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By rdnewsNOW Staff

Mixed Reviews

Charter school society and ATA react to provincial budget

Feb 25, 2022 | 1:50 PM

Officials with Foundations for the Future Charter Academy (FFCA) are endorsing Budget 2022 and applauding the United Conservative’s support for public charter education.

The organization says the work of Premier Kenney and Minister LaGrange to empower the Choice in Education Act by providing equitable funding to public charter school students will allow FFCA to meet its obligations under the Education Act to provide all students with continuum of supports consistent with the principles of inclusive education.

The commitments made in Budget 2022 are said to bring funding to public charter students in line with students who attend public, Catholic and Francophone schools. Budget 2022 is also said to ensure that all FFCA students will have the opportunity to access supports necessary to maximize their potential, while experiencing what is described as the unique and high-quality education that FFCA offers.

“Providing equitable funding for charter school students corrects a historical oversight that has significantly impacted FFCA’s ability to provide specialized supports for our students,” said Jeff Wilson, Board Chair at FFCA.

“The recognition that charter school students have the same academic struggles and mental health challenges as children in other public systems, and therefore should also have access to funding that supports their unique educational journey, represents a major victory for equality in Alberta’s public education system.”

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The organization says these commitments are timely as FFCA approaches its 25th anniversary and will help FFCA remain among the top performing publicly funded schools in the province.

Meantime, the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) says the 2022 provincial budget, at first glance, seems to provide an increase to education funding in the province; however, is insufficient to provide meaningful repairs to teaching and learning conditions damaged by cuts over recent years.

The organization says students deserved more from this budget.

“This budget is proof that when government revenue is low, kids get cuts—but when the province is experiencing economic growth, kids continue to be left behind,” says Jason Schilling, ATA president.

ATA officials say Alberta’s public education system has been one of the lowest-funded systems in the country—and that was before three years of cuts. Unfortunately, says the ATA, a 1.7 per cent increase in operational funding will not keep pace with inflation and student population growth.

“Teachers will be relieved to finally see an increase in funding for K–12 education in this budget, after three years of cuts and underfunding. Class sizes have been growing substantially over the past three years, and this budget will not address this critical problem,” adds Schilling.

The ATA claims teachers are also worried about the plans for curriculum implementation and the inadequacy of supports for learning and mental health. The organization says the ideological expansion of charter schools is privatization of education, which removes funds from the 93 per cent of students who attend public education.