Proposed amendments to Section 18 of The School Act

Existing legislation displayed in black text. Proposed amendments displayed in bold underlined text. Rationale displayed in italicized text.

18 (1) A teacher while providing instruction or supervision must

  1. provide instruction competently to students;
    1. possess the knowledge, skills and attributes related to interim or permanent certification, as applicable, and apply them appropriately toward student learning;

      Rationale: Currently stipulated in Ministerial Order 016/97.

  2. teach the courses of study and education programs that are prescribed, approved or authorized pursuant to this Act;

  3. promote goals and standards applicable to the provision of education adopted or approved pursuant to this Act;

  4. encourage and foster learning in students;

    1. to continually improve teaching practice through professional development activities that reflects:

      1. goals and objectives based on an assessment of learning needs by the individual teacher;

      2. shows a demonstrable relationship to the teaching quality standard; and
      3. takes into consideration the education plans of the school, the school authority and the Government;

      Rationale: Currently stipulated in Alberta Learning policy 2.1.5. – Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation.

  5. regularly evaluate students and periodically report the results of the evaluation to the students, the students' parents and the board;
    1. maintain student records, including assessment and attendance and make them available as required;

      Rationale: Parallel to Section 23 of The School Act requiring the board to establish and maintain student records.

  6. maintain, under the direction of the principal, order and discipline among the students while they are in the school or on the school grounds and while they are attending or participating in activities sponsored or approved by the board;
    1. build student rapport and engender respect for a safe and caring school environment;

      Rationale: Parallel to Section 45(8) of The School Act which addresses board responsibilities to students. Also parallel to Ministerial Order 016/97, 1(3) Knowledge, Skills and Attributes (f).

    2. work cooperatively with various partners in the school community;

      Rationale: Parallel to Ministerial Order 016/97, 1(3) KSA (j). Also parallel to Alberta Learning policy 1.8.1. – Services for Students and Children.

    3. attend meetings or conferences called by the principal or superintendent;

      Rationale: Meetings are required for interagency collaboration which is a contextual variable in Ministerial Order 016/97, 1(3) KSA (a). Principals must promote cooperation between the school and community (School Act – Section 20). Meetings are required for participatory decision-making as mandated in Alberta Learning policy 1.8.2 – School-Based Decision Making.

  7. subject to any applicable collective agreement and the teacher's contract of employment, carry out those duties that are assigned to the teacher by the principal or the board.

18 (2) A teacher’s professional obligations include

  1. participation in special school activities and events, and in the school’s co-curricular and extra-curricular program.

    Rationale: Teachers have traditionally participated in and have supervised a host of activities. Most local collective agreements were negotiated with the understanding that these activities would occur. These are the agreements upon which future ones will be based. Indeed, at least one collective agreement stipulates that participation in extra-curricular activities is mandatory while others recognize it as a voluntary activity. Some individual teacher contracts include “participation through active involvement in co- and extra-curricular activities and special projects”; some do not.

    In the Good Faith Agreement, the ATA agreed that extra-curricular “services are recognized as a valued component of teaching, the learning environment and the profession.” Prior to the recent labour unrest, the ATA website included this statement under Teachers’ Rights, Responsibilities and Legal Liabilities: “It is reasonable to expect that all teachers will become involved in some extra-curricular activities.”

  2. participation in curriculum development, implementation and assessment activities; including provincial achievement test and diploma exam marking;

    Rationale: Teacher expertise is essential in the development and implementation of curriculum, and in the assessment process. This is a matter of long standing tradition in the province; teachers’ input has greatly influenced curricular decisions though the Minister retains final authority to approve the Program of Studies.

  3. admitting student teachers enrolled in a teacher education program to his/her classroom; render assistance to those student teachers, and report on their teaching ability or on other matters relating to them or their work as considered necessary by the teacher training institution;

    Rationale: Parallel to BC legislation. This has historically been done in Alberta. The practicum remains a critically important part of the teacher preparation program.

18 (3) The assignment of duties must take into account the qualifications, interests, personal circumstances of the individual teacher and the best interests of students; recognizing however that if assignment by consent fails, the superintendent must adopt a position of authority.

Rationale: Section 16(b) of the Code of Professional Conduct notes that if administration by consent fails, the administration must adopt a position of authority. This provision would be similar in intent.

18 (4) A superintendent shall establish and maintain role and responsibility statements for school-based teachers who perform duties substantively different than those of a classroom teacher. Such statements must be consistent with relevant provincial policy and procedures.

Rationale: Principals, assistant or vice principals, counsellors, and teacher-librarians may have substantively different roles depending on the size and grade configuration of the school. See Alberta Learning policy 1.6.3, which references the roles of counsellors.