Teachers are taking their concerns about distance education funding to the Alberta Legislature this weekend.
The campaign comes amid reports that Barrhead-based Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC) has seen enrolments decline more than 70 per cent compared to last year.
Organizers hope at least 200 people waving placards will congregate at the Legislature steps at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Many will be bussed in from Barrhead and Calgary, others will make their own way, some from the city where ADLC has offices.
The “Get on the Bus” rally will feature speeches and singing of a song specially written for the occasion.
There are plans to film the event.
Among those invited to speak are education spokesmen for three parties: Bruce McAllister, Wildrose; Kent Hehr, Liberal; and David Eggen, New Democratic.
Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) members, who are launching a petition and will be using social media to generate awareness of their cause, also intend to address the crowd.
They want the Progressive Conservative government to demonstrate commitment to distance learning by continuing its service agreement with ADLC for 2014-15 and beyond.
They fear the agreement is at risk as premier Alison Redford seeks further spending cuts.
“We need to send a message to the Redford government that there is a place for distance education in the public school system,” said ADLC’s Stacy Harper, who is spearheading the campaign.
“We want them to get their priorities straight.”
Harper, an ADLC second languages department head based in Calgary, said the March 7 budget cuts to distance education affected the province’s most vulnerable students as well as rural and outreach schools that cannot afford options for quality instruction.
She urged as many people as possible – from teachers and parents to concerned members of the public – to join the campaign. “Students, of course, are at the heart of this matter,” she said. “It is about standing up for them and their ability to have choice, flexibility and quality distance education programming. I would like to see anywhere between 200 and 300 people take part in the campaign.”
ATA Local No. 22 president Frank McCallum believed students were being short changed by the government.
He called on people to write to their MLAs, expressing support for the future of distance learning.
McCallum said the rally was timely because the government was already planning its next budget.
“Now is the time to influence what goes into that budget,” he said. “We need to make them aware of our concerns.”
McCallum added the issue was broader than distance education. It was also about the impact on the local economy if the ADLC service agreement was ended.
The campaign is being organized by area ATA members – not Pembina Hills school division or ADLC – to show support for quality distributed learning.
The bus from Barrhead will leave the ADLC building, 4601-63 Ave. Anyone wishing to board should be there by 12:15 p.m.
A second bus will leave 341-58 Ave in Calgary. Passengers should meet at 10:30 a.m. The bus will stop at Gasoline Alley, Red Deer A and W (east side of QE2) at 12 noon.
The buses are expected to be emblazoned with giant banners proclaiming the cause of those on board.
McCallum, Vista Virtual associate principal, said campaign details would be discussed at an ATA Local No. 22 meeting in Barrhead on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, ADLC’s assistant superintendent Cam Oulton said the centre has seen an enrolment decline of more than 70 per cent compared to last year.
This was a result, he said, of the funding formula change for schools province-wide.
“Previously, they were allocated 100 per cent funding as they partnered with us,” he said.
“This year they are allocated 44 percent which has made it difficult for them to find the money needed to continue to partner with ADLC to provide their students distance education opportunities.
“However, Alberta Education, under our service agreement has funded us on last year’s numbers. Therefore, it is the 2014/15 budget that is of concern.”
Oulton said there had been no layoffs to date, although a hiring freeze was put in place in June 2012. This meant that people retiring or leaving ADLC’s employ have not been replaced.
Despite the challenges, Oulton foresaw a bright future for ADLC, which is celebrating 90 years of serving students in schools, at home and around the globe.
“We are confident in our prospects,” he said. “We are working with the PHRD board, Alberta Education, and other stakeholders to transition to new roles as will be delineated by the Minister’s vision in ‘Inspiring Education’ and the Distributed Learning review that will be released in January 2014.
“ADLC has been a pillar of distributed learning for 90 years – we will continue.”
About a month after government’s March 7 budget, former ADLC Assistant Supt. Ray Battochio said the reduction in funding to school boards using ADLC equated to roughly $13 million.
He said less funding to school boards meant fewer financial resources available to schools to sign students for ADLC courses.
“The resulting reduction in enrolments equates to a reduction in funding for ADLC of $2.5 million,” he said.
Battochio said budget cuts were expected to affect about 60,000 students served by ADLC across the province and in every school district in Alberta.
He added it was a misperception that distance learning costs less to operate than traditional learning.
“In fact, there are special requirements associated with distance learning, particularly for students with unique needs or life situations. Developing educational resources and teacher training programs, as well as supporting the learning infrastructure and technology necessary to deliver adequate programming tailored to students’ individual needs, requires funding support over and above that for a traditional classroom.”
Alberta Education said the budget reflected a challenging fiscal climate.
However, it said the budget was increasing to accommodate Alberta’s booming student population. This year, support to the province’s education system, including capital, will reach $7 billion, an increase of $216 million.
The new funding model for ADLC courses was effective Sept. 1, 2013.
*For more information on joining the “Get on the Bus” campaign visit www.stopDEcuts.org. or contact ATA Local 22 president Frank McCallum at [email protected].
