Highlights from the legislature

Alberta’s 31st legislature began on Oct. 30 with a speech from the throne. The sitting is scheduled to run until Dec. 7. Here is a summary of the education-related discussions that took place in question period from Oct. 30 to Nov. 24.
Education funding & class sizes

Oct. 31—Rakhi Pancholi (NDP–Edmonton-Whitemud) raised concerns about overcrowding in Alberta schools due to a lack of funding and insufficient school infrastructure. She cited examples of overcrowded classrooms and urged Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides to take responsibility for the situation.

In response, Nicolaides defended the government’s efforts to revitalize Alberta’s economy and attract people to the province. He acknowledged the need for more schools and teachers and promised further initiatives in that direction.

Pancholi continued to highlight the challenges posed by growing class sizes and the complexity of classrooms. She criticized the government for allocating resources to campaigns and pensions while underfunding education, leading to overcrowding and a lack of resources for students.
Nicolaides refuted these claims, emphasizing the government’s commitment to funding classroom complexity, English language learners and other student needs. He reiterated that the government is dedicated to improving the education system.

Nov. 5—Amanda Chapman (NDP–Calgary-Beddington) expressed concern about increased class sizes in Alberta under the UCP government’s watch. She questioned Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides about the growth in class sizes since the UCP took office. In response, the minister discussed the challenges posed by the success of the Alberta is Calling campaign and emphasized the government’s efforts to address them through school projects.

Chapman pressed further, criticizing the government’s decision to stop public reporting of class sizes and urging the restoration of such reporting. The minister defended the government’s focus on making Alberta a destination of choice and outlined plans to build more schools and hire additional educational support staff.

Chapman raised the issue of low funding for Alberta students, overcrowded classes and announced her intention to introduce a bill for class size and complexity reporting. She challenged the minister to engage with Albertans on her proposed legislation. The minister defended the government’s commitment to education, citing significant investments and school projects to address growing demands.

Nov. 23—Peggy Wright (NDP—Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview) asked the minister of education about the challenges faced by educational support workers, citing overcrowded classrooms, lack of support for students with complex needs and exhausted staff due to inadequate numbers. She questioned when the 20,000 school support worker positions lost in 2020 would be fully funded.

In response, Nicolaides highlighted a recent increase in education funding by more than five per cent, including $820 million in new funding to address enrollment pressures. He emphasized the creation of a new classroom complexity grant, providing $126 million over the next few years to hire educational assistants, speech-language pathologists and other professionals.
Wright continued by referencing government statistics indicating a decrease in educational assistants compared to the previous year. She questioned the government’s plans to show appreciation for the workers, emphasizing their dedication despite low wages.

Nicolaides assured that the government values education staff, citing successful efforts in hiring additional staff, including 1,200 new teachers and 450 educational assistants in metro school divisions.

Wright raised concerns about the low wages of school support staff, urging the minister to make necessary investments to prevent education support workers from living in poverty. Nicolaides affirmed the government’s commitment, mentioning the $126 million in new funding specifically allocated for educational assistants and other support staff. He reiterated the government’s dedication to providing support and resources for school divisions to manage their staffing needs.

Educational curriculum and school construction

Nov. 2—Nolan Dyck (UCP–Grande Prairie) asked Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides about the redrafting of the social studies curriculum, the addition of life skills and financial literacy training and the strategic plan for increasing the number of schools in communities with growing needs. Nicolaides responded by emphasizing collaboration with various educational partners and the importance of teacher resources and training, while also discussing the growth of Alberta and the budget process related to school infrastructure.

Teacher recruitment and retention

Nov. 23—Myles McDougall (UCP–Calgary-Fish Creek) expressed concerns about teacher shortages, seeking information on approved funding for teachers and teaching assistants in Calgary schools. Education Minister Demitrios Nicolaides responded by highlighting a recent increase in education funding, specifically in Budget 2023, with more than five per cent allocated for education. He emphasized that around $2 billion goes to Calgary schools to help them hire necessary staff.

McDougall acknowledged the increased resources but inquired about government initiatives to attract qualified teachers and assistants for vacant positions. The minister reported that, as the new school year commenced, information from four metro school divisions indicated over 1,200 new teachers, 450 additional educational assistants and 94 other certified staff had been hired. He noted ongoing collaboration across the province.

McDougall addressed the global trend of individuals leaving the teaching profession and the rise in classroom complexity. He asked Nicolaides to elaborate on factors contributing to this complexity, its impact on teacher departures and government measures to address it. Nicolaides acknowledged the increasing complexity, citing a higher proportion of students requiring assistance, English as an additional language and complex learning needs. He outlined Budget ’23’s inclusion of $126 million for a new classroom complexity grant specifically designed to hire professionals like educational assistants, speech-language pathologists and psychologists to address these challenges. ❚