HomeMy WebLinkAboutAlberta private schools not expecting province to cut funding in budget - Metro Ottawa - 03/15/2017 - Metro Ottawa - 03/15/20173/16/2017 Alberta private schools not expecting province to cut funding in budget
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Alberta private schoollls not expecting province -to cut fuindiiing in budget
Dr. Neil Webber, founder of Webber Academy, said he doesn't expect they will receive an increase in
funding either
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1f he school said lit dcneW.;lrn't antli6ilpate an linolrease in funding, but Ir<atlher that the Ib udget lillll stliolk to the status quo,
By: Illmlle III IIIIII,Awaurdsoini Metro, Published on Wed Iyer 15 201�7
Despite calls from Alberta unions and union supporters to defund private schools in the province, one
Calgary private school says they've received no indication from the government anything of likes will
happen at Thursday's annual budget announcement.
Dr. Neil Webber, founder and headmaster of Webber Academy, said he hasn't heard any information that
would lead him to believe Alberta Education will be pulling private/independent school funding.
"The only thing I can go by is what the minister has said publicly and I don't anticipate he's going to do
anything in this budget that would reduce funding to private schools," he said.
Webber said he doesn't anticipate an increase in funding, but rather that the budget will stick to the status
quo.
Progress Alberta (PA) and many Alberta unions have been calling for defunding of private schools over the
last few weeks. A petition on the PA website has more than 1,100 signatures calling for the defunding.
"Alberta has the most expensive private school system in Canada," said PA. "It's time to stop publicly
subsidizing private schools and invest in public education."
By removing public taxpayer subsidies of private schools PA said the province "can invest in further
reducing school fees, reducing class sizes and ensuring that no child goes hungry at school."
The Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta said they "strongly reject this proposal,
and the flawed premise it is based on."
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3/16/2017
Alberta private schools not expecting province to cut funding in budget
"Independent schools serve the public good. Collectively the independent schools and early childhood
service programs provide a quality education to 34,000 Albertan children," said AISCA. " In the last 5 years
alone it is estimated that independent schools have saved tax payers over $750,000,000.00."
Webber echoed this sentiment, saying that students at Webber receive less than half (approx.. $5,200) of
the provincial funding a public school student receives (approx.. $13,000).
He said not only do they receive less funding, but he believes private schools save the province money as
they pay for all their own capital expenditures and building maintenance.
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