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Dennis Theobald
As teachers and students head back to school, Public Interest Alberta (PIA), a provincial advocacy organization, will be gathering information about teaching and learning conditions in Alberta’s schools.
The goal of the PIA campaign, to be officially launched September 13, is to pressure the provincial government to "develop the full potential of all Alberta students."
Public input will be collected by means of a postcard distributed to teachers and school councils in each of the province’s schools, as well as to postsecondary faculty and students, parent advocates, unionized private sector workers, nurses and health care providers and others who belong to PIA. It is anticipated that 75,000 postcards will be sent to Albertans, allowing them to submit their own suggestions for improving and strengthening public education to Alberta’s Minister of Education. An online version of the postcard can be completed by visiting www.pialberta.org.
Supporting and supplementing the postcards will be a ground-breaking online survey of Albertans’ attitudes toward and experience of schooling. The survey, available until mid-October at www.schoolsurvey.ca, is the most comprehensive of its type ever conducted in this province. Responses will be collected and analysed by Burke and Associates, a company with extensive experience conducting online surveys for private and public sector clients, including the Alberta government. Results will be released toward the end of November.
"Albertans are desperate to have their say on public education," says Bill Moore-Kilgannon, Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. "Despite Alberta’s remarkable wealth, it is clear that our education system does not have the resources or support required to develop the full potential of all students. There are too many children falling through the cracks, and the gifts and talents of many students are lost due to the strain on our education system."
According to Moore-Kilgannon, "It is important that people send a strong message to the government about what they know is missing or needs improvement. As this government has failed to develop and achieve a real vision for our education system, we need to get everyone to take action and tell the government that it’s time to complete the public education picture."
"I believe this project has tremendous potential to refocus the attention of the public and the government on education issues" says ATA President Frank Bruseker. "I encourage every teacher not only to participate directly by submitting a postcard or by completing a survey, but also to encourage their friends, family, neighbours and parents to do likewise."
Public Interest Alberta is a nonpartisan provincewide organization focused on education and advocacy on public interest issues. This campaign receives the support from individual and member organizations of PIA and has received advice from parent advocates, school support and custodial staff, teachers, school trustees, faculty and student groups and others.
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