Recent changes to the Education Act (via Education Amendment Act, 2024) came into effect on September 1, 2025. These changes affect how schools respond when a student requests a change to their preferred name or pronouns, and how schools handle certain classroom topics. 

What’s new?

Under the new legislation, schools are required to:

• Notify parents if a student asks staff to use a new preferred name or pronoun related to gender identity.
  • For students ages 16 or 17, parents must be notified before staff uses the new name or pronoun.
  • For students under the age of 16, parents must be notified and provide written consent before staff can use the new name or pronoun.
  • For Students aged 18 and over, parent notification is not required, and their request will be honoured.
• Provide counselling or other support to students before parents are notified, if there are concerns that notification could cause emotional or psychological harm, or if the student requests it.
  
• Notify parents and obtain opt-in consent for student participation if a course, program, or activity includes subject matter that deals directly with gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.
  This applies to the following specific Alberta Education curriculum areas:

• • • Grades 3–6: Physical Education & Wellness
    • Grades 7–9: Health & Life Skills
    • High School: CALM and certain CTS modules (e.g., Reproduction, Parenting, Developing Maturity & Independence)

Parents can opt in fully, partially, or not at all. Students without consent will be provided alternate instruction or supervision. Notification and consent are not required for other subjects or incidental references to these topics. 

• Ensure teaching and learning resources that deal primarily and explicitly with those topics are approved by the Minister of Education, unless they are being used in religious instruction.
  
• Ensure external presenters on these topics are also approved by the Minister of Education.

Where can I find more details?

Pembina Hills has developed new and revised existing procedures to comply with these new requirements while continuing to prioritize safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments for all students. Our goal is to balance the legal requirements with supporting students and their families. See the procedures below for details.

• Administrative Procedure 50-11 – Process for Students Requesting a Change to a Preferred Name or Pronoun
• Administrative Procedure 60-22 Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Human Sexuality
• Administrative Procedure 60-17 Instructional Resources

All staff continue to be expected to follow Policies 19 Welcome, Caring, Respectful and Safe Learning Environments and 30 – A Place for All, which commit to safe, inclusive, and welcoming schools.

Questions?

Parents can reach out to their school principal if they have questions.