February 21 2018 – CBC News – Josee St. Onge – “The Edmonton public school board’s call to phase out funding for private schools is stirring up an old debate about the role of private education in Alberta. Parents and educators say private schools fill gaps in the education system.”
“On Tuesday February 20, Edmonton public school trustees voted to ask the province to phase out funding for private schools and reinvest the money in public education. The board will now send a letter to Education Minister David Eggen asking for action on the issue.”
“John Jagersma, executive director of the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges of Alberta, said private school tuition varies greatly from one school to the next.
Eighty per cent of the families who enroll their kids in private schools earn a lower income than the average Alberta family, Jagersma said.
He said parents choose private schools to answer specific needs.
“The mandates are very broad, they are set by the individual school board,” he said. “They can be anywhere from culture focused, faith based, Montessori, or Waldorf.”
