Thread by @JunkerAnna

In about five minutes, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange will provide an update on additional steps being taken to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I will do my best to live tweet.

#COVID19AB #abed #yeg #yyc

LaGrange will be joined by Lorrie Jess, president of the Alberta School Boards Association and Wilco Tymensen, president of the College of Alberta School Superintendents.

LaGrange says in May, it was announced $45-million would be available for school authorities to address learning distractions, caused by the pandemic. She says today, government will distribute its funding at a rate of $490 per student for literacy or numeracy support

LaGrange says some students may qualify for both and the school authority would then receive $980 per student for those

She says the initial focus of this programming will be on students in grades two and three.

LaGrange now says she's heard concerns over students writing exams.

She says the weight of the diploma exam will be weighed at 10 per cent for this school year, given the ongoing COVID-19 impacts on students. This change is only for the diploma exam. PATs will continue as usual

Now on to rapid COVID-19 tests, LaGrange says the tests will first be offered to Kindergarten - Grade 6 schools across the province that are on outbreak status