Many constituents have shared with me their belief in the importance of maintaining strong, stable funding for education and supporting school choice in Alberta. I support the Alberta government’s provision for a wide range of educational choice for families. By ensuring all approved choices are well-funded, parents can select the type of education they feel will help their child reach their full potential and be confident that their child is getting a world-class, high-quality education. With Budget 2022, the Alberta government’s commitment to funding education remains strong, as operating support to the education system will increase by more than $700 million over the next three years. Operational funding allocations for all school authorities will be the same or higher in the coming school year compared with the current school year. Despite lower-than-expected enrolments and growing school board reserves, funding for education is maintained while adding funding for pandemic-related cost pressures and supports. To ensure school authorities are funded for growth, if eligible under the approved criteria, new schools opened by existing school authorities will be funded at their actual enrolment for the first three years instead of the weighted moving average. This change applies to all public, separate, francophone, public charter, and independent school authorities to better support growth of new schools, sites, and programs. The funding manual for school authorities contains further details. Grant eligibility changes will ensure public charter schools receive the same funding support for students as other public school authorities. This includes equitable supports for students with disabilities and those who require specialized supports through the Specialized Learning Supports grant. Alberta’s government is also investing $2 million over the next two years in supports for home education students and families, including resources, virtual parent learning sessions, evaluations and coordinated consultations with speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, behavioural and mental health therapists, and psychologists. These new supports are intended to ensure that any student whose family has notified the government that they are home educating will have access to assessments and supports. Budget 2022 moves Alberta towards personal and economic prosperity by developing the talents and skills of Alberta’s workforce and providing opportunities for all Albertans to succeed and thrive.
Mike Ellis MLA Calgary-West
MLA – Calgary West Mike Ellis proudly serves the following Communities: Aspen Estates, Aspen Woods, Christie Park, Discovery Ridge, Signal Hill, Springbank Hill, Strathcona
