Changes to this program are proposed in Budget 2025.
Overview
In September 2020, the K to 12 education funding model was updated for the first time in 15 years.
The new model:
- simplifies the number of grants from 36 in the previous framework to 15 to give more flexibility to school authorities to determine how best to invest taxpayer dollars
- protects our most vulnerable students by providing funding to support specialized learning needs or groups of students who may require additional supports from school authorities
- moves to a 3-year weighted average methodology rather than a one-year enrolment count after the school year has started to provide more predictability in funding
- reduces red tape
- expands traditional accountability to include a combination of funding policies, processes, actions and evidence
How we got here
We met with each public, separate, charter and Francophone school division, along with other education partners, in the fall of 2019 to discuss ways to improve the school funding process.
School divisions identified 3 main areas where funding processes could improve:
- provide more predictable funding so they can better plan for each school year
- allow more flexibility in how they spend provincial dollars based on their school and community needs
- reduce provincial red tape
Benefits
Money to classrooms
Alberta's K to 12 funding model ensures funds are directed to classrooms by providing a targeted grant for system administration, instead of a percentage of overall funding.
This standardizes administrative and governance spending, keeping it to a reasonable range while maximizing dollars for classrooms.
The model also simplifies grants to reduce red tape for school authorities.
Predictable funding
We now let school authorities know how much provincial funding is available by the end of March each year, instead of September when the school year has already started.
Using a weighted, moving, 3-year average:
- minimizes the need for mid-year adjustments to budgets and staffing
- creates better alignment between the school year and the government’s fiscal year
- gives boards more predictability in their planning and budgeting processes
Small rural schools are now funded through a block-funding model to ensure long-term viability and make sure small rural schools have the money they need to offer educational programming.
Improved accountability
An updated assurance framework builds on the strengths of the Accountability Pillar and includes lessons learned from the assurance pilot and review.
School authorities continue to develop education plans identifying priorities and areas to improve. The framework includes updated accountability measures to keep school boards accountable for student outcomes, community engagement and continuous improvement.
They use a core set of provincial measures to report on results, creating a clear picture of how well the education system works.