PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS' ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA
PSBAA releases first Snapshot tracking progress on realities and provincial commitments concerning Public School education

On September 24, the Public School Boards' Association of Alberta (PSBAA) released its first PSBAA Snapshot.

"It is my pleasure to share our new initiative with communities across Alberta," says Dr. Lorraine Stewart, President of the PSBAA. "We hope you find the Snapshot provides you with a better understanding of some of the realities Public Schools are facing and the progress of provincial commitments regarding Public School education."

The inaugural Snapshot focuses on four significant topic areas, including student population trends, complexity teams, school projects and modular classrooms. The Snapshot uses data gathered from its member Public School Boards and publicly available resources, such as those from the Government of Alberta.

Snapshot at a Glance

• The Public School student population has had an overall increase of 56,133 students from the 2020-21 school year to the 2024-25 school year.
• In the 2024-25 school year, Public School students made up 65 per cent of the student population including all schools and authorities.
• From our sampling of member Public School Boards, 90 per cent of the Complexity Teams created in 2025-26 were fully staffed by the end of the school year. NOTE: This does not include the additional teams the provincial government announced for the 2026-27 school year.
• From our sampling of Public School Boards, there are 44 active school projects.
• Almost half of the school projects for our member Public School Boards are in the Planning Phase.
• From our sampling of Public School Boards, 26 modular classrooms were completed in the 2025-26 school year.

The initiative is intended to provide factual, objective information that can become the basis for discussion, investigation and innovation. "As the Association tracks progress from year to year, future Snapshots will showcase trends affecting Public School education," says President Stewart. "This will be valuable information for people across the province. However, though the numbers provide us insights, it's the context behind the data that's important."

The PSBAA is committed to the idea of smart funding. "To solve a problem, we must address the root cause. That is why we advocate for education funding that is needs- responsive, strategic and future-focused. We will continue to work with the provincial government, our education partners and communities to make this happen. The Snapshot is one way we are bringing the conversation forward."

The PSBAA September Snapshot 2026 is available on the PSBAA website.