October 16, 2025
Prabh Sandhu
Alicia Taylor, who has taught in the public system for years, said her motivation comes from seeing firsthand the challenges faced by public schools.
Teachers say they are managing larger classes with more students who have diverse needs, including English language learners and those with disabilities or medical conditions, but there aren’t enough support staff to help.
The provincial K–12 education budget this year is nearly $9.9 billion, with about $461 million, roughly five percent, going to independent schools.
“Our government is funding private schools at increasing levels and devoting more resources to build schools for public school students, while at the same time reducing per-student funding for public school kids.” said Taylor
The petition, approved by the province’s Chief Electoral Officer, asks voters whether Alberta should end public funding for independent schools.
However, supporters of independent schools argue that funding can help expand educational choices for families who cannot afford private tuition.
“If you cannot attend a private school, there is world-class education available in the public school system,” she added.
Taylor added that redirecting funds could mean smaller class sizes, more support for teachers, and better resources for students.
She encouraged Albertans who agreed with the petition to visit the Elections Alberta website to sign or help collect signatures.
If enough signatures are gathered, the provincial government could be required to hold a referendum on the future of public funding for private schools.
Albertans can visit abfundspublicschools.ca for more information.
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