Three-quarters of teachers report that mandatory testing isn’t helping students, according to a new government report on K–3 literacy and numeracy screeners that was released in late December 2025.
The Government of Alberta’s survey of teachers concerning the numeracy and literacy screeners further mirrors points made by the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) to the minister of education about a testing program that educators regarded as ineffective and educationally problematic.
“Teachers have said, and now the government has confirmed, that the screeners do not provide value to classroom teachers. They contain developmentally inappropriate content, may negatively impact students, produce data of limited instructional value and are not paired with adequate targeted supports.”
—ATA President Jason Schilling
Despite these serious concerns, the administration of these tests, along with other evaluations, was enshrined and mandated in legislation passed in the last session of the legislature. Bill 6, the Education (Prioritizing Literacy and Numeracy) Amendment Act 2025, No. 2, obligates Alberta teachers to administer screening tests annually to all students in kindergarten to Grade 3.
“The government has set off in the wrong direction and they know that. Instead of imposing a prescriptive one-size-fits-none model, the government needs to listen to teachers and respect their professional judgement about how best to assess student performance and progress. Then, the government needs to take the next step and provide teachers with the support and tools required to meet the needs of individual students.”
—ATA President Jason Schilling
Alberta’s public education system has been damaged by the recent actions of the government. We need to begin to make necessary repairs and doing that requires politicians to actually listen to the people who work most directly with students every day: the classroom teachers.