Focus on advocacy and trends
Advocacy priorities
Improving high school completion rates, infrastructure and transportation are the association’s three advocacy priorities. The ASBA Board of Directors has assigned teams to work on these issues.
Improving high school completion rates
Infrastructure
Transportation
Identifying education trends
The board of directors is working with Alberta Education to identify emerging trends in public education. Read about this committee’s work here.
For more information contact , Manager Special Initiatives.
Improving high school completion rates
Advocacy plan (PDF–104K) June 2009
Purpose
The ASBA Board of Directors recognizes that many groups share responsibility for improving Alberta's high school completion rates. Along with society, parents, the community, students, and the provincial government, schools and school boards need to contribute to the solution. In addressing the role school boards have in addressing this issue, the ASBA High School Completion Task Force is assigned the responsibility of identifying the unique contributions school boards can make to improving high school completion rates and identifying and developing resources to assist school boards in their efforts to improve high school completion rates. In light of these responsibilities, and with the view of contributing to improving Alberta's high school completion rates, the task force is to develop an advocacy plan for consideration by the ASBA Board of Directors which could help direct the ASBA's advocacy efforts on this initiative. This advocacy plan is to be completed by June 2009.
Task force members
Board of directors representatives
Jackie Swainson, Director, Zone 4, Chair
Marilyn Bergstra, Director, Edmonton Catholic
Kerry Milder, Director, Zone 6
Zone representatives
Bryan Imray, Zone 1, Peace River SD
Bernie Huedepohl, Zone 2/3, Buffalo Trail Public Schools RD
Ken Checkel, Zone 4, Clearview SD
Rosemarie Goerlitz, Zone 5, Calgary Catholic
Karen Bartsch, Zone 6, Grasslands RD
Alberta Education representatives
Keith Jones, Director, Zone 2/3 Services
Progress made
May 2009
The task force reviewed the feedback gathered through a board survey. The task force will report back to school boards in the fall of 2009
May 2009
Advocacy plan approved by ASBA Board of Directors
Spring 2009
The ASBA High School Completion Task Force will be proceeding with the development of an advocacy plan for presentation to the ASBA Board of Directors – to be presented by the end of June, 2009
March – April 2009
In accordance with its recommendations of September 12, 2008, the ASBA High School Completion Task Force circulated a survey (PDF–24K) to Alberta school boards on March 4, 2009, asking trustees to consider how students at risk are being identified in their jurisdiction and to describe any current efforts focused on improving high school completion rates – the survey was completed by April 27, 2009
November 2008
In accordance with its recommendations of September 12, 2008, the ASBA High School Completion Task Force arranged for Keith Bowen, Senior Manager, Accountability and Reporting Division, Alberta Education, to present at the 2008 ASBA Fall General Meeting. Mr. Bowen conducted two presentations in reviewing the department's process for calculating 'high school completion' and 'drop out' rates.
September 12, 2008
The ASBA Board of Directors accepted recommendations from the High School Completion Task Force (PDF–40K) which were offered as potential actions for continued engagement of school boards.
Background research and reports
- Presentation: Alberta Early Child Development Mapping project (PDF–1.4MB)
Dr. Sue Lynch is leading this initiative - Alberta Legislature Library
Click on "On-Line Catalogue Access" and search for "high school completion" - 2007-08 – Keeping Kids in School
- February 2008 – AISI – Provincial Research Review of High School Completion (PDF–3.3MB)
- May 2008 – Alberta Ed – Calculating HS completion and dropout rates (PDF–179K)
- February 2008 – CSBA – Key Contributing Factors to High School Completion Rates (PDF–40K)
- 2008 – Alberta Ed – Supporting Positive Behaviour in Alberta Schools
- March 2007 – The Center for Public Education (U.S.)
- February 2007 – Alberta Ed – Moving Beyond Achievement Data: Assessing Students' Orientation to School to Remove Barriers to High School Completion (DOC–632K)
- October 2006 – CSBA – High School Completion Info Backgrounder (PDF–96K)
- September 2006 – Alberta Ed High School Completion Symposium (PDF–188K)
- September 2006 – ASBA – Improving High School Completion Rates – History of Recent Events (PDF–36K)
- February 2006 – ASBA workshop – How to improve Alberta's high school completion rates – Insights from Alberta's school trustees (PDF–80K)
- November 2005 – High School Completion Rate Task Force – Responding to ACOL 11 (PDF–108K)
- September 2001 – Alberta Learning – Removing Barriers to High School Completion (PDF–300K)
Infrastructure
Advocacy plan (PDF–104K) June 2009
Purpose
The ASBA Board of Directors recognizes the solution to this challenge rests with the provincial government and that local school boards play a central role working with their communities and MLAs. With the view of ensuring school board perspectives are considered in addressing this challenge, the ASBA commits to consolidating and clarifying ASBA policy; advocating at the provincial level and supporting school board local efforts. In contemplation of these responsibilities, and with the view of improving Alberta's infrastructure funding and allocating system, the ASBA Infrastructure Task Force is to develop an advocacy plan for consideration by the ASBA Board of Directors which could help direct the ASBA's advocacy efforts on this initiative. This advocacy plan is to be completed by June 2009.
