Alberta students will receive more instruction on managing money, choosing careers and preparing for the workforce under new draft curriculum being tested in classrooms this school year.The province announced Tuesday it is releasing draft Grade 7 to 9 science, Physical Education and Wellness 10 and Career and Life Management (CALM 10) curricula for optional field testing during the 2026-27 school year.“The release of these new curricula is an important step for our education system and for our students,” said Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.“By strengthening career and financial skills education, we are helping students build the practical skills and confidence they need to make informed decisions, plan for their futures and succeed in a changing economy.”The revamped CALM 10 curriculum places greater emphasis on career planning, entrepreneurship and work-related learning.Students will also receive financial literacy instruction covering saving, responsible spending, budgeting, banking and managing debt.“Updating the CALM 10 curriculum will help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to manage their own finances and successfully enter rewarding career paths that excite them,” said Chinook's Edge School Division board chair Holly Bilton.The province is also introducing a draft Physical Education and Wellness 10 curriculum intended to teach students how to remain active, develop relationships and make healthy choices as they become more independent.Draft science curriculum for Grades 7 to 9 will include subjects such as artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, forest management and science-related careers.The government says those additions are intended to strengthen critical thinking, scientific literacy and evidence-based decision-making.Teachers are being invited to apply for focus groups and participate in classroom field testing during the current school year..Feedback from the field testing will be used to revise the curriculum before optional classroom piloting in 2027-28. Mandatory implementation is scheduled for September 2028.Alberta's 2026 budget provides $41 million to support curriculum implementation during the 2026-27 school year.The province said the draft curricula were developed with input from seven education partners, one First Nation education partner, two subject-area specialists, 35 stakeholder organizations and 93 teachers.Alberta began its curriculum renewal process in 2019 and has since implemented new kindergarten to Grade 6 curricula in English language arts and literature, French language programs, mathematics, physical education and wellness, science and social studies.Additional Grade 7 to 9 curriculum covering mathematics, career education and financial literacy, social studies, and physical education and wellness is also under development.The province said 98 school boards are piloting those curricula during the current school year, with mandatory implementation scheduled for September 2027.
