Alberta invests $100M to expand classroom support teams through Grade 12

Alberta is extending classroom support teams beyond elementary schools, committing $100 million to hire additional teachers, educational assistants, and specialized staff across the province.

The announcement, made in Calgary on Monday, June 29, will fund 221 new classroom complexity teams statewide. Of these, 158 will serve Grades 7 through 12 and 63 will cover kindergarten through Grade 6. Every public, separate, and francophone school board will receive at least one new team, deployed based on local needs.

Junior and senior high teams will include one teacher, one educational assistant, and access to specialists such as behaviour experts and social workers. Elementary teams typically include one teacher and two educational assistants.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the team-based approach ensures schools have coordinated expertise rather than isolated supports. Of the $100 million funding, $75 million will support the new teams while $25 million will fund teacher training, capacity building, and expanded services in rural and remote communities.

The investment builds on earlier funding announced in February that added 1,400 teachers and created 476 elementary complexity teams. Calgary school boards report the existing program has already shown results: the Calgary Board of Education has hired 118 teams and the Calgary Catholic School District has added 53.

The Alberta Teachers' Association welcomed the expansion. "Today's announcement reflects what teachers across Alberta have been saying for years: increasingly complex classrooms require additional support," said ATA president Jason Schilling. He added the challenge now is "to actually get teachers in front of students."