Alberta invests $100M to expand classroom complexity teams to Grades 7–12
Posted Jun 29, 2026 2:26 pm.
Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 4:33 pm.
Alberta is putting new funding into classroom supports, extending a program that has so far focused on elementary schools into junior and senior high.
The province made the announcement in Calgary on Monday to spend $100 million to hire more teachers, educational assistants and specialized staff.
The funding will add 221 new classroom complexity teams across the province, 158 for Grades 7 to 12 and 63 for K to 6, and expand specialized services in rural and remote communities. It also includes targeted training aimed at preventing and responding to behavioural challenges.
All public, separate and francophone school boards will receive at least one new team, deployed based on local needs.
“This team-based approach ensures that schools have access to coordinated expertise rather than relying on isolated supports,” said Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.
He noted that junior and senior high teams will include one teacher, one educational assistant and access to specialists such as behaviour experts and social workers, while K to 6 teams typically include one teacher and two educational assistants.
Of the $100 million, $75 million will fund the new teams and $25 million will support teacher training, capacity building and expanded access to rural and remote areas. The province says the investment builds on earlier actions, including hiring 1,400 teachers and creating 476 K to 6 complexity teams funded in February.
School boards in Calgary say the existing program has already made a difference. The Calgary Board of Education has hired 118 classroom complexity teams, while the Calgary Catholic School District has added 53.
“Every additional teacher, educational assistant, and specialized support staff member represents another opportunity for a student to receive the help they need,” said Lory Lovinelli, chair of the Calgary Catholic School District.
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,” ATA president Jason Schilling said in a statement.
He added that the challenge now is “to actually get teachers in front of students.”
