Heading into Budget 2025 the Alberta Teachers’ Association asked Albertans to remember $11.35 billion, the total operational spending required for public education to approach the national per student average. The Alberta government’s commitment to the province’s students fell almost a billion dollars short of that target.
“The government’s assessment of Budget 2025 is that it’s ‘meeting the challenges facing Albertans.’ Then why are classroom conditions on the decline, with unmet needs increasing year after year?”
—ATA President Jason Schilling
Alberta’s public, Francophone and separate schools have the least to spend on student education in Canada. By not ensuring a fair and consistent commitment to Alberta’s public schools, the province is choosing to limit our students’ potential.
For the past month, Schilling has been travelling across the province, talking to Alberta teachers, education workers and parents. He has seen the consequences of continued underfunding for students and classrooms.
“The chronic underfunding of public education has created a crisis that can no longer be ignored. The stories I am hearing consistently describe a public education system that is having to deal with large and growing class sizes, inadequate student supports, and demoralized staff trying to hold it all together in the face of constantly increasing demands.
—ATA President Jason Schilling
Behind the facts and figures there are real students, families, teachers and education workers. Their stories need to be heard, says Schilling.
“The day-to-day reality in our classrooms needs to be seen, reported and understood. As this province moves to respond to the unprecedented economic and security threats, Albertans need to stand up for students, whose education is crucial to our province’s future.”
—ATA President Jason Schilling
Please direct all media inquiries to:
Heather Grant
Media Liaison, Alberta Teachers’ Association
11010 142 St, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 2R1
T: 587-686-7419
Heather.Grant@ata.ab.ca www.teachers.ab.ca
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.