Help share the story of Alberta’s publicly funded system of school choice. And why we need to growth the choice.
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Do independent schools take money away from public schools?
No. Independent schools must operate on a not-for-profit business model and teach the Alberta curriculum. They must raise their own capital costs for buildings, infrastructure and start-up costs. The province only funds each student at a rate of 70% of the rate a student is funded in the public system and independent schools are not eligible for all the grants available to public schools. Each student registered in an independent school saves the public education system about $6,500, per student, per year, every year. This saves the province about $300 million per year. And between 2019 and 2024, Independent schools saved the province over 1.3 billion dollars.
Are independent schools only for wealthy families?
No. For over 80% of children attending an independent school, the household income is at or below the average household income for Alberta. Independent schools serve a wide range of students, families and communities. Alberta’s 350 independent schools offer specialized education settings for complex student needs, ranging from a wide range of neurodiverse disorders to cognitive and physical disabilities, faith-based education, high-performance sports, music, and many more. Tuition rates vary with some schools charging no tuition at all.
Why does Alberta have independent, public, francophone, separate and charter schools?
For over 100 years, the province of Alberta has championed the opportunity for parents to play an active role in their children’s education. This remains in line with Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which underscores that parents have the “prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.” The province also has statutes regarding faith and language-based education rights.
Are Independent schools accountable?
Yes. Independent schools are accountable to government. They must provide audited financial statements, Annual Education Results Reports, Education Plans, Budgets, Operating plans as well as fire, health and safety inspections. Alberta Education monitors schools regularly. As schools of choice, independent schools are also accountable to parents and communities.
How do independent schools support students with complex learning needs?
Alberta’s independent schools are community-driven, not-for-profit entities that allow families to meet the unique and/or complex needs of their children. This includes programming tailored to a range of disabilities, cognitive and behavioural challenges. Through fundraising, community and government support, thousands of Alberta students build skills, confidence and long-term success that may not otherwise be available.
Are independent schools opposed to public schools?
Not at all. Independent schools are actually a part of the publicly funded education system here in Alberta and are deeply integrated. Independent and public schools often work together to ensure the learning needs of children are met.
Is it true that independent school funding has increased at the expense of public classrooms?
No. Funding for students in Independent schools has not increased from the reduced rate of 70% per student of the rate provided to public schools. Higher rates of overall funding for Independent schools reflects an increase of student enrolment, not a change in the 70% ratio in the per student funding amount. As Alberta's population has grown significantly in recent years, overall enrolment in Alberta schools, along with total funding, has risen across all school types.
How do independent schools reduce class sizes and address classroom complexity?
Over 56,000 students attend independent school and more than 10,000 of those students have complex learning needs. Independent schools support children with diverse learning profiles, taking stress off public schools.
