Alberta's government is investing $200 million through the new Class Size Reduction Grant to reduce class sizes in kindergarten to Grade 9 in the 2026-27 school year.
Almost 90,000 students have joined Alberta's classrooms in just four years as record population growth continues to put pressure on schools, teachers and classroom learning environments. Growing class sizes and increasingly complex classrooms are making it harder for teachers to give students the support and attention they need to succeed.
To help address these pressures, Alberta's government is acting now by providing $200 million to schools through the new Class Size Reduction Grant. The funding will support the hiring of more than 1,400 teachers in grades K-9 to help reduce class sizes and improve classroom learning conditions in increasingly complex classrooms.
"Over the past year, we have been taking real action to support Alberta classrooms by hiring more teachers, adding more educational supports and creating more student spaces across the province. This investment reflects our government's continued focus on supporting strong classrooms, teachers and students."
Danielle Smith, Premier
The Class Size Reduction Grant builds on the work of the Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee, established to guide Alberta's approach to managing crowded and complex classrooms. The committee analyzed classroom-level data from more than 108,000 classrooms. This approach ensures funding is directed to schools and classrooms experiencing the greatest class size and complexity pressures.
"Smaller class sizes make a real difference for students and teachers, especially in the early and middle grades. This targeted investment helps ensure classrooms are safer, more manageable and focused on student success."
Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare
Reducing class sizes is part of the government's broader, multi-year commitment to address class size and complexity and support teachers as classrooms continue to evolve across the province. This funding also builds on the $143 million invested in February to address class size and complexity beginning in the current school year, which supports hiring up to 476 teachers and 952 educational assistants in the most complex classrooms.
"Students in elementary and junior high benefit greatly through additional instructional time inherent to smaller classrooms - time which ensures they have opportunity to enhance their understanding of important facts and key concepts."
Colleen Holowaychuk, board chair, Elk Island Public Schools
"We appreciate the government's approach to direct funding where pressures are greatest. Building on earlier investments to address classroom complexity and increase student spaces through modular and new school announcements, this funding supports a more coordinated, multi-year approach to managing growth and creating the conditions for overall student success."
Sandra Palazzo, board chair, Edmonton Catholic Schools
As Alberta's classrooms continue to grow, the government will keep making targeted investments to reduce pressures on students, support teachers and create stronger learning environments across the province.
Quick facts
- The Class Size Reduction Grant supports hiring more than 1,400 teachers provincewide in the 2026-27 school year.
- The grant uses classroom-level data to target funding to schools with the greatest class sizes in kindergarten through Grade 9.
- All public, separate and francophone school authorities will receive funding from the grant to support an overall provincial reduction in class sizes.
- Schools with more core classes exceeding the "high threshold" for their grade, often in larger or faster-growing boards, will receive more funding.
- Budget 2026 provides funding to hire more than 1,600 teachers and 800 support staff in the 2026-27 school year.
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