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Do you know what your kids are learning in school?

You might think you do - especially if you’ve looked at the official Alberta Curriculum, which is publicly available to all parents.

But did you know that the Alberta Curriculum is just a small part of what is taught in schools, and that the rest of what's taught doesn't have to be made available to parents at all?

The Minister of Education has been given his marching orders, and here's the details.

Let me explain: the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, issues letters to each of her cabinet ministers outlining what she expects them to accomplish over the course of this electoral term.

These are called “mandate letters”.

We don’t think this is a coincidence...

A few weeks ago, we told you about Justin Trudeau’s threat to exceed his government's rightful jurisdiction and reach into the provincial jurisdiction of education.

Now, just a short while later, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation is calling for “federal leadership in education” in a letter addressed to... who else but Justin Trudeau.

At last month’s election, Nathan Ip, an Edmonton Public School Board Trustee, was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

Now, EPSB is recommending not holding a by-election to fill the vacancy and, once again, the school board is trying to defend this decision by saying that a by-election would cost too much.

I say “once again” because this is fast becoming an all-too-predictable pattern for school boards across Alberta.

In February, we filled you in on three school boards that were planning on going three or more years without their full complement of democratically elected school board members.

The Legislative Assembly of Alberta has wrapped up, and the focus is now shifting to the election.

But I want to fill you in on something that we were keeping an eye on, that everyone else missed.

During the last session, NDP MLA Nicole Goehring introduced the following motion:

Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly

(a) recognize that Alberta has been acknowledged for having a world-class public education system;

(b) oppose any efforts to create a privatized, two-tier education system; and

(c) oppose the use of vouchers for education, similar to those used in the United States.

On Tuesday, the Government of Alberta presented Budget 2023 to the Legislative Assembly.

Massive spending programs like healthcare always tend to steal the spotlight, but we were very pleased to see education issues get more attention than we anticipated.

Let’s break down the education portion of the budget and what it means to parents and taxpayers going forward.

In 2022, five small Alberta municipalities held by-elections.

The Town of Sylvan Lake held a 2022 by-election for 866 voters.

Not to be outdone, the Town of Gibbons held a five-way by-election, racking up 249 total votes.

The municipality of Sturgeon County held a by-election last year in which only 233 people cast votes.

The Town of Legal held a 2022 by-election with 157 total voters.

Finally, the town of Bon Accord, held a four-way by-election with a turnout of just 103.

One of the things that’s unique about the Alberta Parents’ Union is that we advocate for improved education quality and choice in every single education type in Alberta:

• Public Schools
• Catholic Schools
• Francophone Schools
• Alternative Program Schools
• Charter Schools
• Independent Schools
• Funded Home Education
• Unfunded Home Education

That's why we want to take some time to explain all these types of education, and - at the same time - hopefully, dispel some of the myths and misconceptions about how certain schools are allowed to operate in Alberta.

On Saturday, the ATA - the union for teachers in Alberta -  held a rally at the Legislature in Edmonton.

Now, that on its own isn't too unusual - unions are always protesting for one thing or another, and all the usual activists were there this weekend, with all their usual complaints.

But what’s a little odder this time was the co-host of this rally.

This weekend, the ATA was joined by the ASCA - the Alberta School Councils’ Association.

Why's that odd, you might ask?

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Calgary Board of Education is planning to close the Louise Dean Centre, a school program for pregnant teens and young mothers, located in northwest Calgary.

For those who aren't familiar with the Centre, it currently has 47 students and has proven particularly successful, offering a unique educational environment that includes on-site child care, life skills programs, and other critical supports needed to help pregnant teenagers and young mothers graduate.