How much does private school cost in Canada, and is it worth it?
By
Danielle Boudreau |
Insight – Mon, 30 Nov, 2015 12:39 PM EST
Jarred Lieberman and Aaron Huberman use a laptop at Bialik High School in Montreal Mar 9, 2006. (CP)
When choosing a private school for your child, it’s a case of buyer beware.
For $300, anyone can start a for-profit school in Ontario. The province’s Ministry of Education doesn’t monitor elementary schools; inspectors only visit the schools that grant credits toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The ministry does not require that private school teachers and principals be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers.
Enrolment in private institutions is increasing in almost every province, reports the Fraser Institute. In a recent release, they say their study shows an almost 17 per cent increase in private school enrolment since 2000/2001, while the public system has lost 8 per cent.
In provinces where the government partially funds private schools, enrolment has increased at a greater rate than in provinces where parents shoulder the full cost of their children’s education.
Private schools in Ontario and Nova Scotia, whether they’re run as businesses or non-profit organizations, do not receive any financial support from the government, but five other provinces do. British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec give funds to eligible independent schools based on criteria such as hiring certified teachers and following the provincial curriculum.
Are private and independent schools the same?
No. The terms are sometimes confused, but there is a “substantial” difference between private and independent schools, says Leanne Foster, Head of Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ont. She adds that private schools, which are usually for-profit institutions, have been known to go belly-up, sell credits, and have no oversight for curriculum.
Independent schools such as Trafalgar Castle are usually not-for-profit and are governed by a board which is separate from the school’s administration. Private schools, which are usually for-profit, can be run by one person.
Rules vary by province. In
Alberta, there are two types of private schools, registered private and accredited private.
What should parents ask when choosing a school?
Tour the school at an open house or book a private interview. Sit in and look at classes, see how they’re organized and structured, talk to other families who are in the school now, talk to graduates. “Our best ambassadors are the graduates, the students and parents,” says Rosemary Evans, Principal at University of Toronto Schools.
Ask about the admissions process, and whether students will be tested or interviewed. Evans notes that UTS is a merit-based school, meaning all students must go through an extensive process involving testing and interviews. Their interview format is similar to the model used by many medical and professional schools, she says.
Ask about the governance structure of the school, says Foster. “It’s fair to ask if it’s for-profit or not-for-profit.”
More questions to ask include:
- Are the teachers certified?
- How big are the classes?
- Is it a faith-based school?
- Does the school follow the provincial curriculum guidelines?
- What resources are available for enrichment or extra support?
- What is the acceptance rate for graduates applying to university?
- Does the school have extracurricular activities that your child is interested in, such as sports or music?
- What is the tuition and are there other fees?
Public or Private?
Evans spent 23 years in the public system before moving to independent schools in 2000.
She says that there are independent schools with “tremendous resources and very small class sizes,” but added that there is a lot of variety in public schools. “If you look [at] public schools in Ontario today, there are specialty programs … art schools, math and technology, science, it can be very challenging for parents.”
There are many considerations, including family income, values, and diversity in the schools. “I don’t think there’s a simple solution, you have to do a lot of homework,” she says.
The England rugby squad training at Upper Canada College in Toronto. (Mike Hewitt/ALLSPORT/Getty)
What does a private education cost?
University students often complain about tuition, but here’s a way to make what they pay seem like a relative bargain:
If your child starts attending Upper Canada College next year for senior kindergarten as a day student, you’ll pay a one-time registration fee of $8,500, and a cool $30,550 for tuition. At this year’s rates (not including increases over the years), that child’s education will total more than $400,000 by the time they graduate from high school.
A sample of private school tuition across Canada
Lakecrest Independent School (St. John’s): $9,500 for K to 12
Halifax Grammar School (Halifax): $11,890 to $16,520 for Junior Primary to 12
Rothesay Netherwood School (Rothesay, N.B.): $20,110 for grades 6-8, $21,480 for 9-12
Grace Christian School (Charlottetown): $4,860, K-12
Loyola High School (Montreal): $8,404
University of Toronto Schools(Toronto): $23,590 for grades 6-12
St. John’s Ravencourt School (Winnipeg): $14,740 to $18,520 for K to 12
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Saskatchewan): $8,800, high school
Edge School for athletes (Calgary): $15,600 to $16,640, grades 5 to 12, hockey fees are $9,000 to $13,500
Southpointe Academy (Vancouver)
: $12,250 to $14,600 for K to 12
On top of the tuition, attending a school like UCC, an elite private boys’ schools in Toronto, brings with it other financial obligations. Incidental charges include fees for uniforms, athletics, trips, books, laptop leases and special events.
What about boarding schools?
Some independent schools offer boarding to Canadian and international students. Of the 200 students at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ont., 120 are day students. Tuition for seven-day boarding students is $47,210, or $52,230 for international boarding students. Health insurance and a student visa are also required for international students. The rate for day students is $24,220.
Do you have to be wealthy to attend private school?
No. There are many options for regular families who want to send their children to an independent school.
Most offer bursaries and scholarships. At UTS for example, bursaries range from 5 per cent of tuition to full tuition, says Evans, adding that the tuition was $75 to $300 when many of their alumni attended the school. The alumni donated about $1.2-million last year to provide support.
Is private schooling worth it?
A
Statistics Canada study released earlier in 2015 found that students in private high schools scored significantly higher than their public school peers in reading, math and science at age 15, and had “higher levels of educational attainment by age 23.”
Impressive, but the study also found that two factors accounted for the differences: Students who attend private schools were more likely to have “socio-economic characteristics positively associated with academic success” and to have university-educated parents.
“School resources and practices accounted for little of the differences in academic outcomes,” says the report.
