Media Release from the Society for Quality Education

Alberta’s Best-Kept Secret is Finally Out!

TORONTO – March 8, 2004

The Society for Quality Education (SQE) is pleased to announce the release of “Charter Schools: Alberta’s Best-Kept Secret”. Written and narrated by distinguished education writer Andrew Nikiforuk, winner of the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction, this 26 minute DVD profiles three Alberta charter schools and provides a wealth of information about these schools that few people are aware of.

“There are many misconceptions surrounding charter schools,” said SQE President Malkin Dare. “First and foremost, charter schools are PUBLIC schools that do not charge tuition or select their pupils. Chartering allows educators to work ‘outside the box’ in order to improve the learning of their students.”

Doretta Wilson, the Society’s Executive Director, added, “We encourage the public to view the film to see whether charter schools focus on the student and learning rather than politics and bureaucracy. We are especially interested in the effect of increased parental choice and the consequences to public education.” SQE will be distributing this DVD nation-wide to educators and policy-makers. Copies may be ordered from the SQE web site at no charge.

The Society for Quality Education is a charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to providing facts about quality education. The Society works to advance public and private education in Canada by disseminating authoritative information on educational governance and methodology. The Society is funded entirely by private donations. More information can be found at www.societyforqualityeducation.org

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Contacts for this Media Release

Doretta Wilson, Executive Director Malkin Dare, President Nancy Wagner, Secretary

Toronto Office Waterloo Waterloo

Phone: 416-231-7247 (bus) Phone: 519-884-3166 Phone: 519-580-9283

416-526-1653 (cell)