Premier Rachel Notley announced Thursday that the province would be restoring education funding for the upcoming school year.
Notley made the announcement following a meeting with cabinet in Calgary Thursday.
A statement from the province said the funds are meant to provide funding for every student in Alberta – it’s expected 12,000 students will be added to province’s classrooms in the 2015-16 school year.
“Our government is making a significant investment in education, setting aside the cutbacks proposed by our predecessors,” Notley said.
The news was met with excitement from Edmonton’s two major school boards.
Edmonton Public School Board Chair Michael Janz said the outlook on the next school year with the cuts from the Prentice government wasn’t good.
“We would have seen some pretty trying circumstances for our teachers and our classrooms,” Janz said.
In the provincial budget released in March, the former government cut ‘non teacher salary- funding to schools by 3 percent, and said it wouldn’t provide funding for the thousands of new students expected in the province.
However, the PC government with former premier Jim Prentice at the helm was defeated by Notley’s NDP before the budget passed.
In addition, the change announced Thursday would also restore funding to reductions to school and classroom resources that were previously announced. The funds would also cover the two percent salary increase and one percent lump sum payment under the previously negotiated Teacher Agreement.
“All funding levels have been restored, new growth and funding for vulnerable students, and we couldn’t be more pleased,” Edmonton Catholic School Board Chair Debbie Engel said.
The Alberta Teacher’s Association was also pleased to see the change.
“Teachers have been sending me texts and e-mails, and they have been just applauding the news,” ATA President Mark Ramsankar said.
“It’s also giving us, from the teacher’s point of view, that sigh of relief that says we’re not going to be heading into the new year with as many struggles.”
In total, $103 million in funding would be restored – the province said school boards need the information to prepare their budgets for the upcoming school year, due by June 30.
It’s not clear how much Edmonton Public and Edmonton Catholic schools will receive – but it’s expected to be in the millions.
Opposition parties were also reacting to the decision – the Wildrose Party said it supports proper funding for education, but wanted to know where the money will come from, and looked for confirmation it makes it directly to classrooms.
A new provincial budget is expected in the fall.
With files from Bill Fortier
