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By Josh Hall
classroom complexity

AB Education recognizes pressure, it says, as school divisions struggle with EA numbers

Oct 28, 2026 | 3:30 PM

Ponoka-based Wolf Creek Public Schools is trying to make things work as best as possible for students, but they’re also feeling the financial pinch.

In a recent news release, the board of trustees noted it continues to fund supports that address increasing complexity needs for students.

However, in a 2026/27 budget update given this week, it was explained that the division will continue to contend with a budget deficit of about $1.7 million.

Operating reserves, meanwhile, are at about $2.7 million.

Despite the deficit, the board agreed to fund three full-time educational assistant positions. But they say they still need 14 more to address the aforementioned growing complexities appropriately.

That was further described, they say, in a letter to the provincial education minister in September.

“The board is doing all it can within its capacity,” Superintendent Tim De Ruyck said.

This week, Alberta’s Opposition NDP came out on the offensive, just ahead of MLAs returning to the legislature.

In a statement, the NDP accused the UCP of failing to address the causes of last year’s province-wide teachers strike, which largely revolved around classroom complexity.

“Teachers are still facing the same challenges they were fighting to fix a year ago,” said Amanda Chapman, Alberta NDP Shadow Minister for Education.

“One year later, students, parents, and teachers are paying the price for the UCP’s failure to address these problems. Albertans deserve to know they are sending their kids to schools where they are supported and will have the opportunity to succeed as students.” 

NDP members wore black on Tuesday, “in solidarity with teachers.”

rdnewsNOW requested comment from the Ministry of Education and Childcare on what, if anything, it is doing to help school boards across the province rectify these types of situations, and if it feels it has addressed in any way the concerns amplified during the strike.

“With about 90,000 additional students entering our education system in just four years, we recognize that growing class sizes and classroom complexity are a real pressure in our schools,” says Garrett Koehler, senior press secretary for the ministry.

“That’s why we are focused on putting more staff and targeted supports directly into classrooms. Schools have already added more than 2,100 teachers and more than 1,000 educational assistants, and we are investing $355 million this year to address class size and classroom complexity. We know there is more work to do, and we will continue working with Wolf Creek and school boards across Alberta to strengthen classroom and staffing supports where school authorities need them most.”

Koehler added that Wolf Creek, specifically, is set to receive $438,074 through the Classroom Complexity Grant for this school year.

He also noted that Wolf Creek was allocated $1,319,742 to hire two Kindergarten to Grade 6 and two Grades 7 to 12 complexity teams

Grades 7-12 teams can move between schools on an as-needed basis.

by Josh Hall