Alberta expanding literacy, numeracy screening to Kindergarten students

Children raise their hand in a classroom. (Narongchai Hlawprasert/Adobe Stock Photo/CNN)

The Alberta government is expanding access to early literacy and numeracy screening to kindergarten students in January.

In July, the province announced enhanced screening tools for students in kindergarten to Grade 5.

The goal is to identify children who are struggling with reading, writing, speech or math concepts early so they can receive the help they need.

"Some of the most significant learning challenges aren't immediately apparent in our classroom setting," said Erika DeGooyer, a Grade 5 teacher at Aurora Academic Charter School.

"Research has shown that without comprehensive literacy and numeracy screening in the early years, students may face persistent difficulties with foundational skills throughout their academic years."

Alberta is the first province in Canada to mandate early screening and intervention, according to University of Alberta professor George K. Georgiou.

"We did this because we know that the earlier we identify children with reading or mathematics difficulties, the better chances we have to help these children," Georgiou said.

The screening tools are quick and can accurately identify around 95 per cent of the students that will later develop reading difficulties, according to Georgiou.

"The screeners, of course, are not structured to diagnose ADHD or other learning disabilities, but I think they can raise a level of awareness, and of course, that can be investigated further by parents with the support of teachers and other staff," said Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.

Screening happens in September and January, and again in June for students who did need additional support to assess their progress.

In the fall, the screening began for students in Grades 1 to 3. Screening for Grades 4 and 5 is set to begin in September 2026.

The province is investing $10 million in Literacy and Support Funding for the 2024-25 school year.

"School boards can use these funds to hire additional staff and help support students who are identified as requiring additional intervention," Nicolaides said.

"School authorities can use funding provided to them to hire additional educational support staff such as educational assistants, occupational therapists, counsellors and psychologists to ensure students who need a helping hand receive the support they need to reach their full potential," said the province in a news release.

Alberta is also investing $1.5 billion in schools to support students' specialized learning needs.

Since 2021, around 80,000 children in the province have been identified as needing additional literacy and numeracy support, according to Georgiou.

He adds that data shows that implementing these supports has reduced the number of students struggling with literacy and numeracy.

"When the schools have been implementing these practices … they have improved the overall performance of the students, including seeing a reduced number of behavioral difficulties in their classes," said Georgiou.

Information on the screeners is available on the province's website.