This afternoon, the Alberta government committed to provide funding to enable the hiring of additional teachers to address the issue of class size and complexity in our province. Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) President Jason Schilling sees this announcement as an acknowledgement of what was one of the core issues raised during last fall’s teachers’ strike, and what teachers, parents and students have been saying for years: class size and classroom complexity matter.
“Every student in Alberta deserves the opportunity to learn in a classroom where they can receive the attention and support they need to thrive. And every teacher deserves the professional conditions necessary to meet the diverse needs of their students.”
Jason Schilling, ATA president
Today’s announcement of $200 million to facilitate the hiring of more than 1,400 teachers is a positive step for public education.
“We expect this announcement to be the first step in repairing the damage done by years of chronic underfunding.”
Jason Schilling, ATA president
While the ATA welcomes this investment, it must be noted that finding and effectively deploying additional teachers will be a challenge for school boards as they are also addressing classroom complexities. We also need to ensure that the needs of students in rural communities are not lost in today’s funding announcement.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association, as the professional organization of teachers, promotes and advances public education, supports teachers’ professional practice and serves as the advocate for its 51,000 members.