The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Machine scoring can reduce costs, create more standardization—Hancock

While government expense controversies, the freedom-of-information request process and public-service pension reform dominated question period when the legislature resumed its spring sitting April 14, education issues were also on the agenda. Below are highlights of some of the exchanges from April 14 to April 24, when the assembly adjourned for a constituency week.

Provincial Diploma Examinations

April 15—Maureen Kubinec (PC—Barrhead–Morinville–Westlock) asked Premier Dave Hancock and Minister of Education Jeff Johnson to explain to her constituents why diploma examinations are worth 50 per cent of Grade 12 students’ final marks. Hancock replied that diploma examinations certify students’ achievement against a provincewide standard. “The equal weighting of the diploma examinations with the school mark assures all students that their marks are fair and reliable. That’s important because when they go to postsecondary, Alberta students actually do very well because of the respect for our diploma results,” he said. Kubinec asked Hancock whether there is any discussion about changing the weighting of diploma examinations. Hancock replied that, while there is no discussion at present, it would be appropriate to consider the weighting of diploma examinations as part of curriculum redesign. Kubinec asked Hancock why there is a shift to machine scoring of all written questions and why machine scoring is considered a benefit to students. Hancock replied that technology can reduce costs and increase standardization if it works appropriately. He added that machine scoring is one tool being explored.

School Codes of Conduct

April 14—Kent Hehr (AL—Calgary–Buffalo) reported that Prairie Christian Academy, a fully funded public school, makes its staff sign a pledge to uphold the sanctity of marriage as a union between a man and a woman and to abstain from homosexual relations. He asked Johnson why the practice exists 15 years after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Alberta Human Rights Act. Johnson replied that government is also extremely concerned about media reports regarding Prairie Christian Academy. Noting that government does not tolerate discrimination against or bullying of staff or students in any school, he indicated that government is taking steps to ensure that school operations comply with the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Education Act. Noting that such policies are becoming increasingly frequent, Hehr asked Johnson whether his ministry approves of them or turns a blind eye to the practice. “[Hehr] doesn’t believe in giving parents choice with respect to different schools, and he doesn’t believe in us funding that education,” replied Johnson. “He would like to wipe and smear every private school, every charter school, every alternative program with the same brush because we’ve got an issue in a few.” Johnson added that his ministry will review all master agreements between alternative programs and school boards and all employment agreements to ensure that schools are complying with provincial legislation. Hehr asked Johnson whether he cannot see the need to protect LGBTQ students in schools to make their lives better. “I agree with the member, and we’re doing things every day to make kids’ lives better. We want to make sure that not only that segment of the population is protected but every segment of the population, not just our students but also our staff,” replied Johnson. He added that the regulatory review committee would also be asked to look at the issue.

April 14—Deron Bilous (ND—Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview) asked Johnson why he had removed from the Education Act the protections of the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Johnson replied that section 11 of the Alberta Human Rights Act is about parental rights and that government does not believe that it knows better than parents when it comes to the education of their children. He added that the Alberta Human Rights Act supersedes the Education Act. Bilous asked Johnson why he is allowing publicly funded schools and school boards to violate the Charter rights of students and staff and discriminate against them. Johnson replied that school boards manage school operations and employment agreements. “If circumstances come to light like we’ve recently been made aware of, we’re going to look into those, and we’re going to address those,” he said. Noting that students can be expelled for exercising their constitutional rights, Bilous asked Johnson to “stop making offensive excuses and commit to ensuring that constitutional human rights are protected in publicly funded schools.” Johnson replied that government is committed to the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Charter. “We’re going to work with our school boards and everyone who’s funded by this province to deliver education to make sure that those pieces of legislation are being adhered to,” he said.

LGBTQ Rights

April 17—Hehr asked Associate Minister of Family and Community Safety Sandra Jansen why government caucus had debated, earlier in the day, changes to the preamble of the Marriage Act to recognize same-sex unions. Jansen replied that she is proud of all the LGBTQ issues on which government is able to move forward. Hehr asked Jansen whether she expects to experience the same success with respect to repealing the parental notification provisions of the Alberta Human Rights Act. Jansen replied that her door is always open to discussing LGBTQ issues. Hehr asked Jansen whether she will be able to convince her colleagues to bring forward legislation in the fall sitting of the legislature to mandate gay–straight alliances in schools where students want them. Jansen replied that she believes that gay–straight alliances are important and will always have such discussions with anyone who wants to have them.

Educational Curriculum Redesign

April 14—Noting that hundreds of parents and their children rallied at the legislature on April 12 to urge the government to reinstate the basics in the mathematics curriculum, Bruce McAllister (W—Chestermere–Rocky View) asked Johnson to commit to making standard algorithms, vertical addition and vertical subtraction the primary focus of that curriculum. “The basics were never gone,” replied Johnson. “The reality is that [Wildrose MLAs] don’t want us to teach problem solving. They don’t want us to teach 21st-century skills. They just want us to teach basics. We think that we need to learn both.” Reporting that Deputy Minister of Education Greg Bass had suggested on April 13 that mathematicians and mathematics professors are not the best advisors on mathematics pedagogy, McAllister asked Johnson whether he found the suggestion troubling. Johnson responded that, while government seeks advice from experts in mathematics and pedagogy, from high-performing jurisdictions and from business leaders, the province needs to progress and do a better job of teaching both the basics and 21st-century skills. McAllister asked Johnson whether he would do the right thing for students and focus on the fundamentals, as Manitoba has done. “We’re going to make [the basics] an emphasis of the new curriculum that we’re working on,” replied Johnson. “But . . . we believe and we agree with business leaders that the soft skills and problem solving are also important.”

April 23—McAllister asked Johnson whether he would do his job and address the “flawed” mathematics curriculum and methods of instruction. Hancock replied that recent results of the Programme for International Student Assessment show that Alberta students “are actually very good” on the fundamentals of mathematics but need to improve their problem-solving skills. Suggesting that the number of “math-illiterate kids” has doubled since the advent of discovery math, McAllister asked Johnson whether he would change the curriculum to require students to learn vertical addition (with a carry) and vertical subtraction (with a borrow) and memorize their times tables as Manitoba has done. Hancock replied that Alberta has not moved away from math fundamentals or literacy in the curriculum. He added that, while the curriculum sets the outcomes, teachers are responsible for differentiating the methods of instruction that will work for individual students. McAllister asked Johnson or Hancock whether parents, teachers, mathematics experts or other governments “have it wrong.” Hancock replied that teachers, the experts in education, are involved in redesigning the curriculum “based on foundational learning in literacy and numeracy and the necessary 21st-century skills to be engaged thinkers, ethical citizens and involved.” ❚