Updates for Parents on new Education Act Amendments & Ministerial Order Releases
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we get set to welcome students back to school for the 2025-2026 school year, we want to begin by ensuring that parents are made aware of some important changes required of us by the Alberta Ministry of Education. Specifically, the legislative and regulatory changes affecting our schools. Our division has updated its administrative procedures, forms, and resources accordingly. A summary of key changes is outlined below.
What Every Parent Should Know – Summary of Key Points
1. Education Amendment Act, 2024 (Formerly Bill 27)
- Received Royal Assent on December 5, 2024, and will come into force on September 1, 2025.
- Students under 16 will require parental permission to use a preferred name or pronoun. For students aged 16–17, schools must notify parents, but permission is not required.
- Any curriculum content that deals primarily and explicitly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality now requires parental opt‑in rather than opt‑out.
- Ministerial approval is now required for learning resources and those brought in by external parties that deal mainly with these topics. NOTE: Resources for Religious Education are exempt, as well as those used during student extra-curricular clubs, unless brought in by an external party.
- Updates were made to learning environments, specifically in the case of emergency health situations. The changes provide parents with more choice and information about health measures and access to supportive learning environments during emergencies.
- Key takeaway: Our division will work closely with school administrators to ensure school staff are aware of their new obligations, and we have updated our procedures and forms to align with these requirements.
2. Fairness and Safety in Sport Act (Formerly Bill 29) & Fairness and Safety in Sport Regulation
- Received Royal Assent on June 4, 2025, and is now in force.
- Establishes new rules to ensure fairness and safety in school and community sports:
- Athletes may participate in female-only competitions only if their biological sex at birth is female. Written confirmation is required from the athlete (if 18+) or the parent/guardian (if a minor).
- Eligibility in female-only competitions may be challenged in writing by a coach or parent of a participant.
- Provincial sport organizations, including School Sport Alberta - SSA (Formerly Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association - ASAA), must apply these eligibility rules.
- Key takeaway: Our division has updated our athletics policies, procedures, and forms to meet these requirements and will ensure we communicate closely with coaches and athletes as these new changes come into effect this school year.
3. Ministerial Order 030/2025 — School Library Materials
- Issued July 4, 2025, establishing binding standards for selection, availability, and access of school library materials; this includes classroom libraries.
- Key provisions include:
- Explicit sexual content is prohibited from school libraries.
- Non-explicit sexual content may only be accessed by students in Grade 10 and above, if deemed developmentally appropriate.
- All such materials must be reviewed continuously, and schools will maintain a publicly available catalog of all library materials, available upon formal request to the school Principal.
- A procedure is now in effect that allows members of the school community to request a learning resource to be considered for removal according to the standards set out in these new regulations.
- Key-Takeaway: Our staff has begun auditing library content to ensure that by October 1, 2025, all unauthorized resources are removed and that access to content is restricted where required.
District Actions Completed
Steps the District Has Taken
- Work has started and will continue with Division staff to ensure we continue to support every student while adhering to Alberta Education’s updated policies and procedures.
- Our district has revised its procedures to reflect Bill 27, Bill 29, and Ministerial Order 030/2025 which has included updates to Administrative Procedures and Forms.
- Parental opt-in consent forms will be provided for topics involving gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.
- Administrative Procedures updated regarding preferred pronouns and names.
- Internal protocols for curriculum/resource and library material approvals and challenges.
- Updates to Athletic forms to meet the requirements of Bill 29.
Transparency & Accessibility
We confirm that all legally required notifications have been issued through official channels, and updated procedures and forms are now in use.
FIND OUT MORE – Go beyond the summary.
Links to Relevant Documents
- Education Amendment Act – Bill 27
- Fairness and Safety in Sport Act – Bill 29 & Fairness and Safety in Sport Regulation
- Ministerial Order #30/2025 [Education and Childcare]
- Administrative Procedure (AP) Revisions and/or Additions
- District Form Revisions and/or Additions
Catholic education is more than academics—it is a partnership in helping children grow in wisdom, faith, and character. Thank you for choosing a school community where Christ is at the center, and where together we nurture both hearts and minds.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” — Colossians 3:15