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By Justin Goulet

Province providing over $1 million to help school councils improve engagement with parents

Aug 20, 2021 | 9:23 AM

EDMONTON, AB – School councils across Alberta are receiving support from the provincial government.

Through the Alberta School Council Engagement Grant, each school council will receive $500 to improve on their work and strengthen engagement with parents. The province noted that this could include creating more school events that involve parents and guardians and developing a broader range of tools to communicate with them.

Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange stated, “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.”

Alberta School Council’s Association president Brandi Rai said that, “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.”

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Allocation details will be shared with school authorities in the coming weeks.

Under section 55 of the Education Act, and corresponding regulations, each school operated by a board is required to establish a school council. There are roughly 2,000 public, separate, francophone and charter schools operated in Alberta that are required by legislation to have a school council.

More details here.