Reducing class sizes goes a long way in laying the foundation for a positive learning environment for our students. Since its inception in 2004/2005, government has invested $951 million into this initiative, resulting in the hiring of more than 2,900 new teachers across the province to reduce class sizes.

Funding for the small class size initiative is in its sixth school year and is an ongoing financial commitment by government to school jurisdictions. Class size funding is a targeted provincial initiative grant, meaning that the funds must be used by jurisdictions to hire or retain certificated teachers to lower or maintain class size averages.

It should be noted that the class size guidelines recommended by Alberta's Commission on Learning are averages across a jurisdiction. When it comes to class sizes, schools and school boards need to have flexibility in classroom organization that supports parent and student educational choice. This means that some classes will be higher and some will be lower than the recommended averages. Government does not specify a maximum class size because there are no "one size fits all" solutions.

Many factors, including class size, contribute to student success. Excellent teachers, a high-quality curriculum, and parent involvement are a few of the other factors that combine to give Alberta one of the best learning systems in the world.