The province is making good on its promise to give parents more schooling options by spending millions on public charter schools in Alberta..At a Tuesday press conference at the Aurora Academic Charter School in Edmonton, Premier Jason Kenney announced the government will spend $25 million for operating funding and $47 million for capital investment for public charter school expansions and collegiate programs..“Public charter schools play an important role in Alberta’s education system by offering unique programming to students. Whether they attend a public, separate, francophone, independent, public charter or home education, our education system will continue to support the educational choice of students and their parents. This investment builds on our commitment to strengthening Alberta’s long and successful tradition of providing choice in education,” said Kenney..Kenney said charters are parent-driven..“It’s what is the vision of parents, and I think we need a system that’s flexible enough (in funding and administration) that can respond to the priorities of families…we also believe that parents know best what kind of education their kids should receive.”.The premier said while the province permitted parents to form public charter schools back in 1994, the UCP had to get rid of a legislative cap preventing the formation of new schools..Only 1.2% of operational funding in Alberta is allocated to support the 1.5% of students who attend the 15 charter schools..One of the schools the premier highlighted is the New Humble Community School near Calmar. When the public school board shut down the rural school, area parents came together to form the collegiate charter “rooted in the agricultural traditions of their community. And that’s a school with a focus on agricultural literacy and leadership,” said Kenney..The Western Standard asked the premier if the popularity of alternative schools and uptake of homeschooling was a reflection of parents saying “no” to the wokeness of public education..“I think there’s probably some of that for sure. When Aurora was established in the mid-90s, it’s because parents wanted a more structured disciplined approach to education. And when parents set up the STEM Academy, it’s because they wanted their kids to have a real focus on things like science and technology. But broadly, I think the parents who set up charters or decide in favour of different education, they often have concerns about the experience that their kids have had in conventional public schools.”.“Some parents may not like things that are going on in their local public school, and they have options if that’s the case,” said Kenney..Parents opting to educate their kids at home in Alberta have risen dramatically, with 21,654 home-schooled students, almost double what it was in 2017-18..Judy Arnall, president of the Unschooling Canada Association who believes more parents will choose home education for their children. The association disputes the fact that academic learning only occurs within the “four ‘B’s of school systems: buildings, buses, budgets and bottoms-in-seats.”.While Arnall agreed that progressive, left-leaning ideology in the public schools is likely a factor for some faith-based families moving toward homeschooling, she attributed the move more to parent dissatisfaction with the curriculum and families wanting more flexibility..Arnall said curriculum is years behind where it should be and the government left out home education organizations as stakeholders on the last curriculum review..“It takes about 15 years to get new curriculum in there. And we have to face that our society is moving at a faster pace. For example, the Social 10 textbook doesn’t even have any mention of iPhones or President Trump in there.”.“We definitely needed more back-to-basic math curriculum, but the Social Studies curriculum is way too heavy. Way too developmentally inappropriate for for young kids.”.She described homeschooling families as those who “want to travel, who have had kids bullied. We have families with kids with special needs that are not being met in the classroom. We have families who are just sick of a rush rush rush and want a more relaxed lifestyle.”.Arnall said the pandemic was the “push” some parents on the fence needed to start homeschooling and said any parent can educate their kids up to a Grade 8 level. After that, parents can put their kids online or hire tutors..“I think parents just have a lack of confidence. Homeschoolers are very well socialized, they connect in so many ways. It’s so much more diverse and academically more personalized.”.“If parents knew how easy it was. It takes a 10th of the time of school. It’s not like you’re battling homework all the time. You have choices.”.Public charter schools serve 1.5% of the student population in the province, with a total enrolment of more than 10,000 students in 15 charter schools..Amber Gosselin is a Western Standard reporter..agosselin@westernstandardonline.com
The province is making good on its promise to give parents more schooling options by spending millions on public charter schools in Alberta..At a Tuesday press conference at the Aurora Academic Charter School in Edmonton, Premier Jason Kenney announced the government will spend $25 million for operating funding and $47 million for capital investment for public charter school expansions and collegiate programs..“Public charter schools play an important role in Alberta’s education system by offering unique programming to students. Whether they attend a public, separate, francophone, independent, public charter or home education, our education system will continue to support the educational choice of students and their parents. This investment builds on our commitment to strengthening Alberta’s long and successful tradition of providing choice in education,” said Kenney..Kenney said charters are parent-driven..“It’s what is the vision of parents, and I think we need a system that’s flexible enough (in funding and administration) that can respond to the priorities of families…we also believe that parents know best what kind of education their kids should receive.”.The premier said while the province permitted parents to form public charter schools back in 1994, the UCP had to get rid of a legislative cap preventing the formation of new schools..Only 1.2% of operational funding in Alberta is allocated to support the 1.5% of students who attend the 15 charter schools..One of the schools the premier highlighted is the New Humble Community School near Calmar. When the public school board shut down the rural school, area parents came together to form the collegiate charter “rooted in the agricultural traditions of their community. And that’s a school with a focus on agricultural literacy and leadership,” said Kenney..The Western Standard asked the premier if the popularity of alternative schools and uptake of homeschooling was a reflection of parents saying “no” to the wokeness of public education..“I think there’s probably some of that for sure. When Aurora was established in the mid-90s, it’s because parents wanted a more structured disciplined approach to education. And when parents set up the STEM Academy, it’s because they wanted their kids to have a real focus on things like science and technology. But broadly, I think the parents who set up charters or decide in favour of different education, they often have concerns about the experience that their kids have had in conventional public schools.”.“Some parents may not like things that are going on in their local public school, and they have options if that’s the case,” said Kenney..Parents opting to educate their kids at home in Alberta have risen dramatically, with 21,654 home-schooled students, almost double what it was in 2017-18..Judy Arnall, president of the Unschooling Canada Association who believes more parents will choose home education for their children. The association disputes the fact that academic learning only occurs within the “four ‘B’s of school systems: buildings, buses, budgets and bottoms-in-seats.”.While Arnall agreed that progressive, left-leaning ideology in the public schools is likely a factor for some faith-based families moving toward homeschooling, she attributed the move more to parent dissatisfaction with the curriculum and families wanting more flexibility..Arnall said curriculum is years behind where it should be and the government left out home education organizations as stakeholders on the last curriculum review..“It takes about 15 years to get new curriculum in there. And we have to face that our society is moving at a faster pace. For example, the Social 10 textbook doesn’t even have any mention of iPhones or President Trump in there.”.“We definitely needed more back-to-basic math curriculum, but the Social Studies curriculum is way too heavy. Way too developmentally inappropriate for for young kids.”.She described homeschooling families as those who “want to travel, who have had kids bullied. We have families with kids with special needs that are not being met in the classroom. We have families who are just sick of a rush rush rush and want a more relaxed lifestyle.”.Arnall said the pandemic was the “push” some parents on the fence needed to start homeschooling and said any parent can educate their kids up to a Grade 8 level. After that, parents can put their kids online or hire tutors..“I think parents just have a lack of confidence. Homeschoolers are very well socialized, they connect in so many ways. It’s so much more diverse and academically more personalized.”.“If parents knew how easy it was. It takes a 10th of the time of school. It’s not like you’re battling homework all the time. You have choices.”.Public charter schools serve 1.5% of the student population in the province, with a total enrolment of more than 10,000 students in 15 charter schools..Amber Gosselin is a Western Standard reporter..agosselin@westernstandardonline.com
