Alberta launches $90M pilot for private schools to expand for special needs students

Alberta to increase spots in private schools for kids with physical and mental challenges. The ATA says that investment is needed in public schools.

The United Conservative government has launched a three-year, $90-million pilot program for students with special needs at private schools.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the pilot is “aimed specifically to help support expansion of independent schools, primarily those independent schools that serve students with disabilities.”

The pilot is open to all independent schools.

“In our scoring criteria, institutions that serve students with disabilities would score substantially higher than ones who don’t,” said Nicolaides.

Renfrew Educational Services has been approved for a $10-million grant to support its 250-student Three Sisters Centre in Bearspaw.

It will be open to preschool through Grade 12 students who have significant to severe disabilities.

The school is expected to open in 2027.

The school couldn’t comment on annual fees, which are still in the planning phase.

Amanda Burritt’s six-year-old daughter, Emma, suffers from a rare neurodegenerative disease impacting her learning.

Emma was at a private school but struggled to secure a spot.

The Grade 1 student is enrolled at the Calgary Board of Education’s Emily Follensbee School.

“I now see big differences and that funding could be split for public schools,” said Burritt.

Autism Calgary provided a statement calling for equality between the two systems.

“Supporting both public and alternative schooling options ensures families of children with special needs can support them to have the most independent life, contributing meaningfully to our community. While encouraged by this important investment, we would like to see corresponding investment in our public education system,” the organization said in a statement.

According to a ThinkHQ Public Affairs survey, 59 per cent of respondents voted in favour of the proposed referendum question:

“Should the Government of Alberta end its current practise of allocating funds to accredited private schools?”

A citizen initiative petition asking Albertans if the province should stop allocating public funds to private schools in a referendum fell short by around 50,000 of its required signatures.

Alicia Taylor, who was a proponent for the Alberta Funds Public Schools petition, is disappointed by the province’s latest move.

“My belief is that the best learning opportunities should be for all students in their community school,” said Taylor.

“They shouldn’t need to be paying for those opportunities, and they definitely shouldn’t need to be taking transit across town to get to them.”

In reaction to being asked, “Why are private schools targeted for the pilot project?” Nicolaides stated:

“We’re already investing $8.6 billion to build and modernize 130 public schools. So, that initiative is well underway, and by adding $90 million over the next three years to our existing 8.6 capital bill, that means approximately one per cent of the total that we intend to spend to create more classrooms will go to our independent partners.”