Alberta Government Proposing Changes to Junior High Curriculum

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides stand together during the swearing in of her cabinet in Edmonton, June 9, 2023. Jason Franson/The Canadian Press

The government of Alberta wants to update its junior high school curriculum to better prepare students for the workforce.

The province said it is starting the engagement process with education partners and teachers for a draft curriculum for Grades 7 to 9. The subjects slated for changes include math, social studies, physical education and wellness, and the Career and Life Management program, according to a Nov. 14 news release.

The goal is to make sure the junior high curriculum is aligned with the recently developed elementary school curriculum being piloted in Alberta classrooms, said the release.

“The expertise and insights of our education partners are essential as we work together to build a comprehensive curriculum that will inspire a passion for learning and connect students more closely to careers,” Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in the release.

Stakeholders, education partners, and teachers will have an opportunity to provide feedback for content on career education, financial literacy, basic life skills, and home maintenance, the government said. It’s also looking for feedback on how to organize content and courses for students.

Various stakeholders are being invited to review the curriculum, including First Nations education directors, subject experts, and provincial education partners, the release said.

The government said it will also work with the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and school boards to recruit teachers who can review the draft content and curriculum. That collaboration will come at a later stage in the process, according to the release.

ATA president Jason Schilling issued a statement in response to the curriculum development, encouraging the government to include the union in the process of shaping the curriculum. ATA is the professional organization of teachers in Alberta and advocates for its 46,000 members.

“It’s our hope that teachers’ experiences and insights are included at the curriculum writing table and not brought in as an afterthought,” Schilling said in a Nov. 15 news release. “While we remain optimistic, how this process will unfold remains to be seen.”

The government said the public would be able to see a draft curriculum in the spring of 2025.

A final version of the curriculum is expected to be used in the 2026/27 school year.

The announcement follows work the government did on curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 6 students during the 2022/23 school year. New curriculum was introduced in English language arts and literature, math, physical education and wellness, French language and literature, and science.