ATA - 2022-23 Proposed Budget

2022/23 Proposed Budget

April 26, 2022

The budget proposed by Provincial Executive Council (PEC) is just a step away from becoming the approved budget for the 2022/23 fiscal year. The final (and very important) step in this process is membership approval. On the Victoria Day long weekend, local delegates to the 105th Annual Representative Assembly (ARA) will convene to consider, among other matters, the approval of the proposed budget.

While a budget is often viewed primarily as a financial document, the budget of the Alberta Teachers’ Association is also a reflection of the Association’s activities, programs and priorities for the upcoming year. As such, the Association will continue to provide the programs and services most critical to members. Furthermore, in seeking to strengthen internal operational efficiency and provide enhanced service to members, work will continue in 2022/23 to modernize internal systems, including the implementation of a human resources information system and also initial work will be done to explore more effective document management tools. During budget deliberations, PEC makes critical choices, balancing financial considerations and member feedback, before then presenting the proposed budget at ARA to delegates. At ARA, delegates, in addition to assessing the financial implications, will also examine the merit of the proposed programs and consider their value to members, to education and to the Association.

Within fiscal year 2022/2023, the Association will also need to align to the regulations stipulated in Bill 32 (Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act). Bill 32 requires the Association to categorize expenses into three categories and to report to members on that categorization. Members can view this information and more on Bill 32’s impacts by visiting www.teachers.ab.ca and clicking My ATA > Members Only.

Based on feedback from locals demonstrating broad support for the programs and services included in the draft budget circulated, Council is recommending no change to the current annual fee of $1,347 for the 2022/2023 fiscal year. On a year-over-year basis, budgeted total expenditures and allocations for 2022/23 have remained essentially flat, increasing by less than one per cent compared to the current 2021/2022 budget. The following pages provide highlights of new programs and completed or discontinued programs within the proposed 2022/23 budget.

Sample of proposed 2022/23 new initiatives

Truth and Reconciliation Committee learning initiatives — Professional Development

In 2016, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) along with representatives across a range of educational stakeholder signed the Joint Commitment to Action (JCTA) to ensure that all K–12 teachers receive additional training related to First Nations, Métis, Inuit histories and cultures. Moreover, Association members continue to require support for the development and application of the Indigenous focused competency and indicators within the TQS and LQS. As such, through these planned initiatives, the Association will, among other activities, implement an Indigenous land-based learning series for members to support the development and application of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit foundational knowledge and host annual event(s) to reaffirm the Association’s commitment to reconciliation as part of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/National Indigenous History Month.

French translation and development — Professional Development

The proposed budget includes a proposal to fund a cross-program initiative to increase the Association’s ability to develop programs and services in French, equal to the high standards of those developed in English. Association staff have identified a growing need to develop and procure resources in French that not only support translated material but also are equivalent in quality to materials provided to support the English versions. These funds will help ensure that such resources meet the current ATA quality standards, while reflecting an Alberta context.

Nature of learning — Professional Development

This planned expenditure will allow for the creation of resources and a communication plan to provide information about the nature of learning. Examples of the deliverables for this initiative are a web page for members and subgroups with digital information, professional development videos, downloadable posters and articles updated annually; an ATA library collection of resources available to members; a minimum of three professional development presentations for members to support classroom practice; and a minimum of two professional development presentations for ATA professional development subgroups to support adult learning practices.

TQS/LQS credentialing — Professional Development

In September 2019, a revised Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) and a new Leadership Quality Standard (LQS) were implemented by the government. It is important that the Association provide existing and new learning opportunities for these distinct groups of members to ensure they are current in their practice. Through this planned expenditure, opportunities will be identified for providing support to members (including members who work in central office and have a leadership certificate) in maintaining the currency of their teaching and leadership credentials.

Addition of one professional staff position (graphic designer) — Operations

The creative work of the Association’s design team is vital to the success of the organization. Communication is enhanced by effective graphic design and helps to strengthen the brand/visual identity of the Association, but it also inspires, informs and increases engagement with its members and the public. Presently, the Association has three full-time graphic designers. This proposed expenditure would allow for an additional FTE, bringing the staffing complement to four full-time FTEs to primarily deal with increased work volume and decrease the need for external contracting.

The proposed budget for these new activities described above is $188,500.

Completed/discontinued initiatives

During the current fiscal year, within the Professional Development program area, work will be completed on a publication to broaden the understanding of residential schools in Alberta. As such, this budget line will not be funded in the proposed 2022/23 budget.

The budget allocated for this activity in 2021/22 was $17,000.

