There are many opportunities and challenges facing Edmonton Public Schools, including:
- 67.1% of students graduate from Grade 12 after three years, 71.3% after four years, 74.4% after fiver years (2009 figures)
- Increasing diversity in our classrooms, which leads to resulting complexity and challenge for teachers and other staff in serving all students well
- Need for meaningful measures beyond academic tests to understand how “ready for the future” our students are and how well the system is serving them and our future
- Busy-ness of parents and families
- The understanding that strengthening families leads to more success for children at school (and in life)
- About 13,000 of our students live in poverty
- Rapid rate of technological change in society
- Speed of communication
- Aging society (70% plus don’t have children in schools)
- New Education Act is underway, tentatively scheduled for debate in the Legislature during Winter 2011, possibly including changes to roles and responsibilities for school boards, the provincial government, etc. To contribute your perspectives visit the ongoing Inspiring Action consultation now underway.
- Setting the Direction for Special Education provincial iniative now moving into implementation phase (June 2010)
- Continued committment from the Superintendent to implement the Edmonton Public Schools Special Needs Plan with much collaboration with parent/staff advisory networks
- Commitment of three provincial ministries (Education, Health, and Children’s Services) to work together to support children with special needs (Setting the Direction implementation); pilots where resources are being jointly allocated to support students (The Way In classroom in Millwoods, STAR program at Jasper Place)
- Aboriginal student retention and success rates; focus on improving transitions between junior high and senior high
- Aging staff, which in turn means the need for strong succession planning and to attract and encourage young staff members
- Restrained economic times; need for stable predictable funding from Provincial Government that is not tied to ups and downs of economy
- Declining student populations in mature neighbourhoods, booming student populations in new neighbourhoods
- Sector Review process, which is exploring community values and needs around current and desired educational opportunities, student enrollments, and school space in different parts of the city with a view to giving the district the information it needs to create an appropriate long-term plan for each part of the City (which the Board will ultimately approve, modify or turn down).
- Engaging everyone in the community effectively on an ongoing basis, so they will feel comfortable to contribute their wisdom and/or time to public education
