2021 ASCA AGM SOS Guide to Advocacy Resolutions
References:
ASCA Bylaws
ASCA 2021 Proposed Advocacy Resolutions - for full text of resolutions
*Please note that on March 24, ASCA sent a Letter to Members Regarding Advocacy Policy P20-04. This letter indicated one of the advocacy resolutions adopted at the 2020 Special General Meeting are out of order, and thus will be ruled out of order at the next AGM. As some of the proposed resolutions below are in relation to this soon-to-be-nullified policy, we assume they will not need to be debated during the AGM after that policy has been nullified.
The following guide (printable version) is intended for the use of interested school councils and their representatives to the ASCA AGM who are committed to advocacy for public education. We have reviewed all of the proposed motions with an eye to whether they support or undermine public education, and indicated our support or opposition. We hope this guide will be useful to your school council as you review the proposed resolutions, particularly those that seem a bit like “inside baseball” or niche arguments. If you’re interested in learning more about the issues raised in these advocacy resolutions, please contact us at [email protected] with your questions.
Rationale with Summary Table Below:
P21-01
Continued Support and Advancement of Technology Funding to Support all Levels of Learning Throughout Alberta Schools
Support
P21-02
Acknowledgment of CoSC/DSC in the Alberta Education Act
Support
P21-03
Restore PUF Funding to Alberta Schools
Support
P21-04
Transportation – Maximum Time Limit Students can be on the Bus
SOS takes no position on this resolution
P21-05
Renewal of Alberta Curriculum
Support
P21-06
Addressing Barriers to Student-centred Public Education
Oppose
P21-07
(See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Rationale pertains to resolution as currently presented)
Respect for ASCA's Bylaws, Values, and Members
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn
P21-08
Education Stakeholder Organizations Financial and Governance Accountability
Oppose
P21-09
Equal Opportunity of Access to All Public Schools
Oppose
P21-10
(See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Rationale pertains to resolution as currently presented)
Achieving Universal Public Education
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn
P21-11
Allocating Public Funds to Public Education
Support
References:
ASCA Bylaws
ASCA 2021 Proposed Advocacy Resolutions - for full text of resolutions
*Please note that on March 24, ASCA sent a Letter to Members Regarding Advocacy Policy P20-04. This letter indicated one of the advocacy resolutions adopted at the 2020 Special General Meeting are out of order, and thus will be ruled out of order at the next AGM. As some of the proposed resolutions below are in relation to this soon-to-be-nullified policy, we assume they will not need to be debated during the AGM after that policy has been nullified.
The following guide (printable version) is intended for the use of interested school councils and their representatives to the ASCA AGM who are committed to advocacy for public education. We have reviewed all of the proposed motions with an eye to whether they support or undermine public education, and indicated our support or opposition. We hope this guide will be useful to your school council as you review the proposed resolutions, particularly those that seem a bit like “inside baseball” or niche arguments. If you’re interested in learning more about the issues raised in these advocacy resolutions, please contact us at [email protected] with your questions.
Rationale with Summary Table Below:
P21-01
Continued Support and Advancement of Technology Funding to Support all Levels of Learning Throughout Alberta Schools
Support
- The pandemic has shown the importance of adequate funding and support of technology to all public schools.
- As technology is expensive to purchase, requires ongoing support, and ages rapidly, adequate government funding is need to ensure equitable access, otherwise it falls to Parent Association fundraising, which is not equitable across schools.
P21-02
Acknowledgment of CoSC/DSC in the Alberta Education Act
Support
- The motion supports increased stakeholder engagement by boards/divisions with CoSCs/DSCs to gather input around divisions’ three-year plans.
- May provide CoSCs/DSCs with a more formalized stakeholder/advocacy role
P21-03
Restore PUF Funding to Alberta Schools
Support
- PUF funding provides early intervention services to children with special needs.
- Cuts to this funding have not been made up by a new funding framework.
