To combat classroom complexity issues, the Alberta Government has announced new mandatory knowledge screenings for students in kindergarten-Grade 3 under Bill 6.
If passed, starting in the 2026-27 school year, students across all Alberta school divisions will partake in mandatory reading and math screenings. The results will then be shared with parents and families, as well as the Ministry of Education and Childcare.
These screenings are said to be short, simple activities that assess a student’s everyday reading and math skills, according to a government-issued press release, to help identify where additional support may be needed.
“By making screening a requirement, Alberta will ensure all schools follow the same process and act quickly to support students who need it,” the release reads.
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has not sent communication to families as the regulations are not finalized and will not be in place until next school year.
The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) is aware of the government’s proposed amendments to the Education Act regarding literacy and numeracy screening, according to a district statement.
“As always, CCSD will continue to follow provincial direction and work with Alberta Education if Bill 6 passes into law and once further details are available,” the statement reads.
In the 2022-23 school year, literacy and numeracy screenings became mandatory for students in Grades 1 to 3. In 2024-25, the province introduced fall and winter screenings for all students in grades 1 to 3, with a spring follow-up screening for those needing extra support.
Data from the screenings will also support province-wide efforts to understand and respond to complexity, complementing initiatives like the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team and the province’s investment in classroom support staff, according to the government release.
Screenings will identify problem areas quickly: Education Minister
Alberta Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said that mandatory standardized screenings will help identify learning and understanding struggles early.
The screening results will give parents a better understanding of where their child is at with reading and math, he said.
“If a child needs help, parents can work with teachers to support intervention plans at home,” Nicolaides said.
The screeners can predict with up to 95 per cent accuracy whether a student will experience learning difficulties in the future. Nicolaides said that information will be invaluable for educators and school districts.
Alberta Education is actively listening to concerns and engaging in follow up consultations, according to the minister, to gauge the implementation of screenings and to learn where changes and improvements can be made.
Some early critiques have come from the Alberta Teachers’ Association, where association President Jason Schilling said that teachers don’t need another test to tell which children need help, they need the resources to help them.
“Teachers welcome investments in early-learning—but true improvement comes from trusting teachers’ expertise and ensuring schools have the resources to act on student needs. Alberta’s children deserve meaningful support, not more testing for its own sake,” Schilling said in a statement.
“Government collected teachers’ opinions on the screeners. The results have not been reported publicly, however, in a research study conducted earlier this year, Alberta teachers said the screening program places a great deal of unnecessary stress on students and has little to no value for student learning.”
Without support for students afterwards, these screeners are nothing more than government bureaucracy, Schilling’s statement read. Teachers have serious concerns about this screening process as it takes significant time from student learning.
“Taking what is already in policy and turning it into regulation and legislation will do nothing for students without real measures to address large class sizes and inadequate support. I’m left wondering why the government is taking this step right now,” said Schilling.
“No test can replace the daily insight teachers gain working directly with students.”
