Budget & Finance

The 2023-24 Budget aims to support the significant growth in the student population, with an expected increase of 13,000 students for the 2023-24 school year. Our goal is to deliver high-quality K-12 education that meets the needs of students, staff, and families. The CBE's total budget for this school year is nearly $1.5 billion, addressing the needs of around 138,000 students.

On February 28, the Government of Alberta provided preliminary funding information in Budget 2023 to all school boards. Using the detailed information from Alberta Education's funding profile, CBE Administration developed a Budget Assumption Report (BAR), which was presented to the Board of Trustees on April 4, 2023. The BAR laid out the assumptions Administration used to build the 2023-24 budget.

The Board of Trustees approved the 2023-24 Operating Budget during a public meeting held on May 30, 2023. After this approval, CBE is required to submit a balanced budget to Alberta Education by May 31, in accordance with the Education Act.

For the 2023-24 Budget, CBE received an additional $130 million from Alberta Education. This funding is directed towards hiring more teachers and staff to support the anticipated increase in students. CBE's balanced budget demonstrates our commitment to student achievement, equity, and well-being, ensuring a sustainable financial future through effective management and transparency.

See earlier budgets and financial information: Budget and Financial Information Archive.​​

​The CBE believes in a strong public education system that supports success for each student.

Throughout the budget development process, our focus was on providing educational programming that meets the needs of all students while being responsible stewards of public dollars.

On Feb. 24, the Government of Alberta provided all school boards with some preliminary funding information in Budget 2022.

Using the detailed information from its funding profile, CBE Administration developed a Budget Assumption Report (BAR), which was presented to the Board of Trustees on April 5. The BAR laid out the assumptions Administration used build the 2022-23 budget.

The Board of Trustees approved the 2022-23 budget at a public meeting on May 24, 2022.

Following Board of Trustee approval, the CBE must submit a balanced budget to Alberta Education by May 31 in keeping with the Education Act.

See earlier budgets and financial information in Budget and Financial Information Archive.

The Calgary Board of Education’s 2020-21 budget was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 26, 2020. The meeting can be viewed on the Board's YouTube channel.

As required by the Education Act, the CBE must submit a balanced budget to Alberta Education by May 31.

For the 2020-21 school year, Alberta Education has indicated we will receive an additional $20.6 million when compared to 2019-20 funding levels. Even though we will receive an increase in funding, we expect to welcome 3,000 additional students, open three new schools, and face other increasing costs.

This means our dollars will need to stretch further. We will​ continue to prioritize dollars and resources directly to students and classrooms that align with the funding we receive within the government’s new K to 12 education funding framework.

Visit the Trustee Advocacy page to watch our Board of Trustees budget video and read more key information on the CBE’s 2020-21 budget.​​​

The updated 2019-20 budget was appro​ved by the Board of Trustees on Jan. 7, 2020.

The $1,380.5 m​illion expenditure budget supports the operation of 246 schools and 125,809 students. This is a decrease of $28.5 million from the previously approved 2019-20 budget.

The original 2019-20 budget was approved by the Board and submitted to the Province in June, in advance of the provincial budget announcement. The spring budget presumed flat funding.

The Province announced the 2019-20 budget on Oct. 24, 2019. Overall funding was reduced by a minimum of ​$32 million, despite our enrolment increasing by nearly 2,400 students.

As required by law, the 2019-20 budget is balanced.​

​The CBE's 2018-19 budget was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 22, 2018.

The $1.4 billion budget will support the operation of 249 schools and an estimated 123,513 students.

• A designated and supported math leader in each school.
• Implementing a replacement Student Information System that provides greater access to and use of student profile data for students, families, teachers and leaders, supports best practices in assessment and grading and creates administrative efficiencies.
• Preparing for the implementation of new kindergarten – Grade 4 Programs of Study.
• Continuing to evaluate and act on the results of the system-wide staff engagement survey.
• Funds allocated directly to schools have increased by $22.5 million, not including the CIF. The CIF adds an additional $13.3 million to schools.  
• This increase funds enrolment growth of 1.5 per cent and the opening of two new schools.
• Noon supervision fees will increase by up to 3.9 per cent and transportation fees by 4.5 per cent due to increased costs of providing those services.
• In order to maximize dollars available for students in the classroom, service unit budgets are reduced by 3-10 per cent (approx. $15 million) of discretionary budgets. Approximately 69 FTEs have been reduced in service units and Areas.
• Non-school facility capital project spending is budgeted at $31.6 million.
• As directed by the Board of Trustees, full-day kindergarten is maintained at 16 sites. This $2.2 million cost is partially paid from reserves (up to $1.2 million).

To hear more about our planning for the 2018-19 budget year, please see our video: 2018-19 Budget Planning Process with CFO Brad Grundy.

Our budget priorities are shaped by our shared values:

• students come first
• learning is our central purpose
• public education serves the common good

Reference documents:

• 2017-18 Budget
• Budget Assumptions Report 2017-20

The Board of Trustees approved the 2017-18 operating budget on June 20, 2017.

The Province has again funded us for enrolment growth, to ensure that the approximately 2,000 new students we welcome in our schools next year will be funded. We always look to maximize the dollars directed towards students and their success.

Highlights of the budget include:

• The number of school-based teachers will increase by 92 full time equivalent (FTE) positions and school based support staff by 26 FTE positions.
• Funds allocated directly to schools have increased by $12.5 million to fund enrolment growth of 1.7 per cent and the opening of four new schools.
• $1.1 billion dollars (including 8,732 FTEs) will be spent on instruction in direct support of the achievement of success for each student.
• The CBE will continue to have one of the lowest Board and System Administration costs of all metro school boards.
• As per Bill 1: An Act to Reduce School Fees, Instructional Supplies and Materials fees will be eliminated for all students and transportation fees reduced or eliminated for those eligible under Provincial guidelines.
• Non-facility capital project spending is budgeted at $22.9 million, including:
• $2.6 million to support the commissioning of new schools scheduled to open in the 2018-19 year.  
• $2.2 million for wireless upgrades to address functionality issues.
• $5.6 million for technology replacement and refresh.
• $7.0 million for the development and implementation of the new Student Information System (SIS).

View complete budget report.  

For more information on how we fund our schools, please see our 2017-18 Resource Allocation Method for Schools and our fact sheet, “where does s​chool funding go?”

We encourage you to continue to take part in the budget process by visiting our Budget Feedback Form and sharing your budget priorities and thoughts with us.

A Year of Stability