Alberta Record

· Statutory powers / emergency governance in education · in-force

Education Amendment Act, 2024 – Right to education during emergencies

Provisions of the Education Amendment Act, 2024, came into force in March 2025, setting out expectations for students’ right to education and continuity of learning during public health and other emergencies.

Moderate impactHealth system governanceEducationCivil libertiesSchoolsThe public, directly

What changed

  • Amended the Education Act to specify that students have a right to continued access to education during declared emergencies, subject to conditions.
  • Clarified the roles of the Minister, school boards, and schools in determining how learning will be delivered in emergency situations.
  • Provided legislative backing for continuity planning and emergency learning models that had previously been handled through policy.
  • Set timelines for these provisions to take effect, distinct from other parts of Bill 27.

Why it matters

  • Codifies the expectation of continued education during emergencies, giving students and families a clearer statutory basis for access.
  • Formalizes ministerial powers to direct how education is delivered under emergency conditions, including remote or alternative models.
  • Helps frame future debates about proportionality and necessity of emergency measures affecting schools.
  • Connects pandemic-era practices with ongoing legislative frameworks, shaping how future emergencies may be managed.

Other governance concerns

  • Balance between public health protection and education rights.
  • Scope of ministerial discretion to alter school operations during emergencies.
  • Equality of access to education under emergency learning arrangements.

Primary sources (1)