Several school boards around Alberta are presently considering closing schools. As Minister of Education, I have been asked by several parties to place a moratorium on school closures, for a variety of reasons. Some people suggest that the processes used to discuss school closures are flawed. Others say that a high-quality educational program requires schools in the communities where children live, whether rural or urban. And others point out that schools should be a place not just for educational programs, but for ancillary services that support student success and foster community.

While I fully appreciate these concerns, I will not be placing a moratorium on school closures. Under Alberta's School Act, these deliberations are quite properly the responsibility of local school boards, which are elected specifically to ensure that local needs and interests are addressed when educational decisions are made. It makes no sense to empower local boards with this authority, and then to second guess them each time they make a difficult decision.

When and where do we need schools?
First and foremost, a school board's responsibility is to assure the best possible educational opportunities for each of the students entrusted to them. It is for this reason that school boards must determine how best to use the resources they have to provide effective programming for a diversity of student needs and interests. That often means making hard decisions about whether it is best to keep school spaces open, or to reduce the number of schools while providing better educational options.

I have been a member of Treasury Board during most of my service as an elected representative, and I can assure everyone that the most difficult task in government is the allocation of scarce resources. Even in Alberta, there is always more ask than answer — one more project to build, one more program to fund. I am sure this is true for every other level of government as well. That is why it behooves all of us — the province and school boards — to consistently evaluate our programs to ensure we are using our resources most effectively (as we did in preparing this year's Education budget). The question of whether or not to keep a school open is no different.

When such a value review raises the question of whether a school is viable, it behooves school boards to discuss all possible options with their respective communities to ensure that closure is the right decision. As always, we must put the interests of children first, which means ensuring that each child has the opportunity to attend a school where he or she can find success.

That does not always mean that there must be a school in every child's neighbourhood — indeed, I've heard many parents remark that they've found better educational opportunities for their child at schools outside of their local community. Students increasingly are seeking programs of choice that address their personal needs and interests, and many are willing to travel — sometimes for long periods of time — to get their education.

This is not to say that we no longer need schools in some neighbourhoods. Many students may thrive in a setting that is close to their home, and which can address the particular economic and social circumstances of their neighbourhood. However, as Minister, I cannot possibly understand the unique circumstances of each school and neighbourhood, which is why decisions about local needs are best handled by local representatives.

The utilization formula
Many people suggest that local decisions are heavily influenced by Alberta Education's utilization formula. This connection is mistaken. The utilization rate is a tool intended to help Education and local school jurisdictions determine whether a school is operating at full capacity and whether consideration may need to be given to providing additional student spaces. The utilization rate is not used to determine any of the operational or maintenance funding provided to school boards. While boards may use the utilization rate as a reference point in discussions about the best use of their school facilities, this statistic has very little influence on the factors a board must consider before it decides to close a school. These factors include the effect on the community, enrolment projections, facility condition, any unique educational programming being offered and transportation options.

The closure of schools process
When school boards make decisions about school closures, they must follow the basic requirements for consultation with communities that are set out in the Closure of Schools Regulation. Many boards go well beyond these requirements in their consultation and planning efforts. While I have heard that the Closure of Schools Regulation is flawed or insufficient in its present form, I have received little input on any specific inadequacies. I welcome this input (see the contact information for my office), especially as we are presently developing a new Education Act. I must note, however, that this act is intended to be enabling rather than prescriptive, and that writing new rules may not always be the best way to address inadequacies in a consultation process.

Collaboration and wraparound schools
I am hugely supportive of the wraparound concept of schools, where teachers, parents and students have access to services beyond those of an educational program. The era of a standalone school in every neighbourhood is quickly coming to an end, and we will need to adjust our thinking about the designs of new and modernized schools accordingly. Co-location of services makes sense both from an accessibility of service and a cost savings standpoint.

To support this model, there needs to be greater collaboration between local school boards and local governments. For instance, in my view it is bizarre that many school boards do not coordinate their school planning with the development planning conducted by municipalities and counties. If urban revitalization and densification efforts advanced by cities are heavily influenced by the presence of local schools, and vice versa, then there must be coordination!

In another example, I fail to see why library services provided in schools are not tightly integrated with municipal libraries. Students presently have two months each summer which they could profitably spend reading — yet they have no access to their school libraries. If local and school libraries were more integrated, perhaps the school library could be open during the summer, or students would be able to access supports for school in their local library.

Some rightly ask why I do not require this sort of collaboration. To me, "mandated collaboration" is not collaboration at all. I cannot write laws and policies that apply province-wide but conform to local circumstances in every instance. I would much rather encourage boards to work with other community organizations to meet the needs of their children in the best way they can. This direction is strongly supported by the forthcoming Inspiring Education report.

I am also working as much as possible with my counterparts in Children and Youth Services and Health and Wellness to ensure that provincial services are coordinated. We are making progress in this area — our Provincial Protocol Framework for Success in School for Children and Youth in Care is one example. The 35 Mental Health Capacity Building projects that are located in schools around the province also facilitate the development of local relationships that meet local needs.

Your voice matters
Decisions about schools and efforts to collaborate and foster community are not easy. Fortunately, Alberta has the benefit of local school board trustees who dedicate much of their time and energy to these issues. If you have a question or a concern about your local school, I encourage you to raise it with your local trustee. Trustee elections are also coming this fall — if you are passionate about children and your community, becoming a trustee is a great way to contribute!