Alberta to distribute $45M to schools for literacy, numeracy supports
Young Alberta students struggling to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic are getting help from the province and their schools.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced Wednesday afternoon the Alberta government would distribute $45 million for literacy and numeracy support.
The funding comes at a rate of $490 per student, or $980 if they need help with both literacy and numeracy.
"Without a doubt, learning during this pandemic has been a challenge for the entire education community in Alberta," LaGrange said.
"This funding will allow schools to increase supports to improve writing, reading and numeracy skills for younger students who have fallen behind during the pandemic.
"This could mean increasing the intensity of programming for students, including moving to small groups or one-on-one support, hiring additional staff, implement new numeracy programming for early year students, increasing targeted parent communication programs or involving in more programming, or ensuring staff who are providing this intervention for students have the necessary supports or tools that they need."
The initial focus will be students in Grades 2 and 3, with Grade 1 students to follow next February.
Approximately 38,000 students in Grade 2 and 3 will receive literacy support, and 25,000 students will get numeracy help.
In addition, the education minister announced the weight of Grade 12 diploma exams would be lowered to 10 per cent this school year.
"This change will give students the crucial exam-writing experience they need if they choose to go into post-secondary, while recognizing the impact the pandemic has had on their learning."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.