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Fees, supplies and textbooks

SCHOOL FEES

In September 2019, the Education Act and School Fees Regulation came into effect in Alberta. This provincial legislation sets out what kind of fees schools can and cannot charge for.

Schools estimate school fees in spring for the next school year based on the information they have at the time. A detailed fee schedule is posted on your school's website before the beginning of the school year. Once the school year starts, your school will confirm your fees and explain what each fee is for.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

You will not be charged for:

  • textbooks (a refundable deposit may be collected)
  • workbooks (optional study guides and answer keys not required for regular instruction may be available for sale)
  • photocopying of instructional material 
  • printing supplies (you will not be charged for photocopying paper, nor will it be on your supply list)
  • technology user fees (software licencing fees may be charged if they are assocoatied with an optional course)
  • registration fees (you will not have to pay non-refundable registration fees associated with regular in-school programming)
  • common/blanket fees (you will not be charged fees categorized as Kindergarten, registration, enrichment, resource or program fees)

You may be charged for other items like:

  • refundable textbook deposits (junior and senior high only) - you will receive a refund when textbooks are returned in good condition
  • lunch supervision - the Division's Administrative Regulation HH.AR outlines how these fees are calculated
  • alternative programs (not including workbooks and photocopying) – you may have to pay a fee for material specific to the program. Your fees may also include charges from societies or academies that may be collected by the school or by the partner directly
  • optional or complementary courses
  • activities like field trips or in-school presentations
       a. your school's activitiy fees may be listed as the maximum amount. This enables the school to be flexible and take advantage of unexpected student learning opportunities throughout the year.    
       b. schools may give parents several options to distribute unspent fees; one of these options will be a refund 
  • extracurricular clubs and sports activities
  • non-curricular supplies, like locks and Student Union fees
  • other optional goods and services, like hot lunches and yearbooks

For more information about school fees, please contact your school.

WHAT IF YOU CAN'T PAY FOR SCHOOL FEES? 

Special consideration may be given to families with exceptional financial circumstances. Contact your child's school to learn more about alternate arrangements. You will need to fill out an alternate payment and refund form Your school can help you complete the form. 

REFUNDS

Refunds are assessed and determined on a case-by-case basis with your school. Contact your child's school to learn more about refunding fees. You will need to fill out an alternate payment and refund form. Your school can help you complete the form. 

If you are unhappy with your school's response to your refund request, you can refer to the Division's dispute resolution process.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Parents may also be required to purchase school supplies. Your child’s teacher may provide a supply list before the end of the school year or shortly before the first day of school. You can find the list on SchoolZone or your school's website.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FEES

International students are required to pay significant fees to study in Division schools. Most of these fees are for the programming and other services a student receives at the school they attend. Fees paid by international students include the cost of book rentals, textbooks and Student Union fees. Learn more about the tuition and fees for international students.

BUS PASS FEES 

Bus pass fees are changing. On April 28, 2020, the Board of Trustees voted to standardize transportation fees. 

To find out how much your family will pay for bus fees, see the fee sheet.

For more information about bus pass fees, contact Student Transportation at 780-429-8585 or speak to your principal or administrative staff at your school.