New curriculum coming to K-6 classrooms this fall – but not all, says education minister

Alberta students in kindergarten through grade 3 will receive the new English-language math and arts curriculum starting this fall, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange said Thursday.

But students in grades 4 through 6 won’t start learning the new arts, literature and math curriculum in English until September 2023, LaGrange told a news conference.

LaGrange said math and English are the key areas where young children need the most help.

“This will help our young students who are in the critical early stages of their development, by strengthening their numeracy and literacy skills,” she said.

All students in kindergarten through grade 6 will receive the province’s new curriculum in wellness and physical education starting in September.

Alberta’s proposed K-6 curriculum will be delayed in 4 subjects, LaGrange announces

The provincial government faced criticism from teachers, parents and the opposition NDP as it reviewed and piloted the new curriculum.

LaGrange said he has heard calls for the government to delay implementing the new program.

“It would not be in the best interest of our students,” she said, calling the current curriculum outdated.

LaGrange said she based her decision to start with some subjects this fall on advice from the Curriculum Implementation Advisory Group, which was created in January.

The group included superintendents, teachers, an elementary school principal and representatives from the Alberta School Boards Association.

The curriculum review process was “the most open and transparent curriculum review process our province has ever seen,” LaGrange said.

Survey shows lack of confidence

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) released a survey Thursday showing that 3% of teachers believe they have enough resources to successfully implement the proposed K-6 curriculum this fall.

The poll, conducted by Environics Research, also shows nearly half of Alberta residents believe the proposed curriculum will not meet student needs.

The online survey collected responses from 800 Albertans aged 18 and older between January 27 and February 17 of this year.

A margin of sampling error does not apply to opt-in panel surveys.

The poll was also based on responses from 825 ATA members with a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.4% at the 95% confidence interval.