Thousands of educational assistants and support staff are expected to be laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic after the Alberta government announced it will cut some K-12 education funding as students transition to at-home learning. School boards are also being asked to immediately issue notices to non-essential support staff and bus drivers, while limiting the use of substitute teachers. The Education Ministry will redirect $128 million in funding to the province's COVID-19 response from the school boards, the minister's press secretary Colin Aitchison said. The funding decision upends that promise, says Edmonton Public Schools board chair Trisha Estabrooks, generating more uncertainty during a difficult time. The announcement comes less than two days before the school boards were set to roll out at-home programming to hundreds of thousands of Alberta students coming off spring break.

Source: CBC News March 28, 2020 21:11 UTC