The Alberta government has implemented new K–6 curricula in multiple subjects, and a new junior high curriculum will be implemented in 2026/27.
Curriculum has become fodder for political discourse that is at times misinformed. Alberta’s education system is better served by thoughtful and reasoned discussion about curriculum.
Candidates should understand the roles of teachers, the Alberta Teachers’ Association, school boards and trustees in curriculum development and implementation.
They should address how much flexibility provincial curriculum should allow for in order to address local priorities and outcomes.
They should also distinguish between curriculum and teaching methodology and discuss the appropriate level of school board involvement in directing teaching practices.
Student assessment involves how teachers determine and report on the extent to which students have obtained learning outcomes. School boards decide how teachers should carry out assessment and report student progress. The Alberta Teachers’ Association believes that assessment should support and enhance learning and that a teacher’s professional judgment is the best indicator of how students are doing.
Ask candidates their opinions on curriculum implementation, assessment, standardized testing and grading.