School Choice a Winner in Alberta

Here’s an interesting factoid, reported in The Economist. Alberta’s schools come in No. 2 in the international school league tables. That is Alberta the Canadian province we are talking about. It’s the home province of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, leader of the Canadian Conservative Party.

Needless to say, US schools don’t appear in the top ten.

So what is Alberta doing right?

Thank you Senator, I’m glad you asked. The Economist writes that

The curriculum has been revised, stressing core subjects (English, science, mathematics), school facilities and the training of teachers have been improved, clear achievement goals have been set and a rigorous province-wide testing programme... has been established to ensure they are met.

...

[Provincial capital Edmonton] is noted for its innovative system stressing choice, accountability and competition... Each school controls its own budget... Students are free to (and 57% do) attend any school in the city, not just in their own neighbourhood. They can seek out schools specialising in the arts, sports, leadership skills, girls-only education, aboriginal culture, Mandarin, and many other alternative programmes — or simply choose the schools with the best academic results. Students in every grade are tested annually and their scores published.

Elsewhere in Canada, parents are turning to private schools out of dissatisfaction with the government schools. In Alberta things are different.

“In Edmonton,” says Angus McBeath, the city's recently retired schools chief, “the litmus test is that the rich send their kids to the public schools, not the private schools.”

It really isn’t rocket science. Education is like any other product or service. Provide open entry, choice, accountability and you will get results.

Otherwise, as the teachers union leaders say, “You just don’t care about kids.”