Minister says private school funding may be reviewed

While the NDP government is committed to the current model of funding private schools for now, Education Minister David Eggen isn’t ruling out reviewing the public money going to independent schools in this term of government.

Last week, a coalition of public school, labour and advocacy groups called on the NDP to phase out public funding for private schools over the next three years, with the money being diverted to public schools.

The government said last week that there were no plans to change the funding model for private schools at this time.

But at an event Friday, Eggen noted that while there are no changes planned in the spring budget, he looks at how schools are funded on an annual basis.

Private school funding may be reviewed in this term of government, he acknowledged.

“To say everything stays static forever is to be not realistic. I’m always looking for ways by which I can provide good quality education for the most efficient use of public money,” Eggen said at a news conference highlighting the government’s plan to cut school fees.

Eggen said that at this time private schools provide needed capacity within the education system in the face of growing enrolment.

Private schools in Alberta receive 70 per cent of the per-pupil funding of public schools, about $5,200 per student.

Advocates say ending that funding to 186 schools could free up $100 million per year in educational funding that could be used to support programs in public, separate and francophone schools that serve 93 per cent of students in Alberta.

Proponents of the private school funding say it saves money, however, with the advocacy group Parents for Choice in Education issuing a study saying that if all students in private schools enrolled in the public system it would have cost taxpayers another $168 million in 2014-15.