New funding for Alberta classrooms for more teachers, assistants, specialized staff

Schools across Alberta have seen an increase in complexities in the classroom.

Many students have diverse cognitive, social and emotional needs, and some may have learning disabilities, behavioural challenges, or require extra support learning English.

The Alberta government will be increasing funding over the next three years to address the complexities in the classroom.

The $126 million will allow school boards to hire and train more teachers, teaching assistance, as well as specialized staff such as councillors, psychologists and interpreters.

The funding will allow school boards to hire about 3,000 full-time-equivalent positions, says Education Minister Adriana LaGrange.

“We recognize that today’s classrooms are more complex than ever, and we are taking decisive action to increase the number of support staff in schools,” she said. “For students with diverse and differentiating needs, this means more focused time and attention. We appreciate the work that educational assistants and other support staff do to provide positive and successful learning experiences for Alberta’s diverse students.”

NDP Critic for Education Sarah Hoffman says the funding will not undo the harm done by the UCP government.

“They cut PUF funding, fired educational assistants with a tweet, and deliberately withheld $1 billion of the education budget from schools during the most difficult years in living memory,” Hoffman said in a statement. “Danielle Smith and the UCP have starved Alberta schools for four years, and students with complex needs have borne the brunt of this cruelty.

“Albertans have not forgotten the harm that Adriana LaGrange has caused to students, staff and families.”

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A research study from the Alberta Teachers’ Association late last year found up to 85 per cent of teachers have seen an increase in the complexity and diversity of student needs within their classroom, including cognitive, social and emotional needs, as well as behavioral challenges.

Fifty-six per cent of teachers also reported reduced supports for students with special needs.

“The pandemic just exposed the weaknesses that were in the system already,” said Dr. Kelly Schwartz, a psychologist at the University of Calgary.

Schwartz says the funding is a step in the right direction, but stresses that underfunding can result in students falling through the cracks.

“We know that most students who are showing any sort of difficulties with their mental health, it will show up in the school setting,” he said. “That’s one of the first places, and in fact the main place it will show up.”

The research study from ATA also noted students have to wait more than six months for speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy or psycho-educational assessments.

Schwartz says it’s important for schools to not only make mental-health services available to students, but accessible as well.

“And those are two different things, they can be available but you just can’t get at them. So I hope money like this will make those services accessible for students for sure,” he said.

Sandra Palazzo, the board chair of the Edmonton Catholic School Division, says students’ educational, social, emotional, and mental-health needs must be supported.

“The impact of the fear, isolation and interruptions to learning that were a part of the pandemic is going to be felt for many many years,” said Palazzo. “Education, student growth and development involve so much more than teaching and learning.

“The classroom complexities grant acknowledges that curriculum attainment is not the only thing that happens in a classroom.”