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The parties and their education platforms
Read more about the party platforms at Vote4Kids.ca/parties.
David Khan, leader
If we could impart one message this election, it would be this: better than before is not enough.
It doesn’t take news reports or data charts for you to know that many Alberta classrooms are overcrowded. You see or hear about it everyday. It has been nearly two decades since this province introduced class size guidelines, and yet this problem persists.
Last year the ATA called for the hiring of 2,000 more teachers by the fall of 2018. The NDP response? They are promising 600 more during this campaign. This will not end the overcrowding of classrooms.
The first Alberta Liberal announcement of the campaign was our promise to bring in class size caps. Class sizes are one of the most important issues this election. At minimum we will hire the 2,000 teachers the ATA called for. We know how important this is to students and to teachers. We will invest what is needed to keep classes manageable for students
and teachers.
Inclusive education is also extremely important to us. Like you, we want to see students with special needs thriving in our schools. However, the resources just aren’t there to make that a reality.
We are committed to increasing funding for inclusive education by 50 per cent. We understand the need for more teaching assistants, more training and more professionals with specialized qualifications to support teachers.
There is more we’d like to say on education, but our word count is brief so we will be as well. We support the curriculum review. We will provide more mental health supports for students. We support the current structure of the ATA and the creation of a robust “healthy lifestyles” plan for children.
The Alberta Liberals are the best choice for improving education this election. We hope you’ll lend us your vote.
Submitted by the Alberta Liberal Party
Rachel Notley, leader
Rachel Notley and the Alberta NDP are fighting for what matters, like ensuring that all children in Alberta get an education that prepares them for success.
Over the last four years, the Notley government has demonstrated a strong commitment to our children’s future by making sure that the 15,000 new kids that enter our schools each year have a teacher and a desk to meet them. We’ve hired more teachers, built more schools and ensured schools are a place where kids can feel safe and supported. If re-elected, we will continue to do that.
While Jason Kenney would roll back the clock on the creation of a modern curriculum, the Notley government worked with tens of thousands of teachers, experts and parents to develop a curriculum that equips our kids with the skills they need for the future. And where the previous Conservative government cut funding to schools, the Notley government invested in the education system and in our students, providing 30,000 students healthy meals so they can focus on their classes and not their hunger.
If re-elected, Rachel Notley’s government will continue to support our young learners by strengthening the education system. Funding will meet enrollment growth so our schools can keep up with our growing population. The curriculum will be renewed to make sure our students have the 21st-century skills they will need. We will also expand language program options so students can learn in the language their families speak at home. We will keep building and modernizing schools and playgrounds. We will make the Classroom Improvement Fund permanent and increase it to $100 million a year so that teachers have the resources and the supports they need in the classroom to ensure that all students can learn and achieve to their maximum potential. We will ensure that every child feels safe, supported and welcome in
their school.
Submitted by the Alberta NDP
Stephen Mandel, leader
The Alberta Party will deliver best-in-class kindergarten, primary and secondary education.
An Alberta Party government will double the number of educational assistants in Alberta’s K–12 classrooms with a major boost in funding for inclusive education.
An Alberta Party government will require children to have up-to-date immunizations in order to attend a publicly funded school.
An Alberta Party government would end mandatory school fees, making schools more accessible for all Albertans and reducing the administrative burden on school staff.
An Alberta Party government would provide sustainable, consistent, adequate funding for our schools, with annual increases that are proportionate to population growth plus inflation. Funding must be stable to allow for long-term planning.
An Alberta Party government would ensure that building decisions for new schools are not politically driven, and would fund new schools according to enrolment numbers.
An Alberta Party government would encourage the sharing of resources, such as busing, between overlapping school districts to reduce duplication of services.
An Alberta Party government would increase supports for students with special needs with additional appropriately trained staff and funding.
Source: Platform statements and book of member-passed policy. Valid as of Oct 20, 2018.
Derek Fildebrandt, leader
• Equally fund all students at certified public, private and separate schools in Alberta and guarantee funding for homeschooling.
• Pass a parent's bill of rights to guarantee choice and control over education.
• Cancel the NDP's new curriculum and replace it with measured learning targets allowing school boards to set their own curriculums.
• Respect the right of private educational institutions to practise their own religious or cultural beliefs without discrimination.
Source: www.freedomconservativeparty.ca
Jason Kenney, leader
We are very pleased to have this opportunity to address teachers directly — it is important that you understand the high regard United Conservatives have for K–12 education and how much we value the contributions and professionalism of Alberta’s teachers.
It is because education is so important that we have developed a broad set of proposals for improving outcomes (albertastrongandfree.ca), based on extensive consultations with teachers and other educational stakeholders. No one wants to see independent measures showing declining outcomes for our kids. We owe it to them, and to their teachers, to ensure the supports are there for world-class outcomes within a stable, accountable system.
We will continue to build new schools. We will also maintain or increase education spending as needed while cutting administration and the carbon tax — both of which will allow more resources to get to
the classroom.
A United Conservative government will also pause (not scrap) the curriculum re-write to ensure it has broad input and is focused on developing core competencies. We will also be ensuring that it adequately emphasizes the financial and historical literacy young Albertans will need to be responsible citizens.
We believe choice is important; we will preserve the existing funding formula for independent schools and remove some of the barriers preventing public charter schools from forming.
Mr. Kenney previously met with the ATA president and had a productive discussion that found a considerable amount of common ground, particularly in freeing up teachers and schools to use the innovative means they are comfortable with to get the excellent results for our kids that we are all striving for.
We hope you will take the time to look at our platform at albertastrongandfree.ca in order to make an informed choice. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the ATA and front-line teachers on education as it is so critical to Alberta’s future.
Submitted by the United Conservative Party
Due to limited space, inclusion on this page has been restricted to parties with a legislature seat when the election was called. Parties are listed in alphabetical order by their official party name.