Proposed annual fee for 2022/23

Provincial Executive Council is proposing no increase to the Association member fee, maintaining it at $1,347.

	2021/22 approved fee	2022/23 proposed fee
Total Fee	$1,347.00	$1,347.00
Funding for programs for which the local rebate does not apply	$177.00	$156.00
Net fee to distribute	$1,170.00	$1,191.00
Local rebate at 20%	$234.00	$238.20
Balance of net fee (80%)	$936.00	$952.80

https://mydigimag.rrd.com/article/2022++23+Proposed+Budget+/4261278/745768/article.html

Budget by program area

There are two parts to the Association’s budget. The first part includes programs funded by the portion of the fee that is subject to a local rebate. In other words, for each dollar of the membership fee that is applied to this part of the budget, 20 per cent is rebated to local associations to fund their operations. Generally, this is referred to as the rebatable section of the budget. The remaining portion of the fee is used to help fund activities and/or programs not subject to the local rebate. This section is often referred to as the non-rebatable section of the budget.

Part 1: Budget subject to local rebate

The table below compares program area expenditures for the 2021/22 approved budget and the 2022/23 proposed budget. It also provides a general description of the mandate of each program area.

Program area	Mandate	2021/22 approved budget	2022/23 proposed budget
Teacher Employment Services	- To improve the economic well-being of teachers through work in collective bargaining, pension and insurance - To effect increases in the funding for education - To provide services to individual members on matters requiring discipline, legal assistance and professional relations - To provide general service to and consultation with locals, sublocals and staff as requested - To enhance awareness of the Association’s services	$8,564,800	$8,703,400
Professional Development	- To provide for the improvement of teaching practice through specialist councils, conventions, curriculum work, current issues, local leadership development, assistance to local PD committees, field service and representation to other subgroups - To prepare a corps of instructors and facilitators To improve the preservice education of teachers and liaise with other agencies in these fields and extended field experiences	$5,511,400	$5,604,600
Government	- To govern the Association and provide for its obligations beyond Alberta’s borders - To liaise with other organizations within Alberta - To maintain communications internally with the membership and externally with the public - To improve conditions for education through the political involvement of members	$10,146,800	$10,533,100
Building	- To provide and maintain physical facilities for Association offices in Edmonton and Calgary	$3,268,000	$3,248,000
Operations	- To provide for the financial and business operation of the Association, including business management, finance, general administration, human resources and document production - To provide services to other program areas and subgroups	$5,674,300	$5,860,200
Nondepartmental commitments	- To provide for items that are not directly a part of any other department and for items affecting all or most other departments but which cannot be reasonably provided for within the department	$2,073,800	$1,828,700
Food Services	- To provide a catering service for participants at various meetings and other functions held at Barnett House - To operate a cafeteria service for staff, tenants and the public	$801,600	$784,600
Information and Technology Services	- To maintain and safeguard the Association’s information technology systems and equipment and to develop and maintain electronic capabilities and processes required by other program areas	$2,125,600	$2,294,900

Part 2: Budget not subject to local rebate

Member fees required to fund the second part of the budget are not subject to the local rebate, and 100 per cent of these fees are available to fund provincial Association programs. The table below compares expenditures and allocations for the 2021/22 approved budget and the 2022/23 proposed budget and provides a brief description of the nature of the expenditures.

Expenditure and allocation	Description	2021/22 approved budget	2022/23 proposed budget
Canadian Teachers’ Federation	Provides support for the Canadian Teachers’ Federation based on a per capita fee	$1,050,400	$1,060,700
Capital fund	Provides an annual allocation to the fund, which is used to purchase any capital assets and to fund capital projects	$1,117,500	$940,700
Special emergency fund	Provides an annual allocation to the fund, which is used to fund emergent actions as approved by Provincial Executive Council	$333,000	$0
Technology services project development	Provides annual funding for projects related to membership application services; online services; unified communications; strategic technology management; and reporting, workflow and form services	$700,000	$800,000
Specialist council membership grants	Provides the annual operating grants to the Association’s 21 specialist councils	$870,000	$870,000
Accountability action plan	Provides funding to support international partnerships focused on advancing system reform, as well as collaboration with subgroups and like-minded teachers’ organizations that advance the profession’s views	$105,000	$105,000
Mortgage	Provides for principal and interest payments on the mortgages in place for construction and renovations that were completed	$2,323,000	$2,323,000
Public relations campaign	Provides funding for a multidimensional public relations campaign to highlight the work of the Association and teachers to increase public awareness about the importance of public education and the need for appropriate funding for education	$1,000,000	$1,000,000

The Alberta Teachers’ Association