UCP Government Fails Alberta K-12 Students in Budget 2025

Not enough funding to meet enrolment growth, inflation, or educational supports & resources for student success

Yesterday’s Budget announcement signified the UCP government doubling down on withholding vital resources and educational access from K-12 students. The total amount of operational funding falls significantly short of reaching minimally adequate levels of instructional funding. In the context of inflationary reality and persistent enrolment growth, this shortfall means many students will remain unfunded within our growing public education system. In contrast, private education will receive an egregious 13% increase in public subsidies which private institutions will use to pick and choose students.

“Alberta’s K-12 students are once again left behind in this Budget. Disgracefully, Alberta spends the least on public education, while simultaneously spending the most on private education in Canada. The UCP government is continuing their destruction of public education by refusing to fund students adequately.” - Medeana Moussa, Executive Director of Support Our Students AB

Over 93% of Alberta students attend public schools. But school boards’ funding requests for sustainable and predictable resources, including additional educational personnel, new schools and learning spaces, are continually denied while the government allots money for private education growth. Every four years, Alberta diverts over $1 billion in public funds to subsidize wealthy and exclusive private and charter schools which do not serve the community at large, but stratify students based on ability and wealth. 
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“The ongoing intentional erosion of public education will accelerate under Budget 2025. By underfunding our school boards, we will see more instability in our growing education system and Alberta’s K-12 students will be the ones to bear this cost. Our students deserve so much more than the inadequate support tepidly offered by this government.” - Medeana Moussa, Executive Director 

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For media inquiries regarding this statement:
Wing Li (she/her)
Communications Director
yegsosalberta(at)gmail.com