Alberta's education budget features new schools and replacements, first charter school hub

Alberta's proposed 2023 budget will fund the construction of 13 school projects and create the province's first charter school hub in Calgary, the education minister says.

Minister Adriana LaGrange on Wednesday revealed a list of 58 projects across the province that would receive construction funding, design funding, or some preliminary money to start planning.

Among the school projects green-lighted to build are a new francophone secondary school in Airdrie, a new K-9 school in Edmonton's Edgemont neighbourhood, modernization of Calgary's John G. Diefenbaker High School and a new high school in Raymond.

"We are securing young Albertans' and their families' future by investing in new schools and modernized space, so that students, families and communities can benefit for decades to come," LaGrange said at a Calgary news conference.

The government will pay in future years to build the schools receiving design money, LaGrange said.

The Edgemont school in west Edmonton was Edmonton Public Schools' No. 2 priority this year. In first place was a new Grade 7-12 school for 2,400 students in the Glenridding area. That project received design funds alone.

School board chair Trisha Estabrooks said Wednesday the need for more high school space is urgent. Projections suggest the division will have more teenagers enrolled than high school spaces by 2027.

A news release Wednesday says the budget — which the legislature must still debate and vote on — will spend $171 million on charter school facilities during the next three years.

Some of that funding is for what's called a charter school hub — a facility where several charter schools can run under one roof. The budget says it will accommodate up to 2,000 students.

Lisa Davis, who founded science, technology, engineering and math-focused charter schools in Edmonton and Calgary, said the STEM Innovation Academy in Calgary is among the charters hoping to work in such a hub.

Davis said parties are still working on a deal, and couldn't confirm a timeline or location.

New or growing schools could share common gyms, labs, equipment, or even some staff, she said.

Students attending a hub school could also take classes offered by one of the other co-located schools, she said.

In an interview, LaGrange said finding adequate school space is one of the biggest challenges new charter schools face. They often lease older, surplus schools from public, Catholic and francophone divisions.