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The Alberta government plans to introduce legislation requiring early math and reading assessments in schools, part of a strategy it says will help address classroom complexity by identifying students who need extra support as early as possible.
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides made the announcement on Nov. 3, saying that as more students with learning needs, behavioural challenges, and language barriers join schools, the province’s classrooms are becoming increasingly difficult to support effectively.
He said that by identifying learning needs early and providing extra support in math and reading—skills he called “very important for every single student”—the province aims to prevent knowledge gaps from turning into challenges that add to “classroom complexity.”
“If a student is struggling with reading or math, the screener will show it and identify it early. Teachers can then give targeted support before the problem becomes bigger,” Nicolaides said at a press conference.
“This means small issues don’t turn into big ones, and students can get the help when they need it most in those early formative years.”
The screenings, described by the province as “short, simple activities” to assess everyday reading and math skills, will be made a requirement for all students in kindergarten to Grade 3 through amendments to the Education Act.
The assessments will be able to predict with 95 percent accuracy if a student is likely to experience learning difficulties in the future, the minister said, adding that “that’s incredibly valuable information for our educators and school divisions to have on hand.”
School divisions and principals will be able to exempt students from the assessments in certain cases, such as when a student faces literacy challenges because English is not their first language, Nicolaides said.
The province will make it mandatory to report the results to parents, saying it is part of its commitment to ensure “parents are informed and engaged in their child’s learning.”
The results will also be shared with the ministry of education and will inform the province’s “efforts to understand and respond to complexity,” including its investment in classroom support staff.
If passed, the legislative requirement would apply to public, separate, francophone, charter, and independent schools, as well as independent early childhood services operators. It would come into effect for the 2026–27 school year.
Literacy and numeracy screenings became mandatory in the province in the 2022–23 school year for students in grades 1 to 3.
Last year, the province implemented additional screening requirements by introducing fall and winter assessments for all students in grades 1 to 3—with an additional spring screening for those needing additional support—as well as mandatory winter screenings for all kindergarten students.
When asked by reporters why the assessments involve collecting information on individual students, Nicolaides said it is to ensure the system provides targeted support.
He added the province is “listening carefully to concerns” and engaging in consultation to determine how the implementation of the screenings can be improved.
