Parents for Choice in Education (PCE) is excited to release the third video in our “Perspectives in Education” series, focused on school choice funding:

Research shows that keeping the present funding model for Alberta schools not only allows parents to access the education choice best suited for their children, but also saves taxpayers at least $750 million dollars every five years.

Even Education Minister David Eggen conceded in an Edmonton Journal article last week that to cover the full cost of private and homeschool students would demand an increased cost to government coffers of $190 million a year. 

In fact, using Eggen’s amount over five years, the total savings to taxpayers soars an additional $200 million above PCE’s numbers.

As written by PCE in a March 2017 Edmonton Sun column, there are three key groups who continue to push aggressively for the stripping of taxpayer representation by demanding that the Alberta government cut funding to school choice: 

1) Unions, who want total control over union due paying education staff.

2) Public school boards, who want to escape the rigours of comparison and competition in an open education marketplace.

3) Special interest groups, who want to have absolute control over the maximum number of Alberta students, towards whom they can funnel their personal set of ideological values and ideas.

Who would suffer if funding was cut?

The taxpayer, yes.

But more importantly, the students.

Students benefit from education choice in four ways:

1) Choice allows a parent to access the best fit for their own children, to meet the student’s unique interests and educational needs.

2) Competition improves the quality of education in all settings, including government schools, benefiting children in all schools.

3) Choice allows families to access a school setting that respects their world view, allowing the freedom of thought and conscience that every free, pluralistic society should respect and honor.

4) Remove the partial taxpayer support for students and only the wealthiest Alberta families will have access to educational choice, creating a two-tiered education system that serves few.

If taxpayers truly want to save money AND ensure the best quality education for all students, then we must protect the current school funding model.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

The release of this video is timely as the Alberta government is engaging in a budget consultation process and they are asking for taxpayer input.

Make your voice heard by letting them know that the current model of school funding should be protected, especially in light of the increasing attacks against school choice mentioned above.

Send your input to [email protected] and don’t forget to cc Drew Barnes, UCP Finance Critic and Mark Smith, UCP Education Critic ([email protected] , [email protected] )

The deadline is February 9th.

Alternatively, you could complete the online survey form, however, then you have no evidence of the input you have provided, nor the ability to cc your input with the UCP Opposition in the legislature.

Below are some ideas for phrasing your input around school funding, which you can use in part or in full.  We suggest you also include a sentence or two unique to your personal perspective.

The government should protect the current model of education funding, ensuring the partial financial support for independent school students continues.

This model saves taxpayers at least $750 million every 5 years. And this number does not even take into account the millions of dollars saved in capital costs and transportation which independent schools do not have covered by government taxpayer funds.

Removing this funding would be detrimental not only to taxpayers, but also to students.

Students benefit from this funding of school choice, which allows parents to access the best fit to meet each child’s unique interests and educational needs.

Protecting the present school funding model also ensures excellence in education through the competitive forces of choice.

All taxpayers pay into education, and all should have access to these dollars as they choose from the wide array of choices in Alberta, including charter, public, separate, independent, online and homeschooling.

Thank you for your support and to ensure you don’t miss any updates on important education news going forward, sign up on our homepage www.parentchoice.ca

Support PCE’s advocacy for excellent, high-quality education in Alberta, through maximum parental choice, by donating HERE.