What the ATA's diversity audit did and what comes next

Even as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices are being questioned and cut within and beyond the province, the Alberta Teachers’ Association remains committed to doing all it can to support its diverse membership. Key to this effort is the DEI audit recently completed by the Association.

But what did the DEI audit do, and what are the Association’s next steps?

The initial audit stemmed from a budget resolution brought forward at the 2024 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA). The resolution called for the commencement of a diversity and inclusion audit with a budget of $50,000. With the parameters of the audit not clearly defined, an audit of Association policies, procedures, guidelines and bylaws was conducted and included the review of 46 policies, operational processes and administrative guidelines—around 1,000 pages of documents.

Following the review, updates to language were suggested and any noninclusive processes were examined for possible change. The audit resulted in additional recommendations.

Following the audit, a follow-up resolution at ARA 2025 called for the consideration of those recommendations, and a $25,000 budget was approved for the follow-up work. During the 2025/26 school year, the following work was undertaken:

• All Association staff received training on DEI.
• The documents that had been reviewed were updated.
• DEI modules were created for onboarding new staff.
• Staff guides were developed to assist in planning inclusive events.
• An inclusive communications guide with acceptable DEI terms was created.
• A caller management guide was created for staff in Teacher Employment Membership Support (TEMS) to assist staff in dealing with inquiries received relating to disabilities, transgender or sexual orientation issues; helping members deal more effectively with racialized families; non-English as a primary language in the classroom; and changes in gender identification and proper pronoun use.
• Members of Provincial Executive Council (PEC) underwent DEI training. 

So, you may be wondering why we did an audit in the first place. As the organization supporting teachers, it is important to ensure that your Association stays current with its practices before assisting others with theirs. The audit had three main goals:

1. To ensure Association practices and language evolve alongside changing terminology and the expectations of members and the broader Alberta public
2. To have updated publications, resources and advice to improve Association staff relationships and membership services within, and outside of, their respective departments and program areas
3. To be able to share the new knowledge and products with PEC, committees, locals and subgroups who had been seeking resources from the Association regarding these topics

The outcomes created tangible results to guide Association staff and our strategic planning process. The process also laid a foundation of knowledge for staff to draw upon as they collaboratively customize the materials for use across the Association and its subgroups, as well as external education-related groups interested in this work. 

Now, what comes next? The budget proposal for 2026/27 approved an additional $35,000 for continued DEI work, which will consist of two parts. The first part involves an administrative review of policies, handbooks and constitutions for subgroups of the Association. Similar to what was done with the Association review, this work aims to ensure our subgroups align with current diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging practices. The second portion of the budgeted amount will be used to engage an external consultant to develop a statement of work (including proposed terms of reference, budget and timeline for implementation and completion) for the continuation of a diversity audit that sets the direction for the advancement of new practices to support members. This could include asking members what the Association can do to encourage a more diverse workforce of teachers. 

Of course, if the membership wants an audit of our teaching force, we want to be clear what exactly we want or need to know, what we can do with the information, and what barriers exist that may discourage underrepresented groups from becoming teachers, and then create a plan to move forward. No easy task.

In the interim, if you would like more resources related to DEI, our Professional Development program area’s workshops and resources are at your disposal. Find more information and access resources at https://abteach.cc/dehr. 

I welcome your comments and questions. You may reach me at robert.mazzotta@ata.ab.ca.