By Wendy Keiver and Shelley Odishaw

For close to 10 decades, the Alberta School Councils’ Association (ASCA) has operated a member-driven resolution process grounded in a simple democratic idea: education policy should emerge from informed public discussion, not quiet decisions announced later as a finished product. Complex systems naturally lean toward efficiency and centralized decision making. Preserving space for dialogue requires intention, especially when genuine engagement is time-consuming or occasionally uncomfortable, yet it is often where the strongest ideas take root. 

Alberta’s public education system is experiencing an “in-between time.” It continues to deliver strong outcomes while facing enrolment growth, resource pressures and evolving expectations. Addressing these challenges requires more than incremental adjustments. Improvement must be shaped by those closest to students—families, educators and local communities. Shared leadership begins when parents and teachers actively participate in conversations shaping their schools. 

This is where ASCA’s advocacy policy process matters. Local school councils bring forward resolutions grounded in lived experience. Parent delegates from school councils debate these proposals, suggest amendments and sometimes disagree before voting on positions that guide ASCA’s advocacy work. These positions can be revisited and refined as circumstances evolve. Authority rests with the members, ensuring that advocacy responds to Alberta families rather than any particular leadership group or political philosophy. 

The process is deliberately thorough. Public policy is stronger when ideas are discussed from multiple perspectives and strengthened through collective deliberation. Families and educators are more likely to trust decisions when they see how their input shaped outcomes in meaningful and lasting ways.  

Teachers are central to this process. Building professional capacity strengthens classrooms and school communities. Valuing teacher expertise while fostering strong parent engagement is complementary. Teachers and teacher leaders who attend school council meetings can share classroom insights or collaborate on initiatives to strengthen relationships that directly support student success. 

Alberta has seen the benefits of distributed leadership before. Programs such as the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) demonstrated how empowering schools to innovate locally can produce meaningful results. Initiatives like Lacombe High School’s EcoVision program and the Altario Agriculture Academy show how community-informed approaches create rich, relevant learning opportunities while strengthening engagement. These lessons continue to guide current discussions about collaborative, local leadership and improving education across the province. 

ASCA encourages parents on school councils and educators across Alberta to review and discuss the recently released ASCA 2026 AGM Resolutions Preview Package. It highlights emerging issues and proposed advocacy priorities shaping future policy. Meaningful advocacy begins when parents and educators explore these topics together, ensuring local voices are reflected in provincial decisions and student learning remains the central focus. 

Public education is strongest when communities are partners, not just participants. ASCA remains committed to supporting school councils in bringing parent voices forward, helping Alberta’s public education system grow, adapt and thrive for every student, in every community.