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.