enterprise report that revenue is up $2.7B from budget (higher oil prices and near record land sales), expenses are up $650M from budget (mostly for disaster and emergency relief), the projected deficit for 2011/2012 is down $2.7B and the Sustainability Fund is now forecasted to grow by an additional $4.4B.

PC Leadership Candidates on Education

On August 10, the Alberta Teachers' Association hosted a PC Leadership Candidate Education Forum at their annual Summer Conference. All six candidates were in attendance. Check out this video to learn more about where each candidate stands on education issues.

Hon. Dave Hancock, Minister of Education, responds to follow up questions from CAPSC Education Panel Discussion

After the Education Panel Discussion CAPSC held in the spring with the participation of the Education Minister, the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the CBE Chief Superintendent, we submitted several follow up questions to the Minister from our membership. The questions appear below and then the text of the Minister's letter and responses follow.

1. When will we in Alberta be able to count on sustainable funding for public education? When will the roller coaster ride with funding stop? As a taxpayer, a parent of 2 students in the public school system, a former key communicator at a Calgary school, a former president of a political action committee of a parent council in Edmonton, a teacher and now a parent of a young woman about to enter the teaching profession, I am concerned that we have been on the same roller coaster ride for the past 21 years. It is time for our government to stop the carnival ride and give the students in the province a future with a commitment to fund public education in a consistent and equitable manner. Why are we being told to that school boards must find ways to "be creative" in finding ways to do more with less. This demand is getting really old. Our students are our future, not pawns in the government's budget chess game.

2. Minister Hancock briefly mentioned that the average wage increase (or inflation) looks more like 4.56% instead of the 4.4% used in the budget. How many millions of dollars does this mean to the CBE and when would AB Education forward these funds? I remember last year there was considerable debate and it took some time but the Government of Alberta eventually came forward with the money (this was due to a change in the way the AWE was calculated but they honoured it). Before the CBE runs RAM and layoffs staff will the CBE first follow-up with AB Education for these funds and budget according to the revised amount?

3. In addition with the price of oil over $100 and projected to stay there for the entire budget year from a number of sources the Government of Alberta has additional funds they are keeping in their back pocket. I believe they used an oil price of $85 per barrel in the budget. Given the disproportionate nature of the current funding mechanism (I heard one school board is receiving 140% of their budget) will the Minister of Education seek to cover the budget shortfalls for those education boards that have shortfalls.

4. Is the Government of Alberta going to look at alternate funding models? It seems extremely inefficient to have some school boards run shortfalls when others are receiving more than their budgets. Would it not make more sense for the GOA to recognize some board expenses are higher per student (ESL, special needs, etc.) than others and use past year data to distribute the Education dollars according to budget needs? Alternatively adjust the formulas such that boards receive more ESL, special needs students, etc. funding and less for regular students such that you don't have some school boards with extreme surpluses and others with shortfalls. (and they should not use administration and our $6MM lease as an argument because we are less than the 4% maximum)

5. I have been a parent representative with a CBE focus group looking at noon supervision fees. Naturally transportation comes up in this conversation. I understand from these conversations and a little research that the province is reviewing the Metro Urban Funding Framework for Transportation. Currently it is a set amount per student expected to need transportation in a lump sum but it does not take into account factors like our large population of special needs students, urban sprawl, traffic, increasing costs of accessing public transit etc. When can we expect to see some changes to this funding framework?

6. The Alberta Government supports choice in education; in fact, it is embedded in the School Act. Why does the government only fund transportation for Charter Schools and not fund transportation for programs of choice in the public system?

Dear Leslie Newton and Eryn Kelly:

Thank you for your May 5, 2011 letter and for providing a copy of the followup questions from the education panel discussion.

I trust the following information will be helpful.

1. I would like to assure you that I fought hard to ensure the integrity of the education budget was maintained. In perspective, Education continues to be the second largest provincial allotment in Budget 2011 - a total of 17.3 per cent of the overall budget - second only to the Ministry of Health and Wellness. During the last 10 years, funding to the education system has increased by 63 per cent while student enrolment has increased by three per cent.

