Premier Smith Launches Task Force to Tackle Classroom Challenges

Premier Danielle Smith has announced the formation of a new task force aimed at addressing the complexities and challenges faced in Alberta classrooms. The initiative, which consists of 11 members, aims to implement changes that will positively impact teachers, students, and families in the province. Smith stated that the task force will begin making real changes “almost immediately.”

During her weekly radio address on November 4, 2023, broadcast on 880 CHED in Edmonton, Smith expressed her satisfaction that the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has delegated a representative to participate in the cabinet committee overseeing this initiative. The committee is co-chaired by Smith and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides and includes various provincial ministers, school board superintendents, and the ATA representative. Notably, teachers currently working in classrooms will not be part of the task force; instead, the province will establish a separate advisory council for teachers.

Smith emphasized the need for cross-ministry coordination to effectively address the diverse needs of students. Many students with complex requirements may have existing connections with services such as children’s services, assisted living, and mental health support. “What they’ve been asking for and frustrated by is that there needs to be cross-ministry coordination,” she said, highlighting the importance of having relevant ministers at the table.

The committee includes several key figures: Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services; Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction; and Searle Turton, Minister of Child and Family Services. Other members comprise superintendents and representatives from various school boards, including Lynnette Anderson from Edmonton Catholic Schools and Joanne Pitman from the Calgary Board of Education.

In her address, Smith described severe classroom complexities. She mentioned instances of classes with over 31 students, where a significant number have severe needs, including those requiring special assistance. “Classes of over 31 where you’ve got 15 kids in the class who have either severe complex needs or ELL (English Language Learner) or need to be diapered and no support,” she noted. Smith stressed the importance of leveraging all available resources to create a calmer and less chaotic teaching environment.

The committee’s objectives include establishing guidelines for tracking and reporting class sizes and compositions, developing a new policy for inclusive education, advising on the addition of modular classrooms, and implementing recommendations from the aggression and complexity action team. Smith pointed out that while school boards have the authority to address classroom complexities, more effort is needed to distribute the province’s approximately 51,000 teachers across 750,000 students effectively.

She raised the possibility of converting some substitute teachers into full-time positions to increase support in classrooms. “Is it time to convert some of those substitute teachers into full-time teachers so that you have more hands on deck?” Smith questioned, suggesting that curriculum specialists and assistant principals might also take on teaching responsibilities to alleviate the workload.

The issues surrounding classroom complexities appear to be particularly severe in urban areas such as Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer. Smith stated that the task force would identify classrooms with the highest complexity and student numbers to allocate resources effectively.

The launch of the class size and complexity task force follows the province’s recent invocation of the notwithstanding clause, which mandated teachers to return to work after a nearly three-and-a-half-week provincewide strike. This new initiative aims to address ongoing challenges in education and improve the learning environment for both students and teachers in Alberta.