Department Budget

Budget 2008

Highlights of the budget include:Budget 2008

  • Investment in Alberta’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system jumps to $6.035 billion (including opted out school boards and school capital infrastructure), an increase of $235 million.
  • Within the overall budget, school boards receive a 4.53 percent increase in operational grants, an increase of $212 million. On average, school jurisdictions will see 4.7% overall increase in funding.
  • In support of integration of technology into Alberta’s classrooms, government has committed $18.5 million in new funding in each of the next three years. This is in addition to the $36 million in ongoing support.
  • Small Class Size Initiative funding increases by 9 percent or $17.5 million to $212 million. Approximately $729 million has been committed to date to hire more than 2,700 additional teachers for our classrooms.
  • Support for students with special needs increases by $30 million to $451 million.
  • Support for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs increases by $12 million to $70.6 million.  This funding will allow school authorities to provide ESL programs for children as young as 3-1/2 years of age through to Grade 12 and address the increasing number of students requiring these programs.  Over the last five years, support for ESL programs has increased by 138 percent from $29.6 million in 2004/2005 to $70.6 million in 2008/2009.
    English as a Second Language (ESL)
    Early Childhood Services ESL/Francisation
  • School infrastructure capital support will be more than $1.6 billion over the next three years, including $624 million in 2008/2009.
    School Capital Projects (as of March 31, 2008)

Budget 2008 news release

Budget 2008 focuses on building Alberta’s skilled workforce through education, training and employment investments
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The $104 million for basic education includes: Learning Resources Centre, HighSpeed Network, French Language program (funding received from the federal government), curriculum development, and videoconferencing.

The $91 million for Program and Ministry Support includes: administrative component (salaries and operating costs) for the Ministry.

Investments in Education

During the past 10 years, the Government of Alberta has significantly increased investments in education while student enrollment remains stable.

Total Government Support
to the K-12 Education System

Government Support

ECS to Grade 12 Funded Enrollment


Enrollment

Budget 2008 Government of Alberta information