New Home School Regulation Still Under Development
By Paul Jeffrey

In 2004, AHEA and HSLDA initiated a meeting with Minster Oberg about the new regulation.

Minister Oberg welcomed the meeting and at that time proposed a further 'working session' a few months hence to deal with home educators concerns. That meeting proceeded September 1, 2004 and included leaders from a range of home education organizations from across the province. Agreement was reached on the wording of a new regulation. Minister Oberg presented its contents at meetings in the fall of 2004 but, before it could be made into law, the provincial election was called and all new legislation frozen.

Following the election the new Minister, Minster Zwozdesky, gave his commitment to bring the agreed draft forward. Minster Zwozdesky tabled the draft at a meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Education and Employment ("SPC") . AHEA and HSLDA were invited to lead a similar representative group to address the SPC regarding the new draft. That took place early May 2005. The SPC strongly endorsed the new draft. With that endorsement and the support of both Ministers the draft then proceeded to Cabinet.

Cabinet, however, just a few weeks later, would not approve the draft. Some members of Cabinet, as best we can ascertain, want to impose standardized Provincial Achievement Tests on home educated students, despite the fact that most of those students will not be studying the material to be tested. Minister Zwozdesky has spoken with and met with the representative group since, as did his Deputy Minister in early September 2005. He is attempting to find a solution that will satisfy the concerns of both Cabinet and home educators. A compromise approach was presented, in concept only, at this latest meeting. The compromise would no longer mandate PATs but would have children assessed by their facilitators against the provincial Programs of Study curriculum - not by formal testing but by considering info already received during the two home visits, just against the provincial curricula criteria.

The results communicated to Alberta Learning would not be by individual but in aggregate. Individual information would be recorded in individual student records. This alternative approach was reported to us as opposed to proposed to us as a basis for further revision or considered input. We were told that nothing else from the earlier version was to be changed.

The next steps are for this new draft to return to the SPC and then Cabinet. Apparently the 'concept' will go forward instead of the specific wording. If it survives this time it should be made law later this fall. If readers want to assist in the process they should meet with their MLA to express appreciation for the Charter protected freedom Canadians have to home educate (this includes the freedom to teach something other than the provincial curriculum), explain how the regulation affects them and express their views on home educated students being assessed, in any way, against curriculum they do not study and the results being recorded. This is all the more important if your MLA is a member of Cabinet.

To learn who your MLA is, go to: www.assembly.ab.ca and click on "Members of the Legislative Assembly". If readers would like more information about this, including copies of correspondence sent to the Minister on the testing issue, they should contact AHEA (president@aheaonline.com) or HSLDA (amanda@hslda.ca).

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