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Enhancing parent engagement in Alberta schools

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Alberta’s government is providing more than $1 million directly to school councils to support collaboration between parents and schools.

Through the Alberta School Council Engagement Grant, each school council will receive $500 to better support individual school councils and strengthen engagement with parents. This could include creating more school events that involve parents and developing a broader range of tools to communicate with them.

“Through this grant, Alberta’s government is putting dollars directly into the hands of parents on local school councils so they can fulfil their legislated responsibility, build capacity, and strengthen engagement and the parental voice in their schools.”  

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Education

“ASCA is pleased that school councils will now be able to enhance their capacity to meaningfully engage their school communities in support of student learning, without sacrificing funds raised for other projects. This helps take the pressure off parents, fundraising associations, schools, and school divisions to find funds to help school councils fulfil their legislated advisory roles.”

Brandi Rai, president, Alberta School Councils’ Association

Allocation details will be provided to school authorities in the coming weeks.

Key facts

  • Under section 55 of the Education Act, and corresponding regulations, each school operated by a board is required to establish a school council.
  • A school council’s responsibility is to provide the school board with advice on:
    1. foundation statements, if any, respecting the school’s vision, principles and beliefs,
    2. policies,
    3. annual education plan and annual results report required by the Minister to be reported under section 67 of the Education Act,
    4. budget required to be reported under section 139 of the Act.
  • There are approximately 2,000 public, separate, francophone and charter schools operating in Alberta that are required by legislation to have a school council.
  • School councils are a bridge between the school and community, with members working together to support and enhance student learning.
  • They allow parents to participate in decisions that impact student learning and offer advice to principals and school boards.
  • School councils provide a way for parents to contribute knowledge, perspective and ideas through school council meetings and through activities such as surveys, focus groups, committees and project teams.

Related information

Release online and French version

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