Alberta private schools

In 1946, the Social Credit Party government under the leadership of Ernest Manning recognized the creation of private schools with legislative changes to the provincial Education Act.^[3] Lobbied heavily by religious and conservative groups - primarily Dutch neo-Calvinists in the Christian Action Foundation, the Societies for Christian Education, and the Association of Private Schools and Colleges in Alberta (APSCA) - the Government of Alberta began providing public funding to private schools in 1967, starting at $100 per student.^[4] Further changes in 1974-76 under Peter Lougheed's Progressive Conservative government increased per-student funding to 33 per cent of what public schools received, then 40 per cent.^[3]

Following the election of Ralph Klein in 1992, a notable difference in messaging and justification for private school funding emerged which centred on "parent choice". Klein's government soon introduced charter schools legislation, and in April 1997 a private member bill sponsored by PC MLA Carol Louise Haley and supported by then-provincial treasurer Stockwell Day, seeking a $14 million increase to annual funding of private schools, was brought forward.^[3] Per-student funding was increased to 60 per cent of what public schools received by 1998, while the public school system saw wages cut for teachers, funding cuts, repealed education regulations, the centralization of school boards, and the elimination of taxation powers for schools to raise revenue on their own.

This situation was detested by workers in the education system and the public in general and pressure built gradually in the following years, eventually culminating in the 2002 Alberta teachers' strike. At its peak, 22,000 teachers out of a total 32,000 were on strike by February, affecting around 357,000 students out of a total 550,000.^[5][6]

Following unsuccessful back to work orders in February, Minister of Learning and Education Lyle Oberg declared a public emergency.^[5] The Klein government in collusion with the Alberta School Boards' Association agreed to pass Bill 12, the Education Services Settlement Act (ESSA) on March 14, 2002, in response to the strike, which was widely seen as a betrayal to teachers and an illegal and draconian piece of legislation.^[7] The ESSA imposed a wage settlement arbitration process on teachers and made it nearly impossible to appeal this process or its results in court; gave the government permission to remove the right to strike or lockout; forbade teachers from engaging in slowdowns or diminishing their job duties; broadened the term 'strike' to include two or more teachers acting together to refuse to perform assigned responsibilities; and established severe penalties for any non-compliance.^[6] Larry Booi, the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) President, responded to the legislation by stating "This is a black day for public education and for democracy in Alberta. This government has made a terrible decision, and we all shall have to live with the consequences".^[7]

Though the strike ended, the private school system has grown in size and in funding under Progressive Conservative governments, which formed the provincial government continuously between 1971 and 2015. At the initiative of Ed Stelmach's government in 2008, per-student funding rose to 70 per cent of that received by public schools (equivalent to around $5,200 per student), and remains at this rate today.^[4][3]

These are classified by the Government into 3 different types and 2 special designations:^[8]

• Registered private schools: registered under Section 29(1) of the Education Act;^[9] must meet requirements outlined by the Act and in sections (2), (3), (4), (5), and (21) in the Private Schools Regulation.^[10] They are ineligible for government funding and although not required to use certificated teachers or teach the Alberta curriculum, are required to maintain a list of subjects, skills, and knowledge areas.
• Accredited private schools (non funded): registered under Section 29(2) of the Education Act; must meet the requirements of a registered private school and the additional Private Schools Regulation requirements under sections (6), (8), (9), and (10). They must use certificated teachers, but are not required to teach the Alberta curriculum.
• Accredited funded private schools: funded by the government through the Education Grants Regulation; must meet additional Private Schools Regulation requirements under sections (7), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), and (20). They are required to use certificated teachers, must teach the Alberta curriculum, and must have a principal who is also a certificated teacher.
• Designated special education private schools: funded by the government; given special approval and funding by the Minister of Education for the purpose of serving students identifying with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities, and must meet the additional requirements under section (11) of the Private Schools Regulation.
• Heritage language schools: offers approved language and culture courses outside of regular school hours to students who already have basic education needs met at another school authority; if funding is granted, a principal must be a certificated teacher and audited financial statements are required.

As of April 2024, there are 166 private school authorities operating 222 schools in Alberta:^[2]