News Centre

​​​​​​​​​Part of the role of the Board of Trustees is to advocate for the Calgary Board of Education and the more than 123,000 students it serves.

During this election, trustees want all Albertans to think about the value of public education, and why it should be a priority.

Here are top three messages we are sharing, and the questions we need party leaders to answer.

Trustees' Top T​hree for CBE

1 | Fund Every Student

Public Education is the Best Investment Alberta Can Make

• Public education must always be a top priority, even in times of fiscal restraint.
• Stable predicable funding is important for our students.
• The CBE receives less overall funding per student than we did seven years ago.
• Public education shapes the future of our communities.
• Public education is the foundation of our democracy.

Question:
Will your party commit to maintaining or increasing overall funding for each and every student for the next four years?​

2 | Support Students with Special Needs

Public Education Serves Each Child, Every Day, No Exceptions

• Every child is welcome at the CBE, regardless of their background, ability or financial status.
• Every child deserves support for their learning, physical and wellness needs.
• The funding gap to provide these services grows every year.
• Last year, the CBE spent $136M to support students with special learning needs, while the province provided only $78M in funding.
• Every child should have access to high-quality learning environments.
• Every child has the right to a safe and caring learning environment.
• Student needs go beyond the classroom. The government departments of Health, Children’s Services, Community and Social Services need to come together with Alberta Education to provide the help every student needs.

Question:
How will your party close this funding gap and commit to adequately funding supports for students with complex needs?

3 | Build and Modernize Schools

Schools are Key to Student Success

• Schools are the heart of our communities. Let’s invest in them.
• Many of our schools are full.
• Many schools will be over capacity in the near future.
• The CBE continues to grow by about 2,000 students per year.
• We need the equivalent of four new elementary schools every year to serve an increasing population.
• We have 134 schools that are over 50 years old.
• School modernizations are needed to meet the demands of a modern curriculum.
• The province acknowledges the CBE’s deferred maintenance for immediate needs is $162M.
• If all deferred maintenance were to be addressed, it would cost upwards of $1 billion.
• The daily operation of our schools costs about $13M more than what was provided by the province in 2017-18.
• ​Money to cover shortfalls has to come from the classroom.

Question:
Will your party commit to building new schools and completing needed modernizations?

The education of students must always be a top priority. Our students deserve no less.

For more information about the Board of Trustees, please visit the Board of Trustees page. You can also contact the Office of the Board of Trustees at boardoftrustees@cbe.ab.ca.

For more information on trustee advocacy efforts:

Mar. 05, 2019 | Board of Trustees Advocates for Students​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​