Guide to education: Ecs to grade 12

curriculum/policies

prepare yourself

prepare your class

prepare parents & community

how to teach human sexuality

Page last updated on: December 14, 2010

The Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12 has been finalized and is now available on the Alberta Education website. The Summary of Key Changes is posted at the same location.

Hyperlinks connect to sections within the Guide itself and to the primary source documents cited.

Alberta Human Rights act

A significant change pertaining to this year’s Guide is section 11.1 of the Alberta Human Rights Act comes into force.

This section requires boards (including charter schools) to provide parents with notice where “courses of study, educational programs or instructional materials, or instruction or exercises include subject matter that deals primarily and explicitly with religion, human sexuality or sexual orientation.”

Incidental or indirect references to religion, religious themes, human sexuality or sexual orientation are excluded. Where a parent makes a written request, teachers shall exempt the student, without academic penalty, from such instruction, course of study, educational program, or use of instructional material.

Alberta Education has worked closely with the Alberta School Boards Association and the Alberta Teachers’ Association to prepare for implementation of section 11.1. To that end, the Guide contains new information for school boards, school administrators, and teachers on section 11.1. Impacted courses within Alberta’s programs of study are identified, along with information to assist school administrators and teachers to determine when notification may be required in other situations. Sample parent notice and student exemption forms are also included.

Alberta’s education system is considered to be among the finest in the world. Section 11.1 should not affect the high quality of classroom instruction and discussion that are the hallmarks of our education system, nor should it compromise our curriculum or teaching practices. You are encouraged to communicate with parents, teachers and students to ensure a smooth transition.

In addition to the web-based version, print copies of the Guide are available for purchase from:

Learning Resources Centre

12360 – 142 Street NW

Edmonton AB T58 4X9

Telephone: 780- 427-5775 or toll free 310-0000

Website: www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca