Alberta's government has a proud and long history of supporting school choice. Alberta offers students more choice in education than any other province in Canada. This includes public, separate, francophone, collegiate, independent schools, home education and public charter schools. This government support enables families and students to connect with education pathways that best meets students' needs and helps them reach their full potential. Alberta's government is committed to enhancing school choice by increasing the number of public charter schools in the education system.
Through the Alberta government's support to enhance school choice for students and families, the new Foundations for the Future Charter Academy High School in north Calgary is now officially open for students.
"We are proud to expand choice in our education system for families and students by supporting the new Foundations for the Future Charter Academy High School in north Calgary. By expanding choice in education, we are connecting students to exceptional education pathways that fit their needs and will help them reach their full potential."
Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education
"It is our priority to ensure Alberta's students have access to the state-of-the-art facilities they need to learn and succeed and that we deliver these schools in a timely and cost-effective manner. School projects like this one support jobs from the construction process all the way to the school opening and beyond. We will continue to meet growing demand by building new and modernized educational spaces throughout the province."
Pete Guthrie, Minister of Infrastructure
Public charter schools offer students specialized programming, a unique teaching style or education philosophy not already offered by another school in the area. Through a direct instruction approach, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy fosters academic excellence, character development, digital citizenship, parental involvement and leadership for their students.
Alberta's government invested more than $43 million for the construction of the new Foundations for the Future Charter Academy High School in north Calgary to add more school choice and new spaces for students. With the opening of the new Foundations for the Future Charter Academy high school, Alberta is now home to 22 charter authorities operating in 39 facilities.
"We are appreciative of the government's support of public charter schools as a means of providing school choice to Alberta families. We are extremely thankful for its investment in providing our north high school students and staff with a safe and modern learning environment that will meet their educational need for decades to come."
Jenny Hill, board chair, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy
School choice has been part of Alberta's education system since the 1970s, when Edmonton Public Schools first opened its boundaries to allow parents to send their children to the school that best met their child's unique learning needs and interests, rather than their catchment school.
Quick facts
- Budget 2024 invests $123 million to support the infrastructure needs of collegiates and public charter schools.
- The new Foundations for the Future Charter Academy High School in north Calgary is the first-ever new build capital project for a public charter school.
- The rights of parents to choose the kind of education their children receive is protected under the Choice in Education Act, which recognizes public, separate, francophone, private and charter schools, as well as early childhood services and home education programs as being valued and integral to our education system.
