The province has released the latest draft curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 4, more than two years after Alberta Education started developing a new provincial curriculum for Alberta students.

The draft released Wednesday is the second version to be released publicly. The first draft was shared in the spring, and the new version was updated with feedback officials received after the first release.

Education Minister David Eggen said his department received more than 70,000 responses from their first release.

“We’re working to ensure that this curriculum focuses on the priorities of Albertans so it can set our students up for success in a fast changing world,” Eggen said in a statement.

In June 2016, Alberta Education started the process to develop a new curriculum in six subjects: language arts (in both English and French), mathematics, social studies, arts and wellness education.

The province is also hosting two telephone town halls to discuss the K-4 draft curriculum, both calls start at 7 p.m.: October 16 (for residents of northern Alberta) and on October 17 (for those living in southern Alberta). Albertans interested in participating can register online.

The Education Ministry has laid out timelines for the next few years for approval by the ministry:

  • December 2018 for Grades K-4
  • December 2019 for Grades 5-8
  • December 2020 for Grades 9-10 (in three subjects)
  • December 2021 for Grades 9-10 (for the remaining three subjects), and Grades 11-12 (in three subjects)
  • December 2022 for Grades 11-12 (the remaining three subjects)

The ministry said timelines for implementing the new curriculum have not been set.