Priority 2: Enhance High-Quality Learning and Working Environments
Goal 1: A Culture of Excellence and Accountability
Outcome: The Division uses evidence-based practices to support and enhance the quality of teaching, learning and leading
Alberta Education's Assurance Domain: Teaching and leading
Provincial Outcome: Alberta has excellent teachers, school leaders and school-authority leaders
Additional Information:
AERR: A Culture of Excellence and Accountability (see pg. 52-58)
Overall, feedback from the 2023-24 Alberta Education Assurance (AEA) survey indicates strong employee satisfaction with the professional learning offered within EIPS. For example, 87% of EIPS teachers agree the professional learning and in-servicing received from the Division are focused and systematic and contributed significantly to their professional development—provincially, the per- centage is noticeably lower, 81%. As well, 85% of teachers said the Division’s professional learning addressed their development needs, and 90% reported the professional learning opportunities offered focus on EIPS’ priorities. These results continue to be impressive and indicate the Division continues to provide high-quality professional learning to staff that collectively contributes to teachers’ instructional practice. It also demonstrates the learning offered is tightly tied to the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan—a living document the Division uses to guide its work and improve teaching and learning outcomes.
To add to the AEA survey data, EIPS also conducted its EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For staff in spring 2024—completed by all Division employees, certificated and classified. The results complement the provincial measures. Ninety-five per cent of staff reported having someone at work who encourages their professional learning—up by 1% from 2022-23; another 95% said they have opportunities at work to learn and grow—up by almost 1%; 98% reported their colleagues are committed to doing quality work—again up by 1%; and 90% of employees felt they received recognition or praise for doing good work—also up, by almost 3%. The consistent increases are likely the result of EIPS’ ongoing belief in the importance of professional learning and connecting that learning to student growth and achievement.
EIPS’ education quality results are also strong. On the AEA survey, 87% of teachers, families and students reported being satisfied with the overall quality of basic education— earning a provincial evaluation rating of “high.” Also, 89% of families were satisfied with the quality of education at their child’s school—earning the evaluation rating “very high.” Similarly, 91% of families reported being satisfied with the quality of teaching at their child’s school—again earning a provincial evaluation rating of “very high.” Like with staff, EIPS also conducted the feedback survey with parents and caregivers, producing comparable results as the provincial measures—82% are satisfied with the quality of education at their child’s school and 84% are satisfied with the teaching at their child’s school. Collectively, the feedback indicates a high level of satisfaction with the Division’s quality of education.
That said, the data also revealed areas for growth for EIPS—particularly around the Division’s improvement over the last three years. Looking at the AEA survey, 77% of teachers, families and students agreed or strongly agreed the jurisdiction has improved or stayed the same in the last three years. That’s not a bad score, as it received a provincial rating of “high,” and is up slightly, by 0.2%, from the year before. However, it is below pre-pandemic results—81% in 2018-19 and 80% in 2019-20.
Looking deeper into the AEA survey data in terms of whether the Division improved or stayed the same in the last three years, student results remain consistent over time, the parent and caregiver result is slowly increasing, and the teacher result is where the decline is seen. So, for EIPS, it will focus its efforts on improving the quality of education for all students and providing high-quality, professional learning for staff. The goal: To raise that measure back to the 80th percentile, for all three stakeholder groups.
Year-round, EIPS strives to offer all employees a range of focused professional learning opportunities that support and complement the priorities and goals listed in the Four-Year Education Plan. One of the ways it develops these opportunities is through professional growth plans— completed annually by all probationary, permanent and continuing-contract employees. Each plan is pertinent to the employee’s position and reflects their professional learning goals and objectives—while also aligning with the quality standard and related education plans. Collectively, these help foster instructional improvements, professional growth and enhance best practices for all employees.
EIPS Human Resources also hosted several learning sessions for employees. One of which was Off to a Good Start, an annual orientation program for new employees organized before school startup. In 2023-24, Off to a Good Start was offered to 27 new teachers and 17 new classified staff. The orientation helped prepare new employees—in terms of Division expectations, colleagues and available supports—to more smoothly transition into their position. EIPS also launched a new two-part Leadership Development program—comprised of two program streams, Year 1 and Year 3.
The Leadership Development Year 1 program was open to all teachers interested in exploring leadership opportunities. Meanwhile, the Year 3 program ran year-long, was open to new assistant principals and functioned as a mentoring opportunity. The sessions—led by experienced principals, assistant principals, Division leaders and HR professionals—focused on the Leadership Quality Standard and operational best practices. Topics included fostering effective relationships, a day in the life of an assistant principal, instructional leadership, leading a learning community, responding to a larger context and full-cycle recruitment. Overall, the program was well received and offered assistant principals and aspiring leaders needed support and guidance.
Lastly, in spring 2024, EIPS hosted a Classified Staff Professional Learning Day. The theme: Drive Determines Distance. Throughout the day, classified staff—business managers, secretaries, registrars, educational assistants and other classified groups—participated in multiple centrally co-ordinated professional learning sessions. They also heard from renowned keynote speaker Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk, who is also an eight-time Canadian long-drive national champion, a Long Drivers of America Tour Champion and a Callaway Golf sponsored athlete. Vlooswyk shared her journey to the top of the golf world through goal setting and perseverance. The takeaway for EIPS staff: find what drives you, commit to it and success will come. In addition to the keynote session, Vlooswyk also offered a break-out learning session at the professional learning day—one of 52 sessions offered during the annual event. Overall, the day was a huge success, with the break-out sessions all well-received.
Numerous professional learning opportunities were also offered through Supports for Students. For the most part, the sessions focused on capacity building in the areas of early learning; literacy; numeracy; discipline; crisis intervention; career pathways; curriculum; assessment; achievement-data analysis; First Nations, Métis and Inuit education; counselling; mental health; and inclusive practices. The department also put significant work into building common core-subject final exams for the secondary grades. The process involved blueprinting curriculum to develop exam questions, which also served as a valuable form of professional learning. The long-term goal, of course, is to offer students consistent assessments and reporting divisionwide.
Year-long, EIPS consultants worked with schools to foster early learning literacy- and numeracy-rich environments. They provided resources and facilitated professional learning opportunities to focus instruction and maximize student engagement. They also used various educational kits to further support schools. The kits ranged in focus from vertical non-permanent surfaces to building understanding to thinking classrooms (see pg. 18, “Setting up for success”). Several professional learning sessions also took place focusing on high-leverage instructional practices and creating welcoming and inclusive classrooms, including:
Throughout the year, EIPS Specialized Supports consultants worked with schools to ensure an inclusive education system that meets the diverse needs of all learners. Specialized Supports also helped maintain and enhance the Division's educational quality by providing co-ordinated and timely assistance to staff that included responsive and universally designed instructional practices. Several professional learning sessions also took place throughout the year—all focused on high-leverage strategies to create welcoming, caring and safe school communities, including:
|
Professional learning session |
NO. OF SESSIONS OFFERED |
NO. OF STAFF TRAINED |
|
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention |
16 |
308 |
|
Autism Spectrum Disorder |
4 |
108 |
|
LGBTQ2S+ Lead Training |
1 |
40 |
|
Brain Architecture |
3 |
105 |
|
Stress, Brain Development and Learning |
5 |
130 |
|
Educational Assistant Community of Practice |
3 |
20 |
|
The Educator Nervous System: Dr. Lori Desautels |
1 |
80 |
Furthermore, to professional learning sessions, EIPS’ Assistive Technology team supported more than 150 students and their teachers, using 11 new communication devices—all approved for complex communicators. The aim, of course, was to ensure all students had an opportunity to engage in the classroom community.
EIPS also participated in an Educational Assistant Pilot project, designed to provide support and training for educational assistants within the Division. In total, 10 educational assistants participated in the pilot, which included six modules of study. Overall, educational assistants reported the training positively impacted their professional growth and enabled them to do a better job supporting students in the classroom.
