2007 Bill 208 Third Session, 26th Legislature, 56 Elizabeth II THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA BILL 208 SCHOOL (RESTRICTIONS ON FEES AND FUND-RAISING) AMENDMENT ACT, 2007 MR. FLAHERTY First Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Second Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Committee of the Whole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Third Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Royal Assent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bill 208 Mr. Flaherty BILL 208 2007 SCHOOL (RESTRICTIONS ON FEES AND FUND-RAISING) AMENDMENT ACT, 2007 (Assented to , 2007)

Preamble

WHEREAS every person has the right to public education;

WHEREAS all Albertans have the right to the same level of basic education regardless of income or region of residence; and

WHEREAS it is the responsibility of the Government of Alberta to ensure the free access of all Albertans to high quality public education from kindergarten to Grade 12; THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows: Amends RSA 2000 cS-3 1 The School Act is amended by this Act. 2

Section 36(1)(

d) is amended by adding “49.1,” after “49,”. 1

Explanatory Notes 1 Amends

chapter S-3 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000. 2

Section 36(1) reads in part: 36(1) The following provisions and any regulations made under them apply to a charter school and its operation, and a reference in those provisions or those regulations to a board or a trustee is deemed to include a reference to a society or company that operates a charter school or a member of the governing body of that society or company, as the case may be: (

d) in

Part 3, sectio ns 49, 50, 52, 54, 56, 57, 60, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80 and 81,

section 82 except subsections (1)(

a) and (2), sections 83 to 85 and

section 86 except clauses (

b) and (c); Explanatory Notes 1

3 The following is added after

section 49: Restrictions on fees and fund-raising 49.1(1) No school operated by a board shall charge a student or a student’s parent or otherwise raise funds for services or supplies required by courses of study or education programs prescribed, authorized or approved by the Minister under

section 39(1)(a), (

b) or (d).

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) restricts a school operated by a board from raising funds for extra-curricular activities offered by the school.

(3) If any of the purposes of the fund-raising activities undertaken by the school violate subsection (1), the board shall by written notice require the school to reimburse the donors of those funds.

(4) When a school receives notification from the board under subsection (3), it shall report to the board as to how it has complied with the notice within 60 days of being notified by the board. 4

Section 60(2)(

j) is repealed. 5 The following is added after

section 147: Reporting on impact of restrictions on fees and fund-raising 147.1 Upon the conclusion of one fiscal year after the coming into force of the School (Restrictions on Fees and Fund-raising) Amendment Act, 2007, (

a) in conjunction with the financial statements required under

section 147(2)(a), a board shall advise, report and make recommendations to the Minister regarding the loss of income due to the restrictions on school fees, and (

b) within 60 days of receipt of board financial statements and reports required under this section, the Minister shall prepare a written response which outlines the Government’s strategy to address the loss of income due to the restrictions on school fees, and such response shall be immediately made public. 2

3 New restrictions on charging fees and raising funds for education programs. 4

Section 60(2) reads in part:

(2) A board may (

j) charge a parent of a student fe es with respect to instructional supplies or materials; 5 Reporting on impact of restrictions on fees and fund-raising. Explanatory Notes 2

6 This Act comes into force on January 1, 2008. 3

6 Coming into force. Explanatory Notes 3

Record of Debate STAGE DATE MEMBER FROM TO TOTAL CUMULATIVE TOTAL Title: 2007 (26th, 3rd) Bill 208, School (Restrictions on Fees and Fund-raising) Amendment Act, 2007