Jason Schilling, Alberta Teachers’ Association President, has issued the following statement:
“Today, the government is inviting applications to build a teacher advisory panel. There is already an organization that represents and speaks for the province’s 51,000 teachers: the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
We are confident that classroom teachers who might participate in this panel will reiterate what the Association has been saying, clearly and consistently, for years. Before, during and after the largest strike in this province’s history, this message has been communicated persistently: overcrowded and complex classrooms are unsustainable; they prevent students’ needs from being met and contribute directly to teacher burnout.
It seems as if the government needs to hear this again ... and again ... and again. Why hasn’t the government released the class size and complexity information that was already collected and that documents what teachers have been saying about the state of their classrooms? The message is clear: what is missing is effective leadership in utilizing the resources necessary to solve teachers’ concerns in so many of the province’s classrooms.
The government’s own Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team released a report in November 2025 that addressed some of the most pressing problems in public education. Acting on its recommendations would be an obvious place to start.
Albertans deserve action, accountability and results. They deserve progress, not promises.”
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.