New advisory group to recommend how to get new Alberta curriculum into schools

A group of 17 bureaucrats, superintendents, school trustees and educators have been tasked with guiding how parts of Alberta's new elementary school curriculum will hit classrooms this fall.

Alberta's education ministry released a partial list of names Thursday for a new curriculum implementation advisory group.

Nine of the 17 names were kept secret, "to help ensure they do not become targets of online harassment," according to a government news release.

For nearly five years, an effort to revamp all subjects of Alberta's K-12 curriculum at once, in English and French, has been a political football. Politicians have swapped accusations about governments using the curriculum to impose their ideology onto students.

The United Conservative Party's draft of the K-6 curriculum has caused deep division between people who favour a more traditional approach to education and educators, experts and parents who say the proposals are regressive, Eurocentric, and not supported by research.

Alberta School Boards' Association president Marilyn Dennis is one of two people representing the organization on the new advisory group.

Association members, made up of school boards from across the province, voted last year to advocate the ministry delay introducing the new curriculum to all schools. Members wanted schools to have at least two years to pilot test new elementary school material before making it mandatory in 2024.

The province says all elementary schools must begin using a new English language arts, math and physical education and wellness curriculum this fall.

In the face of sustained pushback, the government last month announced it would delay the introduction of the new elementary science, social studies, French and fine arts curriculum to a later time.

Dennis said that move gave boards hope the government will listen to their feedback.

"What boards have wanted to see is a responsiveness from government around hearing the concerns of Albertans," Dennis said.

She said boards need timely access to the finalized curriculum drafts and resources, as fell as funding to train teachers.

Group's advice to be confidential

The new advisory group is tasked with giving the education minister recommendations about how to prepare the school system for the curriculum's introduction.

The group's terms of reference say the deliberations and recommendations will be confidential. The members are expected to meet weekly until June. They're also being asked to weigh in on how schools should continue to pilot the other four subjects during the next school year, and when to make those new curricula mandatory across the province.

The Alberta Teachers' Association renewed its call on Thursday for the government to halt the process until experts can make substantial changes to all subjects.

President Jason Schilling said demanding all elementary teachers adopt the new curriculum this fall is too rushed, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said educators haven't seen the feedback from the schools that are piloting the curriculum and the drafts themselves are still changing.

Teachers need more time to familiarize themselves with the new expectations, get professional development and find resources that match the new curriculum, he said.

He criticized the small number of teachers involved, saying superintendents and bureaucrats are far removed the front lines.

"Putting this into the field this fall is destined for failure," he said.

Katherine Stavropoulos, press secretary to Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, said the advisory group will help ensure the pace of implementation is manageable for students and teachers.

She didn't say what funding would be available for schools to make the transition, adding that budget deliberations are underway.