Photo: Government of Alberta

By David Opinko

Province announces $72 million for public charter schools

Mar 15, 2022 | 2:23 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The public charter school system in Alberta will soon grow.

As part of the Alberta 2022 Budget, the provincial government has released more details about how they plan to expand this part of the education system.

READ MORE: Alberta presents balanced budget for 2022

The province will invest $25 million in operating funding and $47 million in capital investment over three years to support public charter school expansions and collegiate programs.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange assures that public charter schools are autonomous non-profit institutions that receive the same base instruction allocation as other publicly-funded schools and are not able to charge tuition.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

“Public charter schools play an important role in Alberta’s education system by offering unique programming to students. Whether they attend a public, separate, francophone, independent, public charter, or home education, our education system will continue to support the educational choice of students and their parents. This investment builds on our commitment to strengthening Alberta’s long and successful tradition of providing choice in education.”

The funding will support planning dollars to explore a charter campus model which could allow multiple public charter schools to share specialized spaces for career and technology studies, science labs, or gyms.

They are intended to focus on a particular learning style, teaching style, approach, philosophy, or pedagogy that is not offered by a school division.

In addition to this, the collegiate model will create opportunities for more specialized and focused programming.

Premier Jason Kenney adds that it is important to ensure that families have more options for which types of schools will be the best for their children.

“Albertans support school choice. Through public charter and collegiate schools, this government will provide Albertans with more specialized and vocational learning opportunities in areas like science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the trades. This will help students achieve their potential and prepare them for their next steps in life.”

The Alberta government did not specify where these investments will take place.