Overview

Alberta is renewing the kindergarten to Grade 12 (K to 12) curriculum, starting with K to 6. The curriculum development process is happening over a number of years.

Timeline

Since beginning this process in 2019, we have renewed and released the following K to 6 curriculums:

  • April 2022
    • English language arts and literature
    • mathematics
    • physical education and wellness
  • March 2023
    • science
    • French first language and literature
    • French immersion language arts and literature
  • In September 2022, provincewide implementation began for the new:
    • K to 6 physical education and wellness curriculum 
    • K to 3 mathematics and English language arts and literature curriculums  
  • In September 2023, provincewide implementation began for the new:
    • grades 4 to 6 mathematics and English language arts and literature curriculums
    • K to 3 French first language and literature, French immersion language arts and literature and science curriculums
  • In September 2024, provincewide implementation will begin for the new:
    • grades 4 to 6 French first language and literature, French immersion language arts and literature and science curriculums

Learn about the supports and resources available to support teachers and students with curriculum implementation and piloting.

Engagement (2023-24)

  • Curriculum consultation groups

    From September 2023 to January 2024, we engaged with more than 900 education partners, teachers, multicultural organizations, Indigenous and francophone communities and other education specialists to inform development of a draft K to 12 social studies subject overview and the content of the draft K to 6 social studies curriculum.

    Curriculum development specialists  

    We contracted curriculum development specialists to work directly with department staff to provide input into the process for the development of draft K to 6 social studies curriculum throughout fall 2023. These specialists were invited to participate based on their expertise in social studies and curriculum development.

    Members included:

    • Jean Claude Couture, University of Alberta
    • Kathryn Crawford, Ambrose University
    • Meyranie Giroux, Conseil Scolaire Centre-Nord
    • Craig Harding, Mount Royal University
    • Yvonne Poitras Pratt, University of Calgary
    • Pierre Rousseau, University of Alberta
    • David Scott, University of Calgary
    • Amy von Heyking, University of Lethbridge, provided a written submission

    Curriculum content contributors

    We invited curriculum content contributors to provide input that was considered in the development of the scope and sequence of K to 12 social studies curriculum and the content of draft K to 6 social studies curriculum.

    These individuals are part of the academic community and have significant experience in areas that pertain to social studies content, including politics, civics, geography, economics and history.

    Members included:

    • Andy Knight, University of Alberta
    • Rob Aitken, University of Alberta
    • Keith Archer, University of Calgary
    • Barry Cooper, University of Calgary
    • Joshua D. Goldstein, University of Calgary
    • Michel Kelly-Gagnon, Montreal Economic Institute

    Teacher curriculum consultation group

    School authorities were invited to nominate teachers to participate in the teacher curriculum consultation group. We reviewed all nominations to ensure a diverse and representative sample of certificated Alberta teachers were chosen from all types of school authorities and geographic locations.

    Members included:

    • Alison Katzko
    • Alison Stewart
    • Amanda Kiat
    • Christine Hamre
    • Christine Nadeau
    • Darren Krasowski
    • Debbie Mineault
    • Debra Santos
    • Eric Walker
    • Fiona Stocker
    • Jeney Gordon
    • Jennifer Perry
    • Julie Howatson
    • Julie Showalter
    • Karena Hartson
    • Kerry Carr-Jeschke  
    • Lauren Crittenden
    • Lisa Iversen
    • Lynn Leslie
    • Paris Engram  
    • Samantha Davidson
    • Shala Vollman-Taki
    • Shara O'Connor
    • Sharon McLean
    • Stacey Shields
    • Sydney Blondin
    • Sylvette Fillion

  • Preliminary survey

    From September 18 to October 16, 2023, more than 12,800 surveys were completed by Albertans who provided input about what they would like students to learn in new social studies curriculum. Find out what they said:

    Education partner feedback and preliminary survey results were used to inform development of the draft social studies curriculum before it was publicly released for further engagement.

  • Public feedback form

    On March 14, 2024, we released a draft K to 12 social studies subject overview and the draft K to 6 social studies curriculum. Albertans completed more than 2,900 online feedback forms to provide input on key learnings within the draft K to 12 social studies curriculum. Find out what they said: 

    We considered feedback from all engagement activities to update the draft K to 6 social studies curriculum.

  • Classroom piloting

    On April 26, 2024, we released updated draft K to 6 social studies curriculum to help school authorities and teachers prepare for optional classroom piloting: 

    In the 2024/25 school year, 62 school authorities will pilot the draft K to 6 social studies curriculum in 429 schools across Alberta. More than 1,700 teachers will work with the new draft social studies curriculum in classrooms.

