Alberta classrooms are becoming increasingly complex, placing heavy pressures on schools and staff as they work to deliver a world-class education for Alberta students. This $100-million investment increases supports across kindergarten to Grade 12, adding new complexity teams for grades 7-12 and targeted training for staff, while improving access to specialized services in rural and remote communities.

“Every student deserves a safe, supportive classroom, and every teacher deserves the tools to succeed. This money will strengthen supports, improve safety and ensure teachers have the resources to manage increasingly complex classrooms.”

Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare

This funding will go towards 221 new complexity teams, including 158 for grades 7-12 and 63 new K-6 teams, helping schools respond to growing behavioural complexity and strengthen safe, supportive learning environments.

"We have already seen the positive impact the Classroom Complexity Teams are having in CBE schools. Expanding these teams into grades 7 through 12, together with funding for staff training, will strengthen our ability to respond to learning needs across more schools. We appreciate the flexibility to allocate these resources where they will have the greatest impact.”

Laura Hack, chair, Calgary Board of Education

The $100-million commitment builds on recent provincial actions to reduce class sizes and support complex classrooms, including funding to hire more than 1,400 teachers, and the creation of 476 complexity teams in grades K-6.

“Thank you to Alberta's government for today's $100-million investment in classroom complexity. Supporting students means supporting the educators who serve them every day. The Calgary Catholic School District has consistently advocated for increased supports for students and staff, and we are grateful to see continued investment in one of education's most pressing priorities. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, belong and thrive.”

Lory Iovinelli, chair, Calgary Catholic School District

Existing complexity teams will continue to provide early, school-based support in elementary grades, while new teams will be expanded to serve students in grades 7-12, providing more specialized services for older students. These teams will help address complex behavioural and safety needs in higher grades, while connecting classrooms with additional expertise from behaviour specialists, social workers and other specialists.

All public, separate and francophone school jurisdictions are eligible for and will receive at least one additional complexity team. Teams will be deployed at the school authority level to ensure flexibility, allowing authorities to target supports where needs are greatest, with the ability to respond when local demands change. The rural and remote component of this new funding will be available to all public, separate and francophone school jurisdictions within rural or remote regions.

Targeted training for teachers, school-based staff, new teachers, complexity teams and administrators will focus on classroom complexity and safety, with an emphasis on preventing, de-escalating and responding to behavioural challenges so staff are better equipped to support safe, effective learning environments.

The Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee has played a key role in guiding Alberta’s approach, bringing together education partners to review system data, identify emerging pressures and recommend targeted actions to better support students and classrooms.

Quick facts

  • K-6 complexity teams:
    • Provide early, coordinated, school-based support for younger students in complex classrooms.
    • Typically include one teacher and two educational assistants and are focused on providing additional hands-on classroom support.
    • Will support up to 63 new teachers and 126 new educational assistants.
  • Grades 7-12 complexity teams:
    • Provide more specialized behavioural supports for older students, particularly those with more complex needs.
    • Include one teacher and one educational assistant, with access to additional expertise such as behaviour specialists, social workers or other specialists, and can be deployed across schools within a school authority based on need.
    • Will support up to 158 new teachers and 158 educational assistants with access to additional specialists.
  • Budget 2026 provides $355 million to support class size and classroom complexity in the 2026-27 school year, including:
    • $200 million Class Size Reduction Grant to hire more than 1,400 teachers and reduce class sizes.
    • $100 million to address complexity, including $75 million for K-6 and grades 7-12 complexity teams, and another $25 million for targeted supports such as training, capacity building, and increasing access in rural and remote areas.
    • $55 million to continue the Classroom Complexity Grant.
  • These investments build on a $143-million investment in February 2026 to support up to 476 complexity teams, made-up of teachers and educational assistants, in the most complex K-6 classrooms in the current school year.

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