- Vulnerable families who cannot afford private assistance for their children are disproportionately affected
P21-04
Transportation – Maximum Time Limit Students can be on the Bus
SOS takes no position on this resolution
P21-05
Renewal of Alberta Curriculum
Support
- We support this resolution’s call for meaningful parental engagement in curriculum and development of a curriculum that reflects 21st century learning needs, as well as the call to delay this process during the pandemic, which has stressed education workers and students
- We are concerned with UCP politicization of curriculum and of the process for curriculum development – notably, appointing experts with dubious qualifications and cutting out educators and curriculum experts
- We would suggest a friendly amendment to the resolution that calls on the government to turn the curriculum development process back over to the non-partisan public service in Alberta Education, as was the practice of past governments, and cease making political appointments to the advisory panel.
P21-06
Addressing Barriers to Student-centred Public Education
Oppose
- This is a poorly worded motion that fails to define student-centred, barriers, or the organizations it applies to.
- We do not see the need for a policy and practice framework to be developed for stakeholders or new workshops for school councils. ASCA already has much of this material developed.
- It is not clear that it’s an appropriate role for Alberta Education to resolve disputes between education stakeholder organizations, which is one of the points of this resolution.
P21-07
(See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Rationale pertains to resolution as currently presented)
Respect for ASCA's Bylaws, Values, and Members
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn
- It has been decided that the resolution is in conflict with the current ASCA bylaws; if that is the case, then we consider it more appropriate to pursue a bylaw amendment in keeping with the clearly expressed preference of the majority of school councils represented at the meeting.
P21-08
Education Stakeholder Organizations Financial and Governance Accountability
Oppose
- While SOS Alberta encourages transparency for all public dollars in Alberta education, we have concerns about the motivation behind demands for more “transparency” from organizations like ASCA, or trustee and school board associations.
- Some of the entities listed are private education organizations (including charter school groups). SOS’s position is that private education should not receive public dollars at all, however transparent they are in their operations.
P21-09
Equal Opportunity of Access to All Public Schools
Oppose
- This resolution closely mirrors the UCP resolution in favour of a Choice in Education Act, which advances a privatization agenda.
- Aims to force school boards to provide prospective parents with information on not only their own schools, but area charter schools that may siphon off their students.
- Is generally couched in language that views education as a marketplace and parents as customers, and “choice” as catering to individual needs. This is contrary to a vision of public education that promotes equity, inclusion, children as citizens with inalienable rights independent of their parents, and a view of the greater public interest and the role that public education plays in a democratic society.
P21-10
(See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Rationale pertains to resolution as currently presented)
Achieving Universal Public Education
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn
- Presumably this will not be debated, as the resolution it refers to will have been nullified.
- SOS would oppose this resolution if it were to go forward, as the amendments proposed are hostile to the intent of the original resolution.
P21-11
Allocating Public Funds to Public Education
Support
- This motion is in accord with SOS’s position that public schools are insufficiently funded, that public funds should not be allocated to private schools at the current rate of 60-70% of per-pupil funding, and that these dollars be directed back to the public system, defined as public, francophone and separate school systems
Summary of positions:
Motion # |
Title |
SOS Position |
P21-01 |
Continued Support and Advancement of Technology Funding to Support all Levels of Learning Throughout Alberta Schools |
Support |
P21-02 |
Acknowledgment of CoSC/DSC in the Alberta Education Act |
Support |
P21-03 |
Restore PUF Funding to Alberta Schools |
Support |
P21-04 |
Transportation – Maximum Time Limit Students can be on the Bus |
SOS takes no position on this resolution |
P21-05 |
Renewal of Alberta Curriculum |
Support |
P21-06 |
Addressing Barriers to Student-centred Public Education |
Oppose |
P21-07 |
Respect for ASCA's Bylaws, Values, and Members (See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Our position pertains to resolution as currently presented) |
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn |
P21-08 |
Education Stakeholder Organizations Financial and Governance Accountability |
Oppose |
P21-09 |
Equal Opportunity of Access to All Public Schools |
Oppose |
P21-10 |
Achieving Universal Public Education (See ASCA Mar. 24 Bulletin regarding potential conflicts with this resolution. Our position pertains to resolution as currently presented) |
Presume this proposed resolution will be withdrawn |
P21-11 |
Allocating Public Funds to Public Education |
Support |