Poll suggests two-thirds of Albertans believe funding for private schools should be phased out

An Environics poll released Wednesday suggests a majority of Albertans support or “somewhat support” phasing out public funding of private schools and reinvesting the money into public education.

“Two-thirds of Albertans express some level of approval for the proposal,” said Tony Coulson of Environics.

READ MORE: Edmonton Public urges Alberta NDP to stop public funding of private schools

Several groups that have long called for the defunding of private schools said taxpayer dollars can be better spent on other areas, like school nutrition programs and making education “more inclusive.”

“The costly and needless subsidies that go to elite private schools must end,” said Duncan Kinney, the executive director of Progress Alberta.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The costly and needless subsidies that go to elite private schools must end," said Duncan Kinney, the executive director of Progress Alberta.

“That’s $30 million a year that could be going to reducing school fees even further or making sure that no child goes to school on an empty stomach,” Kinney said.

Kinney said there are 15 private schools in Calgary that charge more than $10,000 a year in tuition, but get more than $30 million in subsidies every year.

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“The costly and needless subsidies that go to elite private schools must end,” Kinney added.

READ MORE: Private schools hit back at push to having public funding withdrawn in Alberta

CUPE Alberta also supports phasing out private school funding.

“For years, our members have been telling me stories about our underfunded public schools,” said Marle Roberts, president of CUPE Alberta.

“We can reduce those pressures by using public money where it is meant to be spent – on public schools. Subsidizing the wealthy and privileged does little to improve education or society,” Roberts said.

“It simply puts money into the pockets of the rich.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It simply puts money into the pockets of the rich."

On the question of phasing out public funding of private schools (and redirecting savings into the public system), 37 per cent of respondents strongly support the proposal, and 28 per cent support it somewhat.

Seventeen per cent are strongly opposed, and 16 per cent are somewhat opposed.

Private school operators have a different view on the issue.

Neil Webber, of the Webber Academy in Calgary, said private schools do not tax the system.

“It’s a narrow view and in reality the government is saving money by having children going to private schools, Webber said.

“They’re funding us to about the tune of $5,000 a student, and this is operating cost, and the average amount going to the public schools are in the vicinity of $12,000 to 13,000 a student,” he added.

“If they cut out funding here and students from the independent or private systems go back into the public system, then it’s going to cost the government a lot more – so currently the government is saving money by having youngsters go to the private schools,” Webber said.

The poll results are based on a telephone survey of 805 adult Albertans between March 6 to 14, 2017.

The margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points at a confidence level of 95 per cent.