Elementary and Secondary Overview

District school boards administer publicly funded elementary and secondary schools. Working within the framework of Alberta’s Education Act and its regulations, district school boards adapt provincial education policy to local situations. Trustees, as elected members of the board, represent the local community and provide a link between electors and the education system.

Alberta Learning governs both the Public School Board and the Separate (Catholic) School Board, which are run as separate entities.

Children aged 6 to 16 must attend school. Most opt to remain in school to earn their grade 12 diploma. The high school program is based on the credit system; students earn 1 credit for every 25 hours of instruction. To graduate with a diploma, each student must have 100 credits in Compulsory and Optional courses. Most courses are worth between 3 and 5 credits. To broaden their high school program, students are required to have 10 credits from either Career and Technical studies, Physical Education, Fine Arts, or a second language. Also, they are required to have 10 credits from more in-depth studies (i.e., English, Biology, Physics, etc.).

Alberta is a part of the Western Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Basic Education Kindergarten to Grade 12. This is a project that involves The Northwest Territories, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nunavut. They are working on developing common curriculum formats for math, computer guided learning, languages, and cultures.

The Fraser Institute

Website: http://alberta.compareschoolrankings.org

The Fraser Institute’s ratings and rankings of Alberta schools including Public, Catholic and Independent schools help parents see how the schools in their city or town are doing academically. The Fraser Report is updated annually. Some schools may not be in the report as to different circumstances including being a new school and not having enough information.

Calgary Public School Board

As the largest school board in Alberta, the Calgary Board of Education is responsible for the education of nearly 100,000 students in the city. Their mission is to ensure individual student development through effective education. Calgary Board of Education provides Kindergarten through Grade 12 programs and continuing education. 

For every neighbourhood in Calgary, there is a designated school at the elementary, junior and senior high school level. For information on your designated school, call the Public Information Centre (403-817-7955) or you can do an online search at Find a School. If you wish your child to attend a school that is not your designated school, you need to contact the principal at the desired school to find out about space availability and/or enrolment guidelines that may be in place.

Kindergarten Age Requirements

As a result of changes to the Education Act, a standardized age of entry to kindergarten was put into effect on September 1, 2020. Children can start kindergarten in the fall of 2021 if they turn 5 years old on or before Dec. 31, 2021. If you are not sure when your child can attend school, please visit Kindergarten Calculator and enter in their date of birth. 

Children must start Grade 1 if they are six years of age or older on September 1^st. 

New to the Community

To find your home school, please visit the CBE school finder. 

If your child is not a Canadian citizen, you will need to register at the Admissions and Assessment Office at Kingsland Centre. If you are a permanent resident or you are in Calgary on a work or study permit, registration into the Calgary Board of Education is done by the Admissions Office. This is also the case even if your child has attended school elsewhere in Canada. Please call 403-777-7373 for any questions you have regarding registration. 

Registration

For detailed information, please visit the appropriate link: 

• Kindergarten to Grade 9
•  Grade 10 to 12 
•  New to Canada

Or contact your local school for more information. 

Contact Information

Calgary Board of Education

Website:http://www.cbe.ab.ca/
Phone: 403-817-4000 or 403-817-7955

Calgary Catholic Separate School Board

The Calgary Catholic School District, also known under its jurisdiction name as the Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 1, is the largest Catholic school district in Alberta. The CCSD serves Catholic students living in the City of Calgary as well as those living in Airdrie, Cochrane, Chester mere and related Municipal District lands of Rocky View.

The schools follow the curriculum laid out by Alberta Learning; however, it is delivered in a “Christ-centered” environment. The school, home, and parish all work together as a team to support the students in exploring their “God given talents”. 

New to the Community

Neighbourhood school boundaries are designated for all Catholic residents. Students normally attend the school whose boundaries include their home neighbourhood but may attend one outside their boundary if requested. To view the school boundaries, please visit: Schools. 

Registration

Students who are born outside Canada must register at the St. John Reception Centre. Please call 403-500-2007 to book an appointment. Students transferring from within Canada can register at their local school. 

Documentation

Before going to the school, you will need to call ahead to better assist you and the office staff. If you have any copies of current school records, samples of your child’s work, reports that may assist the school in program/placement of your child, you will need to take them with you at the time of registration.

You will need to provide the following information before you can register your child for school:

• Proof of child’s age – original birth certificate or passport and one parent's Catholic baptismal certificate.
• Proof of address – copy of offer to purchase or lease agreement or copy of a property tax bill
• Your child’s health card 
• Proof of child’s citizenship – birth certificate, passport or Record of Landing (IMM1000)

Contact Information

Calgary Catholic School District No. 1

1000 - 5 Avenue SW Website
Calgary, AB T2P4T9 Phone : 403-500-2000 

Private Schools in Calgary

Private schools also provide elementary and secondary education. There are 2 types of private schools in Alberta; Registered and Accredited. Accredited schools that are operated by a non-profit society or corporation may receive government funding. These schools must employ certified teachers and follow the curriculum laid out by Alberta Learning. Also, students attending accredited schools are able to earn credits towards their grade 12 provincial graduation diploma.

Registered schools are not funded by the province and are not required to follow the same regulations as accredited schools. 

All private schools are evaluated regularly by the Education Minister and must meet all provincial health, safety and building standards.

Application Procedures

Application procedures for private schools differ from school to school. An entrance test and interview with the child are generally required. There is not always availability at your private school of choice and your child’s name may be placed on a waiting list for entrance during the school year or subsequent years. It is a good idea to source out private schools well in advance as their registration for school years takes place in approximately December of the prior year and January and February of the same school year.

There are many different private schools in Calgary; Montessori, Christian, Prep Schools and Charter Schools. For details on these schools, please visit: www.ourkids.net.