Government's commitment to the success of every student remains one of its highest priorities. Under Budget 2011, total support for the Early Childhood Services to Grade 12 education system (including opted-out support) will be nearly $6.4 billion, an operating increase of $258 million, or 4.4 per cent, over the previous year. This translates to an investment of about $32 million each day students are in school.

2. On April 15, 2011, I announced that school boards will receive additional funding to address the 4.54 per cent teacher salary increase, based on the Alberta Average Weekly Earnings index for the 2011/2012 school year. This funding honours government's commitment as outlined in the five-year Memorandum of Agreement with teachers and school boards. Effective September 1, 2011, the Base Instruction and Class Size Initiative grants will increase by 4.54 per cent to recognize teacher salaries.

To provide context to these numbers, at the original rate of 4.4 per cent,Grades 1 to 9 students would be funded a total of $6,488.01 per student. At the new rate of 4.54 per cent, students will be funded at $6,496.71 perstudent - a difference of $8.7per student.

3. I recognize that some boards will be challenged in developing their budgets this year. By focusing on our core programs, supporting the use of the collaborative practices and being open-minded, innovative and willing to consider new ways of doing things, I am confident that school boards will continue to provide high-quality education programs for their students.

4. Alberta's funding distribution model, the Renewed Funding
Framework, empowers locally elected school boards to provide a quality education that reflects the needs of their local students and constituents. The framework distributes funds equitably, provides maximum flexibility to accommodate local decision-making and requires public accountability for the use of resources and the results achieved.

This allocation model is based on the assumption that you noted in your letter - jurisdictions receive funding for considerable variables beyond beyond their control (e.g. demographic, geographic) over and above the basic operational costs. Some allocation formulas are directly linked to student populations, some address the increased costs of delivering education to different types of learners, while others recognize the costs of operating in different areas of the province.

Funding is distributed to boards in three categories: base,differential and targeted funding. Together, these grant categories ensure that school jurisdictions are funded in a diverse and dynamic manner. For more information on the funding framework, please visit the Education Funding in Alberta booklet on Education's website at www.education.alberta.ca/media/954300/ginalbooklet.pdf.

5. Over the past two years, Education staff have met on numerous
occasions with the four metro school boards regarding possible changes to the metro transportation funding model. Ongoing initiatives, such as the new Education Act, Inspiring Action and Action on Inclusion, along with potential changes to associated regulations, will undoubtedly inform the direction of this impending review.

6. Education respects the right of parents to educate their children at their school of choice. Under the School Act, school boards are only required to provide for the transportation for students attending their designated schools who reside 2.4 kilometers or farther from that school. Students attending a school of choice in the public system are eligible for transportation funding as long as they reside 2.4 kilometers or farther from both their designated school and the school of choice they are attending.

Charter schools receive student transportation funding based on actual students transported, not on eligible passenger students (as do public and separate school jurisdictions); they do not have a legal obligation to provide transportation services and, as such, may choose which students they provide transportation services to.

Albertans expect their children to receive a quality education - one delivered in a collaborative manner that helps children reach their full potential. Alberta's economy, our people and how we do business are all in a period of change. Our children are entitled to an education that prepares them to be global citizens who participate in a global economy.

In recent years, Education has consulted extensively with stakeholders - particularly parents, teachers and other education professionals. Certain patterns and priorities emerged and, undoubtedly, this budget reflects the overarching priorities of Albertans as best as possible in a fiscally conscious time. Education has led by example: almost 100 positions have been eliminated and the ministry's budget has been reduced by 20 per cent. Our commitment is to ensure equity of opportunity for students while minimizing impact on students, teachers and school authorities.

Thank you for meeting with me and for your organization's work as education advocates in Alberta.

Yours truly,

Dave Hancock, Q.C.
Minister