Alberta teachers' strike enters second day: Education minister open to more hires, but class size caps off the table

Alberta entered the second day of a province-wide teachers' strike on Tuesday, with schools remaining closed and negotiations ongoing. The dispute centers on staffing levels, funding, and class sizes, as educators seek conditions that allow them to effectively support students. CBC reporting highlights both the government’s openness to hiring more staff and the ongoing resistance to setting caps on classroom sizes.

Education minister signals flexibility on staffing
Demetrios Nicolaides , Alberta’s education minister, told CBC Radio’s The Calgary Eyeopener that the provincial government is willing to consider offers that involve larger staffing increases than previously proposed. After teachers rejected an earlier offer that would have added 3,000 teachers and 1,500 educational assistants, Nicolaides indicated the province could discuss hiring as many as 4,500 teachers or 2,000 educational assistants if required. He emphasized that the government is open to adjusting numbers to meet the needs of schools.

Teachers push for class size and funding reforms
While the government focuses on staff numbers, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) maintains that additional hires alone are insufficient. ATA president Jason Schilling explained that educators are seeking broader changes, including limits on class sizes and increased funding for supports that allow teachers to perform their roles effectively. According to CBC, Schilling emphasized that smaller class sizes allow teachers to provide more individualized attention to students, citing his own experience balancing classes of 25 and 42 students.

Class size caps remain a point of contention
Nicolaides has expressed hesitancy to commit to caps on class sizes, arguing that research shows such limits have minimal impact on student achievement. Alberta’s history on the issue underscores the debate: after the 2002 teachers' strike, the province’s Commission on Learning recommended establishing average class size guidelines with adequate funding. However, the current government stopped tracking class sizes in 2019, and standards have not been updated since the 2003 report. CBC notes that teachers previously proposed adopting a similar system during negotiations, which the province rejected, estimating that more than 5,000 teachers would be required to meet the recommended guidelines.

Recruitment alone may not resolve the dispute

Labour relations experts warn that simply increasing staff numbers will not address the underlying issues driving the strike. A professor at Athabasca University, told CBC that improving recruitment requires creating working conditions that attract and retain educators. Hiring more teachers without improving classroom environments may not be sufficient to resolve the labour dispute, he added, noting that the province risks reputational damage if perceived as neglecting teacher needs.

Path forward uncertain
Both Nicolaides and Schilling confirmed that exploratory discussions are ongoing, aimed at returning to formal negotiations. For Alberta’s students, parents, and school support staff, the strike represents a disruption, while for policymakers, it highlights long-standing debates over class sizes, staffing, and the resources required to ensure quality education. Without clear agreements on these issues, the province faces continued pressure from educators and the broader community.