School Choice

About School Choice

When it comes to selecting a school, parents and students can choose from a wide range of options. They can select from public schools, Catholic schools, Francophone schools, private schools, and charter schools. They can also access a number of unique and innovative programs - including home education, online/virtual schools, outreach programs and alternative programs. Parents can also opt to home school their children.

List of schools and school boards

Choice is one of the important principles Alberta's education system is built on. Learn more about the following school options:

Public and Separate Schools
In Canada, provinces are required to provide free education up to the end of high school for all citizens and permanent residents under the age of 20.

Francophone Schools
Under the law, parents whose first language is French have a constitutional right to have their child educated in French where there are enough students to warrant it.

Private Schools
Parents may choose to educate their children outside the public education system, within the private school system. Private schools may charge tuition and other fees as required. There are two kinds of private schools in the province.

Charter Schools
Charter schools are autonomous non-profit public schools designed to provide innovative or enhanced education programs that improve the acquisition of student skills, attitudes and knowledge in some measurable way.

Home Education / Blended Programs
Parents who choose to educate their children at home assume primary responsibility for delivering and supervising their child's courses of study and work as partners with a school board or accredited private school to ensure the child's educational goals are being met.

Online (Virtual) Programs
An Online program is a program offered by a school that is delivered electronically at a school site or off-campus, under the instruction and complete supervision of a certificated teacher of a board or accredited private school. For information about Online and Virtual school programs, talk to your local school board.

Outreach Programs
An Outreach program provides an educational alternative for students who, due to individual circumstances, find that the traditional school setting does not meet their needs. The Outreach Programs Handbook is a resource to help school jurisdictions (administrators, teachers, trustees), parents and community members understand the expectations and practices related to Outreach Programs.

Alternative Programs (Section 21, School Act)
An "alternative program" means an education program that (a) emphasizes a particular language, culture, religion or subject-matter, or (b) uses a particular teaching philosophy, but that is not (c) a special education program, (d) a program referred to in section 5, or (e) a program of religious education offered by a separate school board. The Alternative Programs Handbook is a resource on section 21 of the School Act and outlines suggested procedures for establishing an Alternative Program. See http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/index.cfm for a copy of the School Act.

To read the Alternative Programs Policy, see: /department/policy/k-12manual/section1/alternative.aspx.

Alternative School Year Calendars
The School Act delegates the responsibility for setting the school year to the local school board. Most school boards approve a traditional school year (September to June) but may also consider school years that vary from this traditional calendar. Recommendation #17 of Alberta’s Commission on Learning report (October 2003), encourages schools and school jurisdictions to explore alternatives to the current school year. In support of school boards, schools and school councils interested in an alternative school year, Alberta Education has produced the following documents: