In 2023-2024, Austerity, Vanishing Transparency, and the Quiet Push Toward Privatizing Alberta’s Public Education System

The UCP carried out policies that put a strain on public education resources and gave preference to private alternatives, building on previous cuts to public education.

The ATA had relied on this data source to support its advocacy for improved student-teacher ratios and assistance for high-needs students, but in 2023, the government stopped provincial tracking of class sizes and complexity statistics. With classes in some districts having more than 30 to 40 students in all the larger Alberta cities, this lack of transparency made it hard to hold the government accountable for overcrowding, which resulted in less individualized attention and higher teacher burnout. The action came right before a 2024 funding formula revision that further cut funding for students with complex needs, like those in need of special education or English language assistance.

Enrolment growth outpaced hiring of teachers.

For 2023-2024, Canada received another 1 million new Canadians.  A third of school boards plan to reduce teacher positions in 2024 as a result of rising student enrolment and 8–10% inflation rates. Some boards laid off dozens of staff members, forcing larger classes and the elimination of programs like counselling or the arts. Alberta's public education system has been negatively impacted by Bill 15, also known as the Choice in Education Act, in different ways. This is especially true as the UCP government's subsequent policies have expanded the provisions of the bill.

As government rhetoric framed public education as insufficient and promoted alternatives, the number of students attending private schools increased from less than 54,000 in 2020 to over 71,000 by 2024.