Alberta introduces bill to mandate early literacy, math tests in schools

The Alberta government has unveiled Bill 6, a proposed amendment to the Education Act that the province says aims to strengthen foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics for young learners across the province.

If passed, the legislation would make literacy and numeracy screenings mandatory for all students from kindergarten to Grade 3.

The goal is to identify learning challenges early and provide targeted support to ensure no child falls behind, according to Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.

“Classrooms today have many different students—some learn fast, some need more time, and some have other challenges,” he said. “If a student is struggling with reading or math, the screener will show it and identify it early.”

“Teachers can then give targeted support before the problem becomes bigger.”

The screenings would be standardized across Alberta, with new regulations defining how often they occur and which tools schools must use. The changes are expected to take effect by Fall 2026, formalizing early learning assessments in law.

“Finding problems early means that we can help students sooner,” Nicolaides said. “If we don’t help students early, then they can fall behind.”

In response, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) says it supports investments in early learning but cautions against over-reliance on testing.

“True improvement comes from trusting teachers’ expertise and ensuring schools have the resources to act on student needs,” said ATA president Jason Schilling in a statement. “Alberta’s children deserve meaningful support, not more testing for its own sake.”

“Teachers don’t need another test to tell us which children need help—we need the resources to help them.”

This comes as a Calgarian, upset with the labour strife between teachers and the province, launched a petition to see Nicolaides step down.

In response, Nicolaides, the Calgary-Bow MLA, has mailed a list boasting of on-the-job accomplishments to his constituents.

The list includes actions done during his time as Alberta’s advanced education minister, such as adding 10,000 post-secondary spaces and adding “protected free speech on university campuses.”