Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta

¹The total provincial enrolment reports all funded students; funded ECS (kindergarten) enrolments are included.
²The independent school funded enrolment is for grades 1-12 only; ECS students are excluded because funding is equal.
³The 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 provincial enrolments reported are from Budget 2008. AISCA estimated the 2007/2008 independent school enrolment by subtracting the shift of students from one school that merged with a public jurisdiction.
⁴The 2008/2009 decline of 1,848 students in grades 1 -12 for September 2008 has been confirmed by the schools.
⁵The 2009/2010 forecast of a decline of 3,130 students is based on survey data and reports sent to AISCA regarding plans to merge with public jurisdictions through alternative program agreements by September 2009.

Funded Enrolment Trends in Independent Schools, June 2008 Update on Dynamics
AISCA surveyed all independent schools in early May to monitor contract negotiations for educational services between public jurisdictions and independent schools. Section 21 of the School Act allows for public schools to take over independent schools as alternative programs; this entitles the students to full provincial funding. By September 2008, 1,848 students in grades 1-12 will shift to public student status. By September of 2009, an additional shift of 3,130 students is forecast, leaving an estimated 11,272 students with reduced provincial funding in publicly accredited programs in independent schools if agreements are completed.

Survey Response Summary

1. 74 of 111 independent schools responded; 37 schools did not report. This is a 66.7% response rate.
2. Four schools confirmed since the May 6, 2008 survey that they are changing from independent school status to alternative program status by September 2008. 1,848 students in grades 1-12 will be deemed public and an estimated 132 ECS (kindergarten) students not reported in this figure as their programs are funded equitably.
3. 11 schools indicated that they are investigating and/or negotiating alternative program agreements for September 2009 with public jurisdictions. From the data available, it is forecast that 3,130 students would potentially shift from independent school status to public school status by September 2009.
4. 59 of the 74 schools indicated no desire to enter into alternative program agreements at this time.

Provincial Education Funding and Independent School Funding, Budget 2008
The provincial 2008 Education budget is approximately $6 billion. The provincial expense for paying down the public teachers’ unfunded pension liability is not reported in the Education budget but is an additional expense

Alberta’s estimated expense per funded public student for 2008/2009, calculated by excluding all provincial funding to independent schools and all students enrolled in independent schools, results in a public expense of $11,121 per public student. This amount excludes the unfunded liability teachers’ pension settlement expense. The majority of funded students in grades 1-12 in independent schools will be eligible for slightly more than $3,500 per student and with other minor targeted grants, schools may average approximately $4,000 per student depending on enrolment levels in high school credits as the upper levels are funded on a CEU basis and not per student. Special needs students and ECS students are eligible for similar grants regardless of which school system they attend in Alberta. Meanwhile, the province well over $120 million is saved annually due to parental contributions to independent schools and millions upon millions is saved on building costs as well.

Provincial Budget Impact Since the 1998 Private School Funding Task Force:

• approximately 4,353 students have shifted to public student status through alternative program contracts;
• 4,978 more students may shift to public student status as forecast: 1,848 in 2008 and 3,130 in 2009.
• The total enrolment shift between 1998 and September 2009 is forecast at 9,331 students.
• Assuming Alberta picks up difference in provincial expense for approximately 8,600 students in grades 1-12, not ECS, then Alberta’s education expense would increase by approximately $65 million annually.

Public Good Needs to Acknowledged and Treated Fairly
The Alberta government should establish equitable funding for all publicly accredited programs delivered by Alberta certificated teachers provided that the school setting meet the conditions set by the Ministry of Education. The educational value to the student and the benefit to the province of the education delivered are of equivalent public value. When student from independent (private) schools transfer to public schools or attend University or college, the full value of the programs are honoured as the public accreditation process is fully acceptable. Devaluing the program value by limiting grants is a political restriction that penalizes authentic parental choice.

All responsible parental choices should be treated fairly by the province if diversity in the education system is to be honoured. An Alberta accredited program of study in a charter school, Francophone school, separate school, private school, general public school, or through distance education should all be treated equitably provided that the conditions for operating the school are adequately met.

Basis for Determining Enrolments on Graph
The independent school enrolment data on the graph, "Independent Schools Funded Enrolment as part of Provincial Funded Enrolment" is based primarily on Alberta Education data reported to AISCA. The notes below clarify how the 2007 to 2009 estimates are determined.

1. The total K-12 funded enrolment data is derived from the 2008 provincial budget report.

2. The funded enrolment reported for years 2000/2001 through 2006/2007 is based on data from Alberta Education. Only those students eligible for some provincial funding are recorded. It does not include students in registered schools, international students, First Nations or other non-resident students educated through tuition arrangements.

3. The 2007/2008 is estimated by AISCA estimated based on subtracting the enrolment of one independent school joining with a public school board as an alternative program. Information provided to AISCA reported approximately 20 students in ECS and 120 in grades 1-9. Alberta Education’s funded enrolment data reported 23 in ECS and 118 in the other grades.

4. The 2008/2009 forecast takes into account five independent schools that have joined public jurisdictions effective September 2008. They currently enroll 1,848 students in grades 1-12 and 132 in ECS, a total of 1,980 students in K-12. The 2008/2009 estimates are calculated by subtracting these enrolments from 2007/2008 enrolments. This results in the 1,850 ECS students and the 14,402 as the forecast funded enrolments remaining in independent schools. The estimate of 3,000 funded students in private ECS operations is a raw estimate from previous years. ECS students are funded equitably regardless of which accredited programs they attend, therefore the impact on provincial expenses is assumed to be the same.

5. The 2009/2010 enrolment projections are more speculative forecasts based on raw survey data sent to AISCA in May 2008. The actual shift in students will depend on whether public boards and independent schools finalize alternative program agreements next year.