Alberta Teachers' Association President Jason Schilling is bringing attention to upcoming teaching staff reductions in several school divisions. (Photo: ATA)

By David Opinko

Some southern Alberta school divisions to lose teaching staff

Jun 20, 2024 | 8:40 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A group of schools in the region could be short-staffed when it comes to teachers this fall.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has scanned through school budget reports across Alberta for 2024-25 and claim that more than 250 teaching positions are being eliminated.

ATA President Jason Schilling says 17 school divisions, or more than one-third of all divisions, will see at least some reduction.

“We cannot be cutting staff in growing school divisions when schools province-wide are expecting to receive 26,000 additional students next year. The government made an election promise to hire 3,000 new education workers over the next three years; cutting teaching positions now fails our students and their learning,” says Schilling.

The Red Deer Catholic School Division will lose 90.6 full-time equivalent teaching positions, by far the most in the province.

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Between four school divisions in southern Alberta, the ATA reports that a combined 24.5 full-time positions will be lost. They include:

• Foothills School Division – 13.3 (estimated)
  • Total division budget reduced by $521,054 (-0.6 per cent) in 2024-25
• Medicine Hat Public School Division – 6.6
  • Anticipating increased student enrollment
  • Total division budget reduced by $1,045,675 (-1.4 per cent) in 2024-25
• Livingstone Range School Division – 4.1
  • Anticipating increased student enrollment
  • Total division budget reduced by $52,483 (-0.1 per cent) in 2024-25
• Westwind School Division – 0.5
  • Anticipating increased student enrollment

Schilling adds, “Not only does Alberta spend the least on public education in all of Canada, but we also have the highest ratio of students to teachers in the country. This is why we have large classes and students struggling without the support and guidance they need for success. As it sits, next year will only get worse.”

“Even school divisions that are hiring teachers are not funded adequately to hire the full number of teachers needed.”

The full list of school divisions in Alberta that are expecting to have fewer teaching staff are listed below:

School divisions in Alberta that are anticipating reductions in teaching positions in 2024-25. (Photo: Alberta Teachers’ Association)

Education Minister issued the following statement to Pattison Media:

“School boards have the autonomy and accountability to manage their budgets and the hiring of staff to reflect and support the local needs of their communities and students.

In most cases, staffing decisions are a reflection of increasing or decreasing enrolment.

Our government is making record investments in education that will support the hiring of more than 3000 teachers, EA’s and educational staff to ensure every student has the support they need to succeed in the classroom.

I’m always open to talking with our school boards and make improvements as necessary.”

READ MORE: Alberta Teachers’ Association says several school boards to see funding cuts

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