Page Content
As part of her campaign for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, Alison Redford promised to restore the 2011/12 education budget within 10 days of being sworn in as premier. On October 12, 2011—ahead of schedule—Redford kept her word.
Premier Redford announced that $107 million will be returned to Alberta school boards. Thomas Lukaszuk, Alberta’s new minister of education, participated in the announcement and emphasized that the restored funds are to be used to address priorities in Alberta classrooms.
Featured here are answers to some of the questions ATA members have been asking about restored funding.
How will the $107 million be allocated?
Grants supporting classroom and community supports will receive a $27-million injection; each school board will receive $60,000 plus $43.12 per student, based on 2010/11 funded student enrolment.
The following programs will receive $80 million (see below for a brief description of the programs*):
- Relative Cost of Purchasing Goods and Services
- Stabilization
- Alberta Initiative for School Improvement
- Small Class Size—Grades 4 to 6
- Enrolment Growth and Decline
- Enhanced English as a Second Language
- Intra-Jurisdiction Distance
When will school boards receive funding?
School boards will receive lump-sum payments for classroom and community supports on November 15, 2011. Funding for grant programs will be released incrementally between now and the end of the government’s fiscal year, which is March 31, 2012.
Must funding for small classes be used to hire teachers in Grades 4–6?
The government does not specify that funding must be used to hire teachers. However, in its written communication to school boards, the government states that it expects the existing guidelines for class size to be achieved in all grade groupings.
Are there expectations for how school boards spend funding?
The government has made it clear that restored funding should address priorities and be directed to areas where it will benefit students most.
The government’s written communication to school boards does not specify how funds for classroom and community supports are to be spent. Instead, it states: “This funding will assist school boards in building capacity at the local community level, recognizing the importance of collaboration at each and every school as we move to an inclusive education system and improving student outcomes.”
How will funding impact the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI)?
School boards may need to update their AISI project plans to reflect the additional AISI dollars they receive.
Are school boards required to report specifically how they spend the restored funding?
As part of their fall budget updates to be submitted November 30, 2011, school boards are required to provide the ministry of education with a summary of how they will spend the restored funding.