Task force members
Board of directors representatives
Serafino Scarpino, Director, Calgary Catholic, Chair
Karen Kryczka, Director, Calgary Public
Bev Esslinger, Director, Edmonton Public
Clayton Jespersen, Director, Zone 2/3
Progress made
June 2009
The Building Together – It’s Time to Act report (PDF–370K) was distributed to school boards at the 2009 ASBA Spring General Meeting. Copies will be made available to other stakeholders. The task force will seek feedback from school boards about advancing the advocacy plan
May 2009
Advocacy plan approved by ASBA Board of Directors
Spring 2009
The ASBA Infrastructure Task Force will be proceeding with the development of an advocacy plan for presentation to the ASBA Board of Directors – to be presented by the end of June, 2009
February, 2009
The ASBA Transportation Task Force circulated a survey to Alberta school boards on February 5, 2009, to verify the infrastructure issues facing Alberta school jurisdictions seeking board input and identification of potential solutions – survey completed March 6, 2009 with the results to be incorporated into the infrastructure report named above
Spring 2009
The ASBA has commissioned a review of the infrastructure issues facing Alberta school jurisdictions –in progress and planned for presentation at the 2009 ASBA Spring General Meeting (May 31, 2009)
Transportation
Advocacy plan (PDF–116K) May 2009
Purpose
The ASBA Board of Directors recognizes that boards are responsible for resolving the student transportation issue with help from government and other education partners. The first step must be school boards working together to agree on how to address this issue. In advancing this issue the ASBA Task Force was assigned the responsibility of bringing school boards together to talk about needs and wants with regards to transportation and developing best practices for transportation. In contemplation of these responsibilities, and with the view of improving Alberta's student transportation system, the task force was to develop an advocacy plan for consideration by the ASBA Board of Directors which could help direct the ASBA's advocacy efforts on this initiative. This advocacy plan is to be completed by June 2009.
Task force members
Board of directors representatives
Bev Esslinger, Director, Edmonton Public, Chair
Lynda Akers, Director, Zone 2/3
Jackie Swainson, Director, Zone 4
Zone representatives
Sharilyn Anderson, Zone 1, Peace Wapiti SD
Judy Muir, Zone 2/3, Northern Gateway RD
Colleen Butler, Zone 4, Chinook's Edge SD
Karen Harries, Zone 5, Golden Hills SD
Norma Peters, Zone 6,Horizon RD
Guest participants
Debbie Hunter, Manager, Transportation Services, Edmonton Catholic
Leigh McDonald, Director, Transportation Services, Grande Yellowhead
Progress made
June 2009
The task force reviewed feedback gathered through a discussion guide circulated to school boards. This feedback will be considered as the advocacy plan is implemented. The task force will report back to school boards in the fall of 2009
May 2009
Advocacy plan approved
Spring 2009
The ASBA Transportation Task Force will be proceeding with the development of an advocacy plan for presentation to the ASBA Board of Directors – to be presented by the end of June, 2009
February – March 2009
The discussion guide was circulated to boards, through the zone representatives named above, for board input and identification of best practices or potential solutions –to be completed by end of March, 2009
February 2009
The ASBA Transportation Task Force finalized a Discussion guide (PDF–188K) on February 12, 2009, which was created to assist boards in reviewing the issues raised in the At the Breaking Point transportation report
Spring 2008
The ASBA commissioned the At the Breaking Point: Alberta's student transportation system report (PDF–344K) – a review of the transportation issues facing Alberta school jurisdictions
Education Trends (TIES)
Purpose
The Alberta School Boards Association and Alberta Education launched the Trends Innovations and Education Scenarios (TIES) initiative to share information about emerging trends and ideas. This term the TIES team will focus its energy on:
Community Engagement
Classroom Assessment
High School Completion
Infrastructure
Team members
Please contact team members if you have questions or suggestions:
, Learning System Quality Manager, System Improvement Group, Alberta Education
, Director, Intergovernmental Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Planning Sector, Alberta Education
,
Manager, Intergovernmental Strategies Branch
,
Director, School Improvement Branch, Alberta Education
,
Trustee, Edmonton Catholic
, Chair, Foothills School Division
,
Scott McCormack, Manager, Special Initiatives, Alberta School Boards Association
Community engagement
- The Role of Parents and Community in Supporting Student Success (PDF–886K)
- A Guide to Face-to-Face Public Engagement for School Boards
- Public perceptions and attitudes regarding how school boards can do a better job of reaching out to, informing and involving stakeholders (PDF–177K)
- Results: Summit on Public Involvement in Public Education (PDF–151K)
- Inspiring Education initiative
Classroom assessment
- ASAS executive summary (PDF–147K)
- ASAS full report (PDF–798K)
- Speak Out summary document
- Speak Out Forums – Toolkit Information
- Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI)
- Grade Level Achievement Reporting (2007-08 Report on Program)
High school completion
- High School Completion: AISI Provincial Research Review – by University of Lethbridge (PDF–3.4M)
- Your Key to Success: Administrator’s Guide to Raising Alberta’s High School Completion Rate (PDF–8.57M)
- Managing School Transitions: Promising Practices in Alberta’s Schools – A Support Resource (PDF–1.59M)
- High School Completion: AISI Provincial Research Review (PDF–3.4M)
- ASBA High School Completion Task Force
- Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI)
- High School Completion Project
- CD Howe study on high school completion in Canada (PDF– 1.18M)
- Canadian research on high school completion
