Alberta Homeschooling Laws
Families considering homeschooling in Alberta may wonder whether it is legal to homeschool in Alberta. As a matter of law, all Canadian provinces and territories allow homeschooling in Canada.
Alberta Regulation 89/2019 with amendments up to and including Alberta Regulation 145/2020 provides that a person receiving satisfactory instruction at home or elsewhere is excused from attendance at school. Families who wish to homeschool have two options to choose from in Alberta:
• Home education program supervised by school authority (funded)
• Home education program not supervised by school authority (notification only, non-funded)
This page provides information on the following:
- Homeschooling in Alberta
- Your Intent Notice
- Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Alberta
- Requirements for Homeschool Graduation
- Switching from Homeschool to Public school
*This information is by no means intended as legal advice; its purpose is merely informational. It is each parent’s responsibility to get informed and understand the applicable homeschooling laws which regulate homeschooling in his or her state.
Requirements and Laws on Homeschooling in Alberta
Section 3 AR 89/2019 provides the following regarding home education programs in Alberta:
3(1) A parent who intends to provide a home education program must develop the program.
(2) A home education program must enable a student to achieve applicable outcomes.
(3) Each year a parent who intends to provide a home education program must select activities to be focused on in the year that will enable the student to achieve the applicable outcomes.
(4) A home education program may follow the Alberta Programs of Study.
It is important to note that the regulations state that the parent "may" follow the Alberta Programs of Study, but that he or she is not obligated to do so. Some parents choose to follow the Alberta Programs of Study or to be under the supervision of an associate board or associate private school in order to qualify for government funds.
Regarding funding, the statute states the following:
7(1) The Minister must provide funding in accordance with the regulations made under the Act or the Government Organization Act to an associate board or associate private school that supervises a home education program.
(2) An associate board or associate private school must offer not less than 50% of the supervised home education program funding received under subsection (1) to the parents who are providing home education programs to students. Section 8 AR 89/2019 HOME EDUCATION REGULATION 8
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), if a parent who is providing a supervised home education program chooses to use distance learning materials, the associate board or associate private school is entitled to use the portion attributed to the parent under subsection (2) to pay for those materials.
(4) A parent who receives funding under subsection (2) (a) must (i) use the funding only to defray the costs incurred by the parent for programs of study, instructional materials or other resources related to the home education program, and (ii) provide the associate board or associate private school with receipts showing how the funding was spent, and (b) must not use the funding (i) as a form of personal remuneration, or (ii) to pay for travel costs or other expenses usually required to be paid by a parent of a student who is enrolled in a school operated by a board or in a private school.
(5) A parent may decline all or part of any funding offered by an associate board or associate private school under subsection (2).
(6) Any instructional materials, other than materials that cannot be used again, purchased by a parent with funding received under subsection (2) must be returned to the associate board or associate private school within one year following the student’s completion of the course to which the materials relate if the associate board or associate private school requests those materials within that year. AR 89/2019 s7;145/2020
Notice of Intent to Homeschool in Alberta
Notice of Intent
A notification of intention to provide home education program that is not a supervised home education program is required each year. The homeschool regulations in Alberta state the following:
1.1(1) A parent who intends to provide a home education program that is not a supervised home education program to a student in respect of a school year must notify the Minister of that intention.
(2) A parent who is providing a home education program that is not a supervised home education program to a student during a school year and who intends to continue doing so during the next school year must notify the Minister of that intention.
(3) A notification under subsection (1) or (2) must be given in a form and manner approved by the Minister and within the time required by the Minister.
Basically, each year parents have the responsibility to notify their supervising school authority of their intent to home educate their child through the Home Education Notification Form – Supervised by School Authority.
Recordkeeping for Homeschoolers in Alberta
Although not specifically required by law, parents are advised to maintain a detailed record of the homeschool including:
- A detailed report and samples of instructional materials
- A duplicate of the calendar
- Demonstration that the specified subjects are covered
- Evidence of the compulsory annual tests
- Details of the evaluation methods used
Parents are not required by law to keep portfolios but they may choose to maintain the records which come in handy later while making transcripts, helping in evaluating the child’s progress and as a treasured keepsake of the moments spent together learning. The student may take part in this by choosing the projects and samples of written work they like to be included in the portfolio.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Requirements for Graduation in Alberta
Homeschool parents in Alberta are free to set the graduation requirements for their student. Parents also determine if and when their student will graduate and are also able to award a high school diploma under their own terms. Parents are advised to consult with colleges the student may be interested in to know the requirements the child must meet so as to align the homeschool goals and curriculum with those requirements. Section 6 of the Home Education Regulations also states that: "On the recommendation of a school principal, a student receiving a home education program that follows the Alberta Programs of Study is eligible to receive high school credits if the student achieves the course standards and learning outcomes set out in the Alberta Programs Study."
The chart below shows the comparison between graduation requirements in public school and homeschool in Alberta.
| Public/Private School | Homeschool | |
|---|---|---|
|
Diploma requirements in Alberta |
A student must earn at least 100 credits to graduate from high school with an Alberta High School Diploma. Some workplaces or post-secondary institutions may require additional credits and/or specific courses |
Parents in Alberta have the liberty to determine when their student will graduate. They then proceed to award the high school diploma under their own terms. |
| Testing requirements in Alberta | Diploma exams are required in English 30-1 and 30-2, Social Studies 30-1 and 30-2, Mathematics 30-1 and 30-2, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30, Science 30, Français 30-1 and French Language Arts 30-1. |
There is no law in Alberta that compels or forces homeschoolers to undertake a test as a requirement in order to graduate high school. |
|
Alberta high school transcripts |
Students can choose to contact their school or use E-transcript system to submit a duplicate of the student’s transcript to the college they wish to join. Unless prices are offset, there is a reasonable charge. |
Parents in Alberta can create the homeschoolers’ transcripts which may include information they considered relevant to institutions the homeschoolers may intend to apply to. This may include schools, colleges, workplace organizations, or the military. |
|
High school course credits in Alberta |
Required courses:
They must also earn 10 credits, in any combination, from:
And 10 credits, in any combination, from 30-level electives. |
Many parents in Alberta choose to specify or assign academic credits to the courses taken during the homeschooling period as this may aid during the transcript creation process. |
|
Eligibility for GED in Alberta |
To qualify for a GED in Alberta, students must meet the following requirements:
|
Homeschoolers in Alberta are eligible if the meet the same criteria as public school students. |
Homeschool High School Transcript Template
Track your homeschooler’s credits, courses, and accomplishments with this free homeschool high school transcript template.
Switching from Homeschooling to Public School in Alberta
There are no laws on reenrolling back to public school. It is the duty of the parent to consult with the local school on the procedure of enrollment. The principal of the local school determines the grade appropriate for the child. The following details may help in determining the most appropriate grade for the child: homeschool portfolios, results of any tests taken, annual assessments, etc.
Lernsys Homeschooling makes it easy to keep a summary of the curriculum used including grades, topics covered, quiz and test scores, teacher credentials, etc.
Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Alberta
Have other questions about homeschooling in Alberta? You may find the following pages helpful.
