Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s government is proposing amendments to the Education Act aimed at helping schools identify and support students with complex learning needs, with a particular focus on reading and math skills.
The move comes as classrooms across the province become increasingly diverse, with students facing a range of learning challenges, behavioral differences, and language barriers. By screening students early, the government hopes to ensure children who need extra help receive timely support.
Under the proposed legislation, school boards and independent early childhood services (ECS) operators would be required to:
- Conduct reading and math screenings for all students from kindergarten to Grade 3.
- Share screening results with parents to keep families informed and involved.
- Provide data to the Ministry of Education and Childcare for broader analysis and planning.
“Alberta’s classrooms are more complex than ever, and our teachers need the right tools to support every student. By identifying learning needs early, these screeners will help us address complexity head on and ensure that children with diverse and complex needs get the help they need to thrive,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare.
Screenings are designed to be quick and simple, assessing everyday reading and math skills to catch learning gaps before they grow into larger problems. The collected data will also support provincewide initiatives like the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team and complement the government’s investment in classroom support staff.
Michael McMann, president of the College of Alberta School Superintendents, emphasized the importance of these foundational skills, saying, “Strong literacy and numeracy skills empower students to think critically, engage fully in their communities, and adapt to an ever-changing world.”
Dyslexia Canada has welcomed the move, with executive director Alicia Smith noting that legislating early screening ensures all children have equitable access to early literacy support, strengthening the education system’s ability to meet student needs.
By embedding these screening requirements into law and mandating communication with parents, Alberta aims to enhance transparency, ensure early intervention, and reinforce the province’s commitment to building students’ foundational skills for lifelong success.
