In order to improve public education in this province, we are championing the issues teachers and parents have identified—and demanding the next elected government take action to address them.
Key Issue # 1: Growing class sizes. Increased complexity.
Solution: Reduce class sizes and support complexity. Classroom complexity refers to having students with multiple needs in one class, including learning, behavioural, emotional and physical.
- Hire more teachers. Build more schools.
- Support inclusion by reducing class sizes even further when students require more individualized supports.
Key Issue # 2: Curriculum creation without teacher input.
Solution: Modernize curriculum and include teachers.
- Pause the expansion of new curriculum development.
- Include teachers, education leaders, and curriculum experts in every part of the curriculum creation process—from development to implementation.
- Put more emphasis on critical thinking and practical learning.
- Reduce the emphasis on provincial standardized testing.
Key Issue # 3: Students not receiving required learning supports.
Solution: Increase access to key learning supports.
- Hire more support staff, including educational assistants.
- Restore Program Unit Funding (PUF) for early learning supports.
- Develop and expand readily available mental health supports for students and families.
- Expand access to trained professionals, like speech, occupational therapy and mental health experts.
- Ensure every student has access to a school counsellor.
Key Issue # 4: Inequity in education.
Solution: Ensure all students have access to high quality public education.
- Prioritize public dollars for public schools.
- Implement strategies to better support Indigenous, Francophone, immigrant, and rural students and families living in poverty.
- Create a plan to recruit and retain teachers in rural Alberta.
Key Issue # 5: Deteriorating conditions due to lack of investment.
Solution: Invest in public education.
- Provide a high-quality education system that provides sustainable operational funding.
- Restore per student public education funding to above the national average.
- Protect and stabilize funding—regardless of which government is in power.
- Recruit and retain more teachers while ensuring better working conditions.
Where do your candidates stand?
Now that you know the key issues public education is facing—and what we’re fighting for this election—it is imperative you vote for the candidates who will commit to addressing them. Here are five essential questions to ask them—whether via email or in person.
Question 1: What is your plan to reach the Alberta Learning Commission’s (2003) class size requirements and support children and youth with complex needs?
Question 2: Will you commit to implementing a new phased-in curriculum that was developed collaboratively with teachers, parents and other educational experts?
Question 3: How will you resource and support mental health in our public schools and provide increased support for students with exceptionalities?
Question 4: What is your plan to ensure equitable supports for all students—especially Indigenous, Francophone, and those in rural and remote schools?
Question 5: Will you commit to restoring public education funding to above the national average, and to hiring (and retaining) professional teachers and other education workers in Alberta?
Where do the parties stand on the key issues?
Find out more about what the two major parties have to say: