Education Amendment Act, 2024*

Summary#

• Bill 27 changes Alberta’s Education Act. It focuses on keeping in-person school during emergencies, parental notice and consent, and rules for lessons and materials about gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.

• It applies to public, separate, Francophone, charter, and private schools. It takes effect on a future date set by the government (on Proclamation).

• Key changes:

  • Sets a right to education during declared emergencies and prioritizes in-person learning, with at-home learning as a temporary option.
  • Requires parental consent for certain health measures on students during emergencies, with some exceptions.
  • Gives the Minister power to set rules on in-person/at-home learning, health-measure consent, and masks.
  • Requires Minister approval of any teaching materials that deal primarily and explicitly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality; outside presenters on these topics also need approval.
  • Requires schools to give parents at least 30 days’ notice and get consent before a student takes part in instruction that deals primarily and explicitly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality; alternatives must be offered if consent is not given.
  • Sets rules for using a student’s new preferred name or pronouns: under 16 requires parental consent; ages 16–17 requires notifying parents.

What it means for you#

• Parents and guardians

  • You must get at least 30 days’ notice and be asked for consent before your child joins lessons or uses materials that deal mainly and explicitly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality. You can consent to all or part of the content.
  • If you do not consent, the school must provide alternate instruction or supervision outside the classroom for that time.
  • If your child (under 16) asks staff to use a new preferred name or pronouns, the school must notify you and seek your consent before staff use them. For ages 16–17, the school must notify you of the request; consent is not required at that age.
  • During declared emergencies, if the school plans health measures that directly involve your child’s body (for example, beyond routine handwashing and cleaning), your consent is required for students under 16. For students 16 or older, you will be notified and consent may be given by the student or by you.

• Students

  • Schooling must continue during declared emergencies. The aim is to keep in-person learning available; at-home learning may be used temporarily.
  • If you are under 16 and want staff to use a new preferred name or pronouns, your parent must be notified and must consent before they are used. If you are 16 or 17, your parent will be notified of your request, and staff may use the new name or pronouns after notice.
  • If telling your parent or asking for consent is likely to cause you emotional or psychological harm, or if you ask for help, the school must provide counselling or other help before contacting your parent.
  • You can still join student clubs and activities (such as GSAs/QSAs) without parental notice or consent under this bill.

• Teachers and schools

  • Keep in-person learning during emergencies whenever possible; use at-home learning temporarily when needed and as set by government rules.
  • Get Minister approval before using teaching materials that deal mainly and explicitly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality. If an outside group or speaker provides these materials, both the materials and the provider must be approved.
  • Give parents at least 30 days’ notice and get consent before students take part in instruction or use materials that deal mainly and explicitly with these topics. Provide alternatives if no consent.
  • Follow the name/pronoun rules: do not use a new preferred name or pronouns until parents are notified (and for under-16s, until consent is obtained).
  • Follow any provincial rules set by the Minister on masks and health-measure consent during emergencies.

• Private schools and external presenters

  • The same rules apply to accredited private schools.
  • External presenters on gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality must be approved by the Minister, and their materials must also be approved.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Keeps schools open and stable in crises by prioritizing in-person learning and guaranteeing education continues.
• Strengthens parental rights by requiring notice and consent for sensitive topics and for certain health measures during emergencies.
• Ensures transparency and quality by having the Minister approve materials and outside presenters on gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.
• Provides clear, consistent rules across all school types, including private schools.
• Balances student involvement at ages 16–17 with parental awareness through notification.

Opponents' View#

• May “out” transgender or gender-diverse students under 16 to their parents, which critics say could harm student safety and privacy; even notification at ages 16–17 may raise privacy concerns.
• Centralized approval of materials and presenters could delay or limit classroom content on health and identity topics, and add paperwork for teachers.
• Mandatory parental consent for instruction on these topics could reduce student access to comprehensive sexual health education.
• Broad ministerial powers over masks and emergency measures could override local decisions and reduce transparency, since some orders do not follow the usual regulation process.
• New notice-and-consent steps and alternate instruction requirements may increase administrative workload for schools.