Effective innovation in education systems depends on high quality research.  Innovation in the Alberta ECS—Grade 12 system is supported in several ways:

• Research carried out by faculties of education at Alberta universities and colleges;
• Action research projects in schools funded through the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI);
• Applied research carried out by stakeholder organizations (such as the Alberta School Boards’ Association, the Alberta Teachers’ Association; the College of Alberta School Superintendents); and
• Research carried out by Charter schools.

Research in education serves a number of purposes, including:

• Gathering evidence from research at the classroom, school and school board level to inform a variety of management and governance decisions;
• Providing focus for educational change and policy development related to student engagement and learning;
• Providing opportunities to conduct applied research to enhance teacher preparation, teacher practice and student learning outcomes;
• Encouraging and supporting the development of change leaders who are willing and able to champion innovation in education;
• Allowing teachers to participate in applied research and understand its importance in improving student learning, and
• Engaging students in research initiatives to ensure that improvement activities are focused on ensuring the system is student-centred.

In Alberta, charter schools play an important role in supporting research and innovation in education.  They were established by the Government of Alberta in 1994 as part of a larger initiative to provide choice and to foster innovation in the education system.  One of the original purposes of creating charter schools was not only to support and encourage educational innovation, but also to disseminate the results of research conducted in charter schools more broadly across the Alberta education system.

Fifteen years after the first charter schools opened, we are asking Albertans to help us develop a vision for the future of charter schools.  In particular, we are interested in finding out what interested members of the public think about a number of ideas that have been proposed for the future role and purpose of charter schools.

Please read The Future of Charter Schools in Alberta and let us know what you think of the proposed ideas by responding to the following survey.