Alberta is showing what real educational choice looks like |
Alberta charter schools have delivered better results and more parental choice for over 30 years. So why do opponents still spread myths?
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During Alberta’s recent teachers’ strike, the NDP and Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) didn’t target underperformance. Instead, they went after charter schools, not for failing students, but for giving parents too much choice.
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and the ATA, the province’s main teachers’ union, painted charter schools as elite, private institutions for the wealthy. Their story: the government was favouring “private schools” while underfunding unionized classrooms.
That story doesn’t hold up. Charter schools in Alberta are public, tuition-free, and follow the provincial curriculum. They just operate outside local school boards.
The ATA and its political allies have opposed charter schools for decades, likely because these schools challenge the system’s control. And in many cases, outperform it.
Strong results, low costs, big demand. So why the backlash?
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KEEP AN EYE ON ALBERTA
Now entering their fourth decade, Alberta’s charter schools remain Canada’s strongest model for education reform. While other provinces remain stuck in bureaucratic ruts, Alberta showed what happens when innovation meets real parental demand. The result? Stronger academics, lower costs and more choice for families. Yet most provinces still ignore the model entirely.
Researcher Paige MacPherson, now with the........