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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

action team's final report

Addressing classroom aggression and complexity in Alberta gets seven recommendations

Nov 21, 2025 | 5:02 PM

The final report of Alberta’s Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team was released Friday.

The team was formed last summer, with the goal of creating recommendations to guide the province’s response to classroom complexity.

Its report comes, of course, in the wake of a three-week long strike conducted by Alberta’s 51,000 unionized teachers, who have been vocal about the importance of addressing complexity in classrooms, just as much if not more than they talked about higher wages.

In a release, the Government of Alberta shares that the report identifies seven recommendations to address rising aggression and complexity.

The recently appointed 25-member Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee will use the recommendations to guide practical solutions and direct funding to where it is needed most, they add.

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“Parents and teachers are telling us classrooms are more complex than ever, and they are right. Every child deserves a safe, calm learning environment where teachers can teach and students can learn. We will not accept violence or disruption as the new normal in Alberta schools,” says Premier Danielle Smith.

“I want to thank the action team and everyone who shared their experience so we can turn this report into real change in our schools. We will use these recommendations to develop practical solutions that make a real difference in the classroom.”

The report outlines seven key recommendations, including:

• Design a new inclusive education policy framework.
• Ensure timely access to a continuum of supports.
• Facilitate collaboration within inclusive learning environments.
• Cross-ministry collaboration to ensure seamless transitions and supports.
• Expand and adapt early intervention programs.
• Strengthen pre-service programs.
• Enhance ongoing professional learning and capacity building.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), representing teachers, reacted to the recommendations announced Friday, saying they support many of them because they’ve been advocating for them for years.

“We expect this government to take these recommendations and put them into practice. Not someday, not when convenient, and not as optional guidelines,” says ATA President Jason Schilling.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) also shared a statement about the recommendations, accusing the report of “stating the obvious.”

“There’s nothing new in this ‘new’ roadmap. We all know we need more staff in classrooms, and the UCP needs to make it happen,” said CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal.

“The issue of classroom complexity isn’t all that complex. We need more staff, not more reports.”

The final report in its entirety can be read here.