Part of the FOIP documents requested and obtained by the Alberta Teachers' Association. Full report in the link below.

By Chantal Wagner

ATA files FOIP request

Alberta Teachers’ Association concerned over cuts in the government’s contradicting education budget

Feb 11, 2020 | 5:17 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Students and teachers are expected to feel the reality when it comes to budget cuts in the millions across provincial school divisions.

According to a 76 page Freedom of Information request by the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA), it shows school boards have $136-million less to spend.

Both the ATA and the opposition NDP says this is despite assurances by the Education Minister that funding has been maintained for this year from last year.

“So added together it’s a cut of more than $135-million year over year. That’s a real cut. The other cut, of course, is that there are more students in school this year than there were last year and that’s another 15,000,” according to NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman.

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President of the ATA Jason Schilling says concerns trickle down to classrooms and the potential impact on students.

“My colleagues in the field are telling me that they’re seeing their classroom sizes grow, we’ve seen teachers in the province there’s been some layoffs. They’ve lost their jobs or teachers have had their full-time equivalency reduced,” he said.

The ATA adds, while school boards received additional funding in some areas for student enrolment growth, several grants were cut including the class-size initiative, classroom improvement fund, and school and transportation fees reduction grant.

Parents are also worried about cuts.

One parent told Chat News, “There are definitely concerns you know, obviously when they do these cuts all of the children suffer, right? The programs suffer. It’s hard for parents as well.”

Another said, “I think that the government has been telling us a little bit of a lie.”

Even students have concerns when it comes to class size and having enough teachers.

“Ways of implementing education. We need more of it because we’re lacking already. Just within the classroom and teachers and TA’s (teacher aids) and stuff.”

Another student agreed that smaller classes are always better.

The UCP government announced Tuesday they will table the provincial budget on February 27. Until then, time will tell what the educational plan will look like for schools in the coming year.

School boards might be faced with tough decisions when working with those dollars.

The full report can be viewed by visiting the ATA website.