SAC recently received a letter from the Honourable Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare, in response to our recent position paper, ‘The Role of Speech-Language Pathologists in School-Based Literacy.’ We had sent the paper to the Minister’s office aiming to highlight the vital contribution of speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) to Alberta’s education system and to advocate for a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to school-based literacy. 

Our position paper was sent to the Minister to support ongoing discussions around literacy programming and promote stronger collaboration between educators and S-LPs. We outlined the critical role that S-LPs play in literacy development, including their expertise in reading and writing skills, knowledge of language development, and ability to deliver evidence-based support to students. The paper concluded with a call to action: invest in S-LP services in schools, strengthen collaboration between S-LPs and educators, and leverage S-LPs’ expertise to advance inclusive literacy practices.  

The Minister’s letter expressed his appreciation for SAC’s position paper and the opportunity to respond. He highlighted the government’s belief that “giving every student the right start is essential” and emphasized the importance of supporting foundational reading, writing, and math skills. The Minister also detailed recent government initiatives, including engaging with school boards and stakeholders to gather feedback on the current approach to early literacy. He noted that this engagement led to enhancements for the 2024/25 school year, such as more frequent screenings for students in Grades 1 to 3 and the introduction of kindergarten screening. 

The Minister’s letter concludes by encouraging SAC to share the position paper directly with Alberta school boards. Under Alberta’s Education Act, school boards are responsible for delivering appropriate education programming and ensuring students have access to specialized supports when needed. The letter further notes that school boards receive additional funding to address diverse learning needs, enabling them to provide a continuum of services within inclusive learning environments. 

Read his letter now.