Defunding independent schools in Alberta will increase taxpayer costs, diminish school choice for parents

As reported in the Edmonton Sun, Public Interest Alberta, an advocacy group, has called for an end to the funding of independent schools (private) in Alberta and the absorption of charter schools into the public school system, prompting an opposition motion from the Progressive Conservatives and a major row between PC Leader Ric McIver and the house speaker earlier this week. And, as Global News reports, the Edmonton Public School Board passed a motion “to send a letter to Education Minister David Eggen urging him to phase out the public subsidy to private schools and reinvest the money in public education.”

Public Interest Alberta, the school board, and others making similar calls, follow the usual line of argument. Public boards are strapped for cash. Public dollars should go to public schools. At a time where every bit would help in the public education system, we have to support public education. Education alternatives outside of the public system take money away from public education.

But let’s look at the facts.

First, Alberta already has the third highest per public school student funding in the country, behind only Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Alberta spent $13,234 per student (in 2012/13, the latest year of comparable data). After adjusting for increases in student enrolments and price changes (inflation), Alberta increased per student spending by 31.2 per cent over the previous decade, more than the average provincial increase for that period.

Second, according to Alberta Education Minister David Eggen’s office, in 2015/16, $151 million was spent on students in accredited independent schools (most, but not all, are funded). With 28,627 students in independent schools, this translates into average government spending of less than $5,275 per private school student.

Consider the same calculation for charter schools—government schools that operate with more autonomy, outside of the local school district structure and with their own board of trustees. Charter schools receive no capital funding, only funding for operations, and they may not charge tuition. According to Minister Eggen’s office, in the current school year, the Alberta government spent $83 million on charter schools. With total enrolments of 9,275 students, the average spending per student was under $8,950.

The logic of calls to cease this funding is difficult to follow.

If public schools require more than $13,000 taxpayer dollars to educate a student while other forms of schooling, such as independent and charter schools, require substantially fewer public dollars, under $5,300 and $9,000 respectively, how is it cost-effective to discontinue funding these alternatives?

It’s easy to see how this reform could actually result in more government spending to educate the same number of students. For example, if we only examine operational spending, the Alberta government would actually be required to spend more money educating the same number of students if less than one-in-three students remained in independent schools after funding was eliminated. There’s little doubt that such a change would result in public boards being even further “strapped for cash.”

Third, parents in Alberta want choice in education. Public school enrolments as a share of total school enrolments declined in Alberta from 2000/01 to 2012/13 while the share of students enrolled in independent and charter schools increased.

So those are the facts. Independent schools and charter schools don’t take money away. And if public funding for independent schools is eliminated, education choice in Alberta will diminish dramatically, particularly for low- and middle-income families.