Opinion: The urgent need for funding in Alberta’s public education

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The start of another school year is an exciting time, creating opportunity and wonder about the future. However, public education in Alberta is in trouble.

Nothing is more important to teachers and parents than the success of our students, but too many are struggling and not having their needs met. As a teacher, this is unacceptable to me and should be unacceptable to you. Our schools are in crisis and the root cause is clear: the government’s underfunding of education in Alberta — the least-funded education jurisdiction in Canada. This is having devastating consequences on our students, teachers and the future of our province.

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Over the past few years, factoring in the effects of inflation and increasing student enrolment, we have witnessed a significant decline in funding for public education. This has led to larger class sizes and increasingly complex classroom compositions. My colleagues are struggling to provide individualized attention and support to each student. The consequences of this underfunding are far-reaching and affect every aspect of our children’s education.

Our students deserve better. The staff who work day in and day out with our students deserve better. They deserve classrooms with access to modern technology and support services that cater to their students’ unique needs. Teachers are working tirelessly, often without the infrastructure or teaching resources required. Teachers use their own money to buy classroom supplies, but this is not a sustainable or fair solution. Basic education requires these supports to be provided.

Curriculum and assessment are also significant concerns for teachers. They are implementing new curriculum and, now, more literacy and numeracy assessments. Students could potentially write 32 standardized assessments by the time they leave Grade 6.

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This is unreasonable. Teachers are professionals and need support in addressing their students’ needs, not more testing.

One of the most alarming consequences of this underfunding is the increasing number of teachers leaving the profession. The lack of funding and resources combined with ballooning class sizes are driving dedicated teachers and administrators away. This exodus of experienced teachers is a direct result of the government’s failure to prioritize education. When teachers leave, our students lose valuable mentors and the quality of education suffers.

Public education needs serious and systematic changes, not a continued series of short-term fixes or policies aimed at distracting us from the real issues. We must remain focused squarely on solutions that move us forward. We will hear all sorts of misinformation about public education over the next few months as the government tables legislation on gender. While we need to correct mistruths and lies when we hear them — we also need to filter out the noise and not get distracted by it.

Most importantly, we must remain focused on our students and their futures.

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Parents and the public play a crucial role in advocating for better funding and supports for our public schools. Each of us needs to reach out to MLAs and school board officials to express concerns. Share your personal stories and the effect underfunding has had on your own child’s education.

In a province as wealthy as Alberta, we need to ask the premier and the rest of the government why they choose to continue to underfund education. Why do they not see the future of our students as a priority?

The future of Alberta depends on the quality of education we provide to our children today. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that they have the resources and support to succeed. By working together and remaining focused on the needs of our public schools, we can create a brighter future for our students, teachers and the entire community.

Let us stand united in our commitment to improving public education. Our children deserve nothing less.

Jason Schilling is the president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association and has been a teacher in Alberta’s public education system for nearly 30 years.

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