A recent government-commissioned report has revealed that Alberta schools are operating in crisis mode, facing significant challenges including rising aggression in classrooms, overcrowding, and increasing complexity of student needs.
Key Findings from the Aggression Report
The report, released on November 21, 2025 by the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team, outlines seven critical recommendations to address the deteriorating situation in Alberta's education system. Premier Danielle Smith announced the findings at a press conference, noting that some recommendations are already being implemented.
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides emphasized that these recommendations reflect the real experiences of teachers and classroom support staff. "These recommendations are not just ideas," Nicolaides stated. "They represent the experiences of teachers and others who work in classrooms and support students."
Government Response and Committee Formation
The provincial government has established a Class Size and Complexity committee, co-chaired by Premier Smith and Minister Nicolaides. The committee held its first meeting on November 13 and has begun collecting data from school boards on classroom sizes, with a commitment to publish this information annually starting in January 2026.
The report's key recommendations include:
- Designing a new inclusive education policy framework
- Ensuring access to a continuum of supports for students
- Focusing on collaboration within inclusive learning environments
- Strengthening early intervention programs
- Enhancing professional learning and capacity building
Historical Context and Teacher Skepticism
This isn't the first time Alberta has addressed classroom complexity through committee reports. Following the 2002 teachers' strike, the Alberta Commission on Learning produced similar recommendations in 2003, including provincial guidelines on classroom sizes, sustainable funding, and stronger accountability measures.
However, Alberta Teachers' Association President Jason Schilling expressed skepticism about the government's latest initiatives. He noted that previous recommendations to reduce classroom sizes and teacher workload were largely ignored. "They never did anything about it," Schilling told the Herald in October. "They never put it into policy."
Schilling also questioned the province's recent creation of a teachers advisory council, coming after months of contract negotiations. Teachers remain concerned that, despite another task force, real solutions that positively affect schools may not materialize from the current process.