    School authorities piloting draft social studies curriculum can be broken down by school authority type as follows:

    Public

    • Aspen View School Division
    • Battle River School Division
    • Black Gold School Division
    • Calgary School Division
    • Chinook’s Edge School Division
    • Clearview School Division
    • Edmonton School Division
    • Fort McMurray School Division
    • Fort Vermillion School Division
    • Golden Hills School Division
    • Grande Prairie School Division
    • Horizon School Division
    • Lethbridge School Division
    • Livingstone Range School
    • Medicine Hat School Division
    • Northern Gateway School Division
    • Northern Lights School Division
    • Palliser School Division
    • Parkland School Division
    • Peace River School Division
    • Prairie Land School Division
    • Prairie Rose School Division
    • Red Deer School Division
    • Rocky View School Division
    • St. Albert School Division
    • St. Paul School Division
    • Sturgeon School Division
    • Westwind School Division
    • Wetaskiwin School Division
    • Wild Rose School Division
    • Wolf Creek School Division

    Separate

    • Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division
    • Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate School Division
    • Edmonton Catholic Separate School Division
    • Elk Island Catholic Separate School Division
    • Grande Prairie Roman Catholic Separate School Division
    • Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School Division
    • Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate School Division
    • Lakeland Roman Catholic Separate School Division
    • Red Deer Catholic Separate School Division

    Public charter

    • Alberta Classical Academy
    • Almadina School Society
    • Foundations for the Future Charter Academy

    Independent

    • Al Mustafa Academy & Humanitarian Society
    • Calgary Academy Society
    • Calgary French & International School Society
    • Canadian Reformed School Society of Edmonton
    • Congregation House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel
    • Delta West Academy Society
    • Edmonton Academy Society for Learning Disabled
    • Edmonton Islamic School Society
    • Edmonton Khalsa School Educational Association
    • First Steps Elementary Academy
    • Hillcrest Christian School Society
    • Khalsa School Calgary Educational Foundation
    • Living Truth Christian School Society
    • Rundle College Society
    • The Canadian Reformed School Society of Calgary
    • Webber Academy Foundation

    Francophone

    • Greater North Central Francophone Education Region (Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord)
    • Northwest Francophone Education Region (Conseil scolaire du Nord-Ouest)

    First Nations

    • Peigan Board of Education Society

    We will provide school authorities and teachers with a variety of supports and resources to ensure a successful piloting process.

    Piloting teachers will have regular opportunities to provide feedback to Alberta Education on the draft social studies curriculum, including how it is experienced in classrooms. We will consider feedback from all engagement activities and classroom piloting, as well as research and best practices, to finalize the new social studies curriculum.

Implementation (2024)

Grades 4 to 6 French first language and literature, French immersion language arts and literature and science curriculums will be implemented in all elementary classrooms starting in September 2024. 

We continue to provide school authorities and teachers with various supports and resources to implement new curriculum.

Next grades

Recognizing the timeline for new K to 6 curriculum has been adjusted, the work to draft curriculum for grades 7 to 12 will be sequenced accordingly.

Supports and resources for teachers and students

2023/24 school year

We invested $47 million in teacher professional learning, along with learning and teaching resources, to make sure teachers and students are equipped for the new K to 6 curriculum in classrooms.

We also provided teachers across the province with the following supports and resources on New LearnAlberta so they could prepare for the school year:

  • the final K to 6 French first language and literature, French immersion language arts and literature and science curriculums
  • the Provincial Resource Review Guide for selecting learning and teaching resources aligned with the new curriculums
  • bridging resources to help transition from the current curriculums to the new curriculums
  • videos and support documents with an overview and orientation to the new curriculums
  • planning tools such as sample lesson plans
  • Boards – a tool that allows for teacher planning, collaboration and sharing
  • information about flexible professional learning opportunities

2024/25 school year

We are investing $34 million to support the implementation of new grades 4 to 6 French first language and literature, French immersion language arts and literature and science curriculums and classroom piloting of new draft K to 6 social studies curriculum.

To ensure successful classroom piloting, teachers will have access to various supports and resources throughout the process, including:

  • teacher release days to support planning, instruction and preparation
  • learning and teaching resources
  • professional learning opportunities
  • opportunities to provide feedback to Alberta Education on the draft curriculum, including how it is experienced in classrooms  

In addition, teachers can access professional learning and teaching resources aligned with draft curriculum at New LearnAlberta, including:

  • a subject-specific overview with shifts and snapshots by grade
  • a quick reference video with an overview of draft curriculum
  • an illustrative example to show how knowledge, understanding, and skills and procedures support the learning outcome
  • a fact sheet about critical thinking in the draft K to 6 social studies curriculum

Curriculum development history (2019 to 2022)

  • August 2019 to December 2020

  • August to November 2020

    • Alberta Education designed and developed new K to 6 curriculum.

  • August 2020 to February 2021

    • Nineteen elders and subject matter experts provided advice based on their subject matter expertise and lived experience.
    • Learn more about the Advisors on Draft Curriculum

  • December 2020

    • The K to 6 curriculum working group, consisting of about 100 teachers from across Alberta, met virtually to discuss the draft curriculum.
    • Download the member list: Curriculum Working Group Members – Kindergarten to Grade 6 
    • Approximately 30 Faculty of Education deans and professors from Alberta’s post-secondary institutions reviewed the draft K to 6 curriculum.

  • March 2021 to February 2022

    • The draft K to 6 curriculum was publicly released online on March 29, 2021, for review. Since then, Albertans have provided feedback many ways, including:
      • an online survey from March 2021 until February 2022
      • virtual sessions hosted by Alberta Education staff between May 2021 and February 2022
      • virtual engagement sessions where nearly 600 participants shared diverse viewpoints on each subject area and the draft social studies design blueprint in February 2022

  • June 2021 to March 2022

    • In June 2021, Alberta Education began conversations with education partners to share information and discuss the draft K to 6 curriculum.
    • Alberta Education provided approximately $800,000 in grants to support partner groups in conducting consistent and coordinated engagements with their communities so their unique perspectives could be heard.

  • January to June 2022