Jason Schilling has secured his fourth term as president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA), following the organization’s biennial Provincial Executive Council (PEC) election.
The online vote, held from March 13-16, saw Schilling emerge victorious, reaffirming his leadership of the province’s teaching profession.
The ATA, which represents over 46,000 educators across Alberta, announced the results earlier this week. Schilling, a seasoned advocate for teachers and public education, expressed gratitude for the continued support of his peers.
“I’m deeply honoured to be re-elected by my colleagues,” said Schilling said as reported by the Lethbridge Herald on March 19. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead to ensure our schools remain places where students thrive and teachers are supported.”
The ATA has faced controversies in recent years, largely driven by its fraught relationship with the provincial government. One major flashpoint is Alberta’s Budget 2025, unveiled in February, which allocated $9.9 billion for education — far less than the $11.35 billion the ATA argued was needed to match national per-student funding averages.
Beyond funding and governance, the ATA has clashed with the province over curriculum changes and classroom conditions. The association fiercely opposed the K-6 curriculum overhaul, begun in 2021 and still rolling out in 2025, arguing it ignored teacher input and imposed impractical standards—claims that fuelled public and political debate.
Meanwhile, in late 2024 and early 2025, the ATA spotlighted overcrowded classrooms and staffing shortages, linking them to chronic underfunding and warning of rising student aggression and teacher burnout.
The PEC election, held every two years, determines the leadership team tasked with guiding the ATA’s policies and representing teachers in negotiations with the provincial government.
Alongside Schilling, other council members were elected to serve on the 20-person governing body, though full results for additional positions were not immediately detailed in public announcements.
Schilling’s re-election comes at a pivotal time for Alberta’s education system, with ongoing debates over funding, classroom conditions, and curriculum changes.
His tenure has been marked by a commitment to defending public education, a stance he reiterated following the vote.
“Our focus remains on advocating for the resources our students and teachers need,” he told the Herald.
Voting participation was robust, with members logging into a secure online portal over the four-day period to cast their ballots. The ATA has utilized digital voting in recent years to ensure accessibility for its widespread membership, which spans urban centres and rural communities.
As Schilling begins his new term, attention will likely turn to the challenges ahead, including potential labour negotiations and the association’s response to provincial education policies.
For now, Alberta’s teachers have signalled confidence in his leadership to navigate the issues. The ATA has not yet released an official statement on the election beyond the initial results, but further updates are expected as the new council prepares to take office.