May 02, 2007

High school completion is a community affair

Summary report demonstrates need for community involvement

Edmonton... Findings from a province-wide consultation aimed at keeping students in school demonstrate that a shared commitment from the Alberta government and communities is needed to effect change.

"Last year, hundreds of youth and community leaders helped us find out why students leave school, what can keep them there, and how we can all make a difference," said Education Minister Ron Liepert. "We heard loud and clear that this is a shared responsibility that goes beyond our classroom walls and into our communities."

The High School Completion Summary Report is the culmination of a provincial consultation called Your Future Starts Here. Feedback collected in youth roundtable discussions and the High School Completion Symposium demonstrates that although every student's experience is different, a number of other causal factors, such as a child's home environment, also have a major impact on whether they will complete high school.

"This feedback increases the complexity of finding practical solutions to this issue, as there is no quick fix to solve the problem," continued Liepert. "However, government can take a lead role in ensuring specific challenges are addressed, such as continuing our work on bullying prevention, encouraging mentorship opportunities and creating opportunities for students to find their career paths."

Communities are also being encouraged to host their own discussions about high school completion. To help them get started, a toolkit called Finding Ways: A Community Response in Support of High School Completion has been developed, including a facilitator's guide and event planning tips. Communities are encouraged to share their event details and findings with Alberta Education to continue to inform the province's work on strategy development.

"If Alberta is going to reach a 90 per cent high school completion rate, we all need to work together. We need to work with communities to develop practical strategies to tackle this issue," Liepert said. "At a personal level, there are ways to make a difference, such as agreeing to act as a mentor for a young person who needs extra support."

Details about Alberta's work to keep students in school, including the Finding Ways toolkit, are at www.education.gov.ab.ca/highschool.

Increasing high school completion rates are part of Premier Ed Stelmach's plan to build a stronger Alberta. Other priorities for the government are to govern with integrity and transparency, manage growth pressures, improve Albertans' quality of life and provide safe and secure communities.

Backgrounder

May 2, 2007