A Solid Foundation

Provincial Co-operation

Although the provinces and territories run their own educational systems, they are working together to develop common goals and programs in various subject areas.

Alberta took an important step in this direction when it began collaborating with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories on core subject programs. Since 1996, the four Western provinces and two territories have been developing common learning standards in Math, English Language Arts and French.

Grades 10 to 12

The Alberta Programs of Study outlines the Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum. These Programs of Study identify what students are expected to learn and be able to do in all subjects and grades. School boards select instructional materials to help students achieve these standards. Programs of Study have been established for elementary, junior high school and senior high school students. Students must take certain required courses and may choose optional courses, which vary from school to school. Alberta also has an approved program statement for kindergarten.

Kindergarten and Special Needs Pre-School Programs

Early Childhood Services (ECS) includes kindergarten programs and pre-school programs for children with mild/moderate or severe disabilities. Parents may choose whether or not to send their children to ECS programs.

ECS funding is available for children with mild/moderate or severe disabilities. Approved ECS program operators can provide information on funding and age requirements.

Grades 1 to 6

Required courses: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Art and Music, Health and Physical Education.

Optional courses: Fifteen percent of instructional time is set aside for optional subjects, such as second languages, Drama and Religious Instruction. Information and communication technology learner outcomes are infused within core curricula in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies at all grade levels. Courses vary from school to school, according to local needs and priorities, and parental input.

Grades 7 to 9

Required courses: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Health and Personal Life Skills. Information and communication technology learner outcomes are infused within core curricula in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies at all grade levels.

Optional courses: Schools must offer two provincially authorized optional courses except where instruction in a language other than English is offered. Then only one provincially authorized optional course is required.

Grades 10 to 12

High schools offer many different choices

• academic courses for university admission
• career and technology studies courses to broaden learning experiencev
• Registered Apprenticeship Program for students who are 15 years of age or older, in which they spend part of their time in school and part of their time in industry as registered apprentices in one of Alberta's designated trades
• off-campus education courses for students who want specialized business, industrial or work experience training
• fine arts courses for students who have a special interest in music, art or drama
• knowledge and employability courses for students who wish to enhance their academic and occupational competencies and gain successful transition into employment and continuing education and training opportunities

Programs vary by district and school. Parents and students should bear students' future career and study plans in mind when choosing courses. School counsellors can be helpful in this matter.

Post-secondary education (colleges, universities, technical institutions and trade schools) is the responsibility of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology.

The School Year

The school year usually extends from September to June 30 with minor variations from system to system. Some schools are now providing year-round schooling and other alternative timetables, and others start their school year in August rather than September.

Most schools close down for two months of vacation in July and August, as well as two weeks of Christmas/winter vacation and an Easter/spring break.

The number of instructional days may vary from 190 to 200 days. In junior high schools, the majority of courses are offered for the full school year. In senior high schools, courses may be offered for the full school year or on a semester basis (for half the year).

Other Programs

Other programs are available in addition to basic education programs. They vary from one jurisdiction and school to another, depending on local interest, and may consist of a course, sets of courses or an entire program of studies. They include: International and Aboriginal Languages, Fine Arts and English as a Second Language programs.

Languages

To receive their high school diploma, all students must successfully complete an English 30-level course.

Schools are not required to teach a second language. However, provincial curriculum is available for many second languages. Alberta Education supports French programs to encourage all students to learn Canada's other official language. Students are also encouraged to learn other languages.

There are three types of language programs:

• alternative language programs (immersion), in which the second language is used for 50 to 100 per cent of the school day at the elementary level (ECS to grade 6) and 40 to 80 per cent at the secondary level (Grades 7 - 12)
• bilingual programs, in which the language is used between 25 and 50 per cent of the time and is used to teach other subjects besides Language Arts, such as Art, Music and Social Studies
• second language programs, which teach a particular language as a course.

In addition to French, provincially developed language programs are offered in: Blackfoot, Cree, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Punjabi, Latin, Spanish and Ukrainian.

Many school boards have developed their own programs, including Arabic, Chinese, Chipewyan, German, Hebrew, Mandarin, Polish and Portuguese. Greek, Hungarian and Swedish are also available locally, but they are not always offered every year.

Many school boards provide bussing for children enrolled in language programs outside their residency area. Alberta Education will fund this transportation service if it is provided by a board. Boards have the authority to charge fees to cover these transportation costs.

Fine Arts

In grades 1 through 6, students take compulsory courses in Art and Music, and learn dance as part of Physical Education. Many elementary schools also offer Drama as an option.

Students in most junior and senior high schools have access to optional Art, Music and Drama courses. Some schools run programs focused on Fine Arts.

English as a Second Language

English as Second Language (ESL) instruction is offered to both Canadian-born and foreign-born students by local boards in schools according to need. Some schools offer ESL assistance in both elementary and secondary grades.

ESL programs help students learn English more quickly and adjust to Canadian cultural values, customs and social expectations. Students spend the rest of the time in regular classes.

Board Responsibility

The School Act requires school boards to provide every student they enroll with an education program and, if required, access to a special education program. Special education refers to the education of students with mild, moderate or severe disabilities and those who are gifted and talented.

School boards have their own policies on the programs and services they offer. These include assessment, placement, individualized program planning and health-related support services. Boards also make decisions regarding class size, staffing levels, resources and materials, and funding for special programming.

Student Placement

The policy of Alberta Education is that students with special education needs should be placed in regular classrooms wherever possible. School boards make decisions about placement in consultation with parents, teachers and students. Ultimately, however, school boards are responsible for making decisions that serve the best interests of all students.

Assessments

School boards must use a number of assessment strategies to determine eligibility for special education programming and services. They must report results of assessments to parents, teachers and others involved with students' programming and use assessment results to make decisions and develop individualized program plans. School boards must have written procedures for referral of students requiring specialized assessment and obtain parents' written informed consent for specialized assessment or referral.

Individualized Program Plans