The province faces a bit of a double-edged sword. It needs more skilled workers as Alberta’s economy

CALGARY — Alberta's high school completion rate rose last year as the Redford government pushed to increase graduation in a province that has long seen the lure of well-paying jobs pull teens away from class.
"At the end of the day, it isn't just about a high school completion rate, it's about student success," said Kim Capstick, press secretary for Education Minister Jeff Johnson. "We want to make sure that those students travel on your own in europe that are graduating from high school are earning their way through the system."
The problem, according to Peter Cowley with the Fraser Institute, is it's difficult to tell if improvements are due to increased learning, more motivation to stay in school, or simply "an easier road to graduation."
The province faces a bit of a double-edged sword. It needs more skilled workers as Alberta's economy rebounds, but jobs are what tempt students away from math class and into the workforce before graduating.
Alberta's high school completion rate has been criticized, with Statistics Canada surveys showing it below the Canadian average. At the same time, Alberta's test scores rank well compared with other provinces and countries.
"It's a disadvantage for Alberta in the way that they do their calculation because we get so many people immigrating from other parts of the country and other parts of the world, to Alberta, that are in that age range," she said.