Along with early learning and specialized supports, EIPS consultants also worked with schools to foster literacy- and numeracy-rich environments—again providing resources and facilitating professional learning opportunities to focus instruction and maximize student engagement. For the most part, the professional learning sessions focused on instruction and assessment through various workshops, modelling and coaching opportunities.
Throughout the year, EIPS also offered extensive professional learning opportunities focused on literacy and numeracy. Some of these included:
|
Professional learning session |
NO. OF SESSIONS OFFERED |
NO. OF STAFF TRAINED |
|
Artificial Intelligence |
2 |
75 |
|
Assessment |
21 |
163 |
|
Literacy |
38 |
874 |
|
Numeracy |
34 |
473 |
|
Split Grades |
2 |
22 |
|
Summer Literacy Institute |
12 |
192 |
In addition, EIPS hosted a new teachers cohort, which met four times throughout the year. Consultants provided opportunities for teachers, relatively new to their positions, to come together to share best practices and take part in modelling and coaching opportunities. The result, participants gained confidence in ways to incorporate effective teaching principles and high-leverage practices into their classrooms.
Overall, the Division’s focus on literacy and numeracy is building collective capacity divisionwide, where reading and math are integrated into every subject and every grade. The result: A culture of literacy and numeracy is forming within the Division, better positioning students to succeed and meet their full potential.
For the 2023-24 school year, Indigenous education capacity building continued to focus on deepening understanding of the Teaching Quality Standard, Leadership Quality Standard and curriculum supports for EIPS students and staff. Ongoing professional learning occurred on designated days, at school-based staff meetings and through in-house targeted workshops.
In total, 55 lead teachers were provided with three professional learning sessions. Each focused on land-based teachings and foundational knowledge, balancing pedagogy with technology and learning about an Indigenous worldview. Elders and Knowledge Holders were also included in these sessions to further develop teacher capacity and relationships throughout EIPS (see pg. 40, “Being in relation”). The result: Lead teachers obtained knowledge and understanding to better support self-identified First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and families. For school- and central-based administrators, they were provided professional learning throughout the year—with a focus on smudging and land acknowledgments. Meanwhile, schools worked with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education team, developing ways to bring Indigenous histories, perspectives and pedagogies into classroom practice. First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education consultants also worked with schools to co-plan and co-teach lessons that weave subject curricular-learning objectives in with Indigenous perspectives and knowledge. Collectively, these experiences helped teachers build confidence and capacity to then create space for Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing within their classrooms.
In 2023-24, schools across Alberta continued to implement the new elementary curriculum, focusing on mathematics and English language arts and literature, grades 4-6; science, K-3; and French Immersion language arts. EIPS undertook significant efforts to ensure a smooth transition and successful student learning (see pg. 7, "A Closer Look"). The New Curriculum team, comprised of five individuals, developed resources, unit plans, planning tools, instructional videos, bridging documents and assessments to support teachers in the classroom.
Elementary teachers and consultants also participated in collaborative working sessions to share feedback and insights, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the new curriculum and its implementation across all EIPS elementary schools. To complement the work, multiple professional learning sessions were offered with grade cohorts, exploring the new curriculum, unit plans and available resources. The Division established a common vetting process through these sessions to ensure teachers and consultants review the available resources. As a result, teachers gained confidence in teaching the new curriculum and how to effectively teach it within the classroom.
