Overview
Student counts are sent to the Alberta government each September by:
- school authorities
- private schools
- private Early Childhood Services operators
- charter schools
Government checks on these counts by visiting schools and conducting enrolment verifications to make sure funding is paid according to the Funding Manual for School Authorities.
This also ensures that school jurisdictions are complying with the Education Act.
Alberta Education confirms a school’s claim by reviewing:
- student records
- working documents
Results of the enrolment verification are sent back to the school authority when available. If a school is found non-compliant with the Education Act or the Funding Manual for School Authorities, government adjusts its funding, as necessary.
Credit enrolment units (CEU)
CEUs are funding units used to calculate base instructional funding at the high school level. CEUs are assigned when the course, the student, and the student’s achievement in a course meet certain criteria.
Course criteria
Courses must follow Alberta’s Programs of Study and meet access to programming (instructional hours) where applicable.
Student criteria
The student must meet the definition of a funded student for the same school year they take the course.
One exception is that a student may be eligible for CEU funding if they meet all the funded student criteria except for attendance on the September count date.
Student achievement
Each course has specific achievement criteria. A student must meet this criteria to qualify for CEU funding. Student credits do not directly relate to CEUs. The funding relationship of CEUs to courses is:
1 credit courses = 1 CEU
3 credit courses = 2.5 CEUs
5 credit courses = 5 CEUs
CEU funding
All school boards receive funding for CEUs based on the same criteria.
High school courses must meet the following conditions to be funded:
- the conditions in the Funding Manual for School Authorities
- the conditions in the Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12
- the conditions in all Alberta Education legislation, regulations and policies
A regular course will be funded after a student has either:
- earned a final mark of 50% or more in the course, or
- earned a final mark between 25% and 49% in the course
- the student must also either have attended at least 50% of the classes or worked on and been assessed on at least 50% of the course content
A one-credit career technology studies course will be funded after a student has worked on and been assessed on at least 50% of the course content.
School boards and schools can learn more about funding and programming requirements by:
- contacting the School Finance Branch
- following regular zone meeting updates from the Association of School Business Officials of Alberta
- reviewing the Funding Manual for School Authorities
- reviewing the Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12
CEU monitoring
The government oversees CEUs to make sure students have equal access to quality learning opportunities.
Approximately 250 schools each year are selected for monitoring after schools receive funding.
School boards that are selected send information to the province after the school year is finished.
Ministry staff review this information to make sure schools meet funding and programming requirements.
The ministry is accountable to the people of Alberta and the Auditor General.
On-site monitoring
Government also conducts on-site visits at some selected schools. Ministry staff work closely with school and central office staff to review:
- age, citizenship and residency documents
- student attendance
- documents related to differential funding codes
The Alberta government sends a final report to the selected schools and central offices after monitoring is finished.
Contact
Connect with the School Finance Branch:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2055
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)