Fees are charged to cover the gap between the cost of programs and services and the funding provided by the province. The Government of Alberta's School Fees Regulation sets out the requirements and limitations related to the fees that a school board may charge. Fees for the school year are confirmed by the end of August and are posted on this page. Fees for each school year are due when assigned.
The CBE only charges fees to cover the cost of providing goods or experiences to students. For example, if a trip to the Calgary Zoo costs $20 for busing and admission, we pass along that cost directly to families. We also charge fees when the cost to deliver a service (such as transportation) exceeds the funding we receive from the province.
Our fee revenue does not go towards core instructional funding or central administration costs. By law, the CBE cannot charge fees related to instruction, such as textbooks, workbooks or printing.
If a family cannot afford fees, they may qualify for a waiver for fees.
Fees Oversight
Alberta Education & Childcare requires all publicly funded school boards, including the CBE, to establish fee policies and procedures, and to consult with parents prior to setting, increasing, or decreasing school fees. These consultations are typically scheduled in February and March as part of school planning engagements.
The CBE has an internal committee that oversees both school-based and system-based fees and waivers. The committee aims to bring a structured system-level approach to fees that is sustainable, consistent, transparent and accountable.
Administrative Regulation 7005: School Fees
How to Pay Fees
We offer a variety of convenient payment options for parents and guardians, along with support for families who may require financial assistance. Visit the Pay My Fees page for information on payment methods, fee waivers and additional support options.
School & Central Fees
Central fees are for system-wide services are the same for all schools. This includes:
- Student supplies, like pens, pencils, erasers, and other tools students need from their first day in class
- Transportation (busing) for eligible students
- Lunch supervision for students who remain at school over their lunch break
School-based fees are unique for each school or class, and are used to cover the cost of their specific activities, field trips, items or services.
You can find more information and specific fee amounts on our School & Central Fees page.
Waivers
For many families, costs such as busing, lunch supervision and field trips can really add up. We know that affordability is an issue for families, and we are committed to giving every student a high-quality education regardless of their family’s ability to pay fees. No child is ever denied access to an education in the CBE because of an inability to pay.
The CBE has a waiver process for families who can’t afford to pay the fees for student supplies, transportation, or lunch supervision. Visit our Central Fee Waiver page for more information and the documents required as proof of income or extraordinary circumstance.
Any family needing a waiver is encouraged to apply to the City of Calgary Fair Entry Program to prove income for a CBE waiver, as well as access other benefits of the program. This is optional for families and the CBE will continue to accept other approved documents as proof of income.
Note | Waiver applications are available through your MyCBE account.
Fee Assessment
If your student is using a service with a related fee, per the terms and conditions of the program, you will be charged for those services. Please be advised that if you use the services but do not sign the registration form, you will be deemed to have accepted this registration by your conduct and will be charged the full amount of the applicable fee. Unpaid fees may be referred to collections by the CBE without further notice.
Fee Refunds
Cancellation of transportation or lunch supervision services require notice prior to the provision of a refund. Cancellations are accepted up to April 30 each year.
Refunds are not provided for days when service is missed due to illness or vacation.
Tax Receipts
You can download tax receipts online through your MyCBE account for lunch supervision fees (child care). If you are unable to retrieve the receipts, please contact student fees studentfees@cbe.ab.ca and make a request. Please include your student’s name, school, ID number and requesting school year.
Note:
- We are not able to change the information on the income tax receipt.
- If you need to split the amount to be claimed between another party, please make the arrangements amongst yourselves.
- We only have records going back for the past seven years. Anything older we are unable to pull.
Unpaid Fees
We will contact any family with outstanding fees to provide opportunities to pay fees that are due for programs or services you have used or goods you have received. Our policies require us to work to collect fees owing from any source.
If CBE efforts to collect fees fail, our last resort is sending the account to a collection agency. Fees are only sent to collection if families have not declared a financial hardship for services they use and after every reasonable attempt has been made to settle the amount owing. No outstanding balances are sent to collections until after at least 2 invoices are sent and 180 days have elapsed.
Once your account has been sent to a collection agency, they will contact you directly by phone or mail, instructing you how to pay. If you have questions at that point, contact the collection agency for assistance.
If you did not receive any communications from the CBE about your outstanding fees, it could mean the address on record is incorrect. Please update your address and contact information at the school to ensure you receive future notices. If you already paid in full, please contact studentfees@cbe.ab.ca with all of the payment information and explanation and the team will investigate the payment status. If you have a waiver, email studentfees@cbe.ab.ca with your information and we will investigate this.
Contact
Last modified: 2026-08-10 17:06:10.4363 +0000 UTC