Championing French languageUsing language to immerse students in French cultureTo build capacity in French Immersion, EIPS' French-speaking consultant organized multiple professional learning opportunities for teachers, kindergarten to Grade 12. Overall, 26 sessions were hosted and 175 staff attended. The goal: To create resources and improve oral language throughout French Immersion classrooms, including an Early Literacy in French Immersion Initiative. The focus: To prepare and build confidence in teachers as they roll out the new French Immersion language arts and literature curriculum. Plus: A guest-speaker series was also offered, which explored strategies to balance structured literacy instruction with real-world francophone experiences to instill a love of reading. And, several classroom visits were organized to demonstrate pedagogical best practices to help engage students and share French language. |
Making a difference through professional learningEvery year, EIPS invests heavily in offering, supporting and promoting professional learning opportunities for all staff to improve student learning. In addition to the learning already noted, EIPS also offered:
|
Learning forwardThroughout 2023-24, significant work went into building capacity to enhance teacher practices and student experiences, including: Educational Assistant Internship: EIPS launched a new internship program in hopes of retaining more educational assistants (EAs). The what: Removing geographic and financial barriers to quality training through a 16-week, professional learning experience offering coaching, tailored training, online modules, a community of practice and mentorship. Stream 1 included prospective EAs with no prior experience. Stream 2 included EAs currently working in classrooms with no formal training. The result: The program proved instrumental in building capacity within EIPS. Those who took part gained valuable skills and knowledge to then enhance their effectiveness in supporting diverse student needs. Given the program's success, EIPS plans to offer it again in Semester 2 of 2024-25. Collaborative Learning – For counsellors: EIPS hosted collaborative learning opportunities for counsellors. The what: Three sessions were held using a professional learning community model to build counsellor capacity. At the sessions, attendees shared ideas and best practices, discussed topics of interest, participated in just-in-time training, to ultimately, enhance their practice. The result: The sessions were offered to all EIPS school counsellors—all of whom reported the sessions helped improve their existing knowledge and skill sets—and will lead to more consistent divisionwide approaches. Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD): EIPS provided ASD training to teachers and educational staff. The what: A four-part series focused on evidence-based best practices around supporting students with ASD. The result: Through a series of professional learning sessions, 108 participants gained insight, knowledge and resources geared toward learning with ASD. |
Although the Division is pleased with the feedback from staff about professional learning, more can be done to support current, and potential, leadership staff. Right now, the Division’s demographics suggest 24% of EIPS principals and 41% of assistant principals have less than five years of experience in their roles—in 2023-24, EIPS hired two new principals and two assistant principals. As such, it’s critical the Division continues offering support and training for these roles to ensure high-quality education and successful student learning.
One strategy the Division will use is offering a leadership prep program and a new principal community of practice. The latter will involve mentorship and leadership-development programs. The leadership prep program will have three distinct leadership cohorts—Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3. Year 1 will be an introductory program for certificated staff interested in pursuing school administration by exploring several concepts and themes around leadership, and instructional practices. Year 2 will build on concepts learned in Year 1, linking Leadership Quality Standard within the context of EIPS. And, Year 3 will encompass a cohort group of new assistant principals working collectively to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes laid out in the Leadership Quality Standard.
A second growth area is capacity building for educational assistants. Specifically, through a new 16-week Educational Assistant Internship pilot program. Through the program, new education assistants will be provided with rigorous and practical training in the area of complex classrooms. The aim: To accommodate the recruitment and retention of educational assistants in school divisions throughout Alberta.
Another continued growth area is capacity building and developing strategies to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and leading through evidence-based practices. That means adjusting professional learning as needed to meet the needs of schools and classrooms and providing inclusive programming focused on rigour and excellence. To support this, the Division is committed to enhancing and expanding the skills, knowledge and overall abilities in complex classrooms and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. Simultaneously, it will offer collaborative response training on tiered supports for students, classrooms and schools throughout the Division.
A fourth area is finding ways to continue the Reset Room project. EIPS needs to alter the program as it is too expensive to run as is. So, EIPS plans to build staff capacity related to co-regulation and supporting diverse needs in the classroom. To supplement that work, the Division also plans to offer more restorative practice training through information sessions and a play-shop approach, which includes mentorship, modelling and coaching.
Finally, EIPS will offer more professional learning to educational assistants. Specifically, those working with complex students and in classrooms—becoming more normative. These learning opportunities will explore what a complex classroom is, ways to manage classroom complexity and best practices. The goal, of course, is success for all students.
EIPS will continue to support and enhance the quality of teaching, learning and leading. Strategies for the 2025-26 school year include:
