Newfoundland and Labrador is preparing to transform its public education system, thanks to a new $20 million investment announced in the 2025 budget — a sum that will exceed $44 million by the following year. The provincial government aims to address needs long expressed by school communities, including the addition of 400 educational resources to the school system. This addition represents an increase of about 3% to the annual budget of the Department of Education, which is usually around $1.4 billion according to recent provincial budgets. The Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Honourable Bernard Davis, presented the details of an updated Teacher Allocation Model on June 27. The aim: to enhance inclusion, improve learning conditions and better meet student needs.
One of the most anticipated changes is the reduction of class sizes by two students for Grades 1 to 9 in the English sector, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This will bring the provincial average closer to national standards, as current class sizes range from 22 to 27 students — among the highest in the country. The government believes this will improve teaching and learning conditions and encourage student engagement.
The government will increase needs-based teacher allocations with about 70 new units in 2025-2026, growing to over 120 additional units by 2026-2027. Teaching and learning assistants will also double, with 175 new positions in 2025-2026 and 200 in 2026-2027. These professionals will support teachers and enrich the classroom environment.
For the first time in 30 years, five speech-language pathologists will be hired, along with five additional school psychologists. The Centre for Distance Learning & Innovation will gain six more units. The Conseil scolaire francophone provincial will receive three new teaching positions and five additional assistants, adding to its 47 current teachers and 8 substitutes. Schools with significant Indigenous student populations will receive five additional units.
More than 25 additional EAL teachers will be hired in 2025-2026 to achieve a ratio of one teacher per 15 to 30 students. By 2026-2027, over 61 additional units will have been added. In the Newfoundland and Labrador school context — and more broadly across Canada — EAL refers to a program and educational support offered to students whose first language is not English.
The Positive Action for Student Success (PASS) program will see its units increase from 30 to 60, providing greater support for high school student engagement and retention.
| Aspect | Before 2025 | After announced measures |
| Class size (Grades 1-9 English) | 22 to 27 students | 20 to 25 students |
| Teaching assistants | 175 | 375 |
| Speech-language pathologists | No additions in 30 years | +5 speech-language pathologists |
| School psychologists | Limited number | +5 psychologists |
| EAL teachers | Ratio >1:30 | Ratio 1:15-30 |
| PASS units | 30 | 60 |
Minister Bernard Davis stated that these measures will help “create stronger and more inclusive learning environments across the province.” Trent Langdon, president of the Newfoundland & Labrador Teachers’ Association (NLTA), called it “a positive step” toward better class balance and greater attention to student needs, while urging rigorous and sustained implementation. “Teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions,” he emphasized.
As the province’s school system prepares for this phase of transformation, attention will focus on how these resources are deployed and the tangible effects in schools, both urban and rural.
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