The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held June 12 and 13, 2014, at Barnett House, in Edmonton

1. Declared in effect, as of July 1, 2014, an amendment and an addition to the General Bylaws as contained, respectively, in Electoral Ballots 1 and 2 of 2013 as approved by the 2014 Annual Representative Assembly.

2. Approved in principle the Association’s membership on the Round Table on Legislative Issues.

3. Approved a Retired Teachers’ Local Agreement between the Association and the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (ARTA), pending approval of the ARTA.

4. Consistent with section 31(2) of the Teaching Profession Act, extended to November 30, 2014, the deadline for the commencement of a hearing of the Professional Conduct Committee.

5. Appealed to the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee the order of a hearing committee on the grounds of insufficient penalty. The hearing committee found a teacher guilty of seven charges of unprofessional conduct, thereby failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession in all seven cases:

• During the 2012/13 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 English Language Arts Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2012/13 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 Mathematics Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2011/12 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 English Language Arts Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2011/12 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 Mathematics Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2010/11 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 English Language Arts Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2010/11 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 Mathematics Provincial Achievement Test.

• During the 2009/10 school year, violating provincial achievement test protocols by altering student answers by changing incorrect answers to correct answers on the Grade 6 English Language Arts Provincial Achievement Test.

To address all seven charges, the hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand and a fine of $2,500, payable within 90 days of receipt of the written decision of the hearing committee. Failure to comply will result in suspension of the teacher’s membership in the Association.

6. Authorized, effective September 1, 2014, an increase in the Information Technology Services (ITS) salary budget line and a corresponding reduction in the ITS consulting services budget line.

7. Authorized an overexpenditure to provide for an increase in the sparsity grant for Palliser Local No. 19 to reflect its increased weighting.

8. Authorized a contribution and in-kind support to the Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation for the development of two teacher resources for Arab and Chinese immigrant student success.

9. Authorized a contribution to the University of Alberta Institute for Sexual and Minority Studies and Services to support the distribution of Sexual and Gender Minorities in Canadian Education and Society: A National Handbook of Policies, Practices and Resources for K-12 Education.

10. Approved a frame of reference for Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 3 teachers’ Economic Policy Committee.

11. Approved the name of one recipient of the Local Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Award, which recognizes projects, programs, events or activities organized by locals to advance diversity, equity and human rights in public education.

12. Awarded 12 grants to help fund innovative projects designed to build inclusive learning communities that promote the principles of diversity, equity and human rights.

13. Approved the name of one teacher for addition to the Professional Development Facilitators name bank, which is used as a source of appointments to the Professional Development Facilitators corps as the need arises.

14. Nominated two field members to serve, respectively, on the CTF (Canadian Teachers’ Federation) Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Education and the CTF Advisory Committee on French as a First Language.

15. Named field members to serve on Association committees and to represent the Association on the committees of other organizations in 2014/15. ❚