Catholic schools cost-effective and inclusive
Merger would save nothing,
In past weeks, there have been questions about publicly funded Catholic education in Alberta.
It has been suggested eliminating Catholic education would be easy. Catholic education has been operating in Alberta since the 1840s and has held a long-standing, distinct role.
It is enshrined in the Constitution, Section 93, solidified in the Alberta Act of 1905 and further supported by the Alberta School Act. Alberta Education is currently ranked fifth in the world in education and skills (Conference Board of Canada) and Catholic education is proud to be an integral part of this success.
It is an oversimplification to say amalgamating Catholic and public schools would lead to substantial savings. Catholic education in Alberta serves over 175,000 students (about 30 per cent of all students) in over 430 schools.
The only way to save money would be if all 175,000 stop having access to education. No study has indicated money would be saved by eliminating Catholic schools: the same number of students, educated by the same number of staff, driven by the same number of buses, and maintained in the same number of schools would be needed.
Studies on amalgamation of municipalities, health authorities, and schools in other provinces have seen the administration cost increase considerably due to the effects of amalgamation.
The vast majority of Catholic separate and public school boards work together to actualize efficiencies while respecting differences, through shared busing, joint-use agreements and joint purchasing partnerships for utilities.
There are several successful archetypes of shared facilities whereby Catholic and public schools operate independent schools in different wings of a complex with joint-use space (often a recreation centre or public library.)
Some have suggested Catholic education is overly influenced by the church and only Catholics can attend our schools. Catholic education is a unique partnership between school, home and parish. This partnership is a close relationship between the faith community and the church, through locally elected trustee representatives who independently create policy and govern their boards. It seeks to develop a student’s whole person by integrating academic excellence permeated by faith.
Our schools are open to all families that choose a fully Catholic Christian faith-based education experience. As per the Alberta School Act, Catholic schools must accept all resident students (of the same faith) and if there are space and programs, must accept non-resident students.
Catholic education is inclusive and strives to have all children recognize their inherent beauty as children of God. Our schools do not teach intolerance and hate. Children are encouraged to see themselves as more than the sum of their parts; race, religion, ability, gender, colour, sexual orientation. This inclusiveness and moral imperative is supported by safe and welcoming board policies and strong anti-bullying policies.
Catholic schools teach comprehensive provincially mandated health and wellness programs which are age-appropriate. Programs on sexuality do include abstinence, a transcendent view of the person, and are taught from a Catholic world view. The goal is to provide students with information to make good and responsible choices.
The issue of public schools subsidizing separate schools has been brought up. There are two distinct constitutional rights regarding taxation: the right to access the property assessment base for financial support and the right to equity and fairness in funding.
Catholic education is funded through education property taxes, grants and general provincial revenue, the same as public schools. Funds for schools are pooled provincially and distributed to schools based on enrolment. The pooling allows for a balanced approach to allow resources to go where parents choose to send their children to school.
Maintaining the current taxation base is a vital connection between school boards and their electors, especially those without children in the system. It provides a mechanism for direct accountability of school board trustees to their electors for the quality of education provided.
Catholic education in Alberta will continue its proud legacy of cost-effective excellence in teaching within a welcoming, safe and caring faith school environment, honouring the sacred trust of our parents and of our community.