Provincial government creates new Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee

“We are committed to providing world-class education, and we’re building schools and funding education at a rate unprecedented in this province,” said Premier Danielle Smith. “This committee will help us address the concerns of teachers, parents and students around class sizes and complexity.”

Members of the board include Premier Smith, who will serve as co-board chair alongside Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of education and childcare.

The rest of the committee includes Jason Nixon (Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services), Rick Wilson (Minister of Mental Health and Addiction), Searle Turton (Minister of Child and Family Services), Lynnette Anderson (chief superintendent of Edmonton Catholic Schools), Nicole Buchanan (chair of Red Deer Public Schools), Marilyn Dennis (former president of Alberta School Boards Association), Mike McMann (superintendent of Fort Vermilion Schools and President of College of Alberta School Superintendents), Joanne Pitman (chief superintendent of the Calgary Board of Education), and Dr. Elissa Corsi (Alberta Teachers’ Association).

Only cabinet members are voting members, but additional guests will be invited to attend and share their expertise at the discretion of the chairs.

Throughout this month, the government will work with school boards to collect data on class sizes and composition.

The committee will then use this data to provide resources to the classrooms that need it most. In January, the data will be made available and released on an annual basis.

The data collected will also help the government follow through on its commitment to hire 3,000 new teachers and 1,500 new educational assistants over the next three years. In addition, the committee will help identify where new schools and modulars should be built.

“We heard teacher concerns, and we are providing solutions,” Nicolaides said in a media release. “The Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee will help us take immediate action and ensure teachers and students are given the support they need to succeed.”

In a statement from the Alberta New Democrats’ Shadow Minister for Education, Amanda Chapman, she called the provincial government’s new committee a “distraction from action.”

“Once again, the UCP government is announcing yet another committee to fix the issues in education they created,” she said.

“The UCP government had the opportunity to take action back in 2023 when Alberta’s New Democrats tabled a Bill for classroom size and complexity reporting to be reinstated, but they voted it down. It’s unfortunate it took this long for this government to realize how important this work is.

“My message is clear: get to work and get the work done ASAP so teachers and students have safe and supportive learning environments.”

In addition, Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling released a statement and said, as a partner of the committee, the ATA will share teachers’ expertise and experiences to come up with solutions to create better classroom environments.

“This is a step in the right direction, and we will see it through to ensure the government delivers on its promise to enact real change,” Schilling said. “Now, the government must show that it’s ready to repair the damage, rebuild trust and finally do right by Alberta’s public education system.”

by Ian Gustafson

Provincial government creates new Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee

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