Jan. 09, 2023
What to know before you register your child for school
The Calgary Board of Education looks forward to welcoming your child in the 2023-24 school year!
Registration for the 2023-24 school year begins Monday, Jan. 16, 2023
All students
new to CBE will register through
SchoolEngage. If this is the first time your child will be attending a CBE school, you will need to create an account through SchoolEngage before registering. If you have another child(ren) already attending a CBE school, you will register the new student through your existing MyCBE account.
There are a number of resources available to help guide parents and guardians through the process of registering a child/student. Please visit SchoolEngage Support for all resources and supporting information.
- There is an Instructional Video for Parents that outlines the entire process and steps to register your child/student from start to finish.
- There is a Helpful Tips video that addresses specific sections of the registration form.
When can your child start school?
You may register your child for kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year if your child will turn five on or before Dec. 31, 2023.
Children must be at least six years old as of Dec. 31, 2023, to start Grade 1 in the 2023-24 school year.
How you can prepare for registration
Registration is not on a first-come, first-served basis. However, if your regular or alternative program schools are in a lottery, you will need to submit your registration by noon on Feb. 14, 2023, to be considered for the lottery.
You can simplify and speed up the registration process by preparing documents ahead of time and knowing your options before you begin.
1 | Familiarize yourself with our registration process.
- Helpful tip | Visit the 2022-23
registration pages to understand what is required to register your child.
- All 2023-24 school year registration information will be updated on our website before Jan. 16.
2 | Each student, based on their home address, is designated to regular and alternative program schools. Use the Find a School tool on CBE’s website to find out which schools your child can attend. You can search by address, school name, neighbourhood or filter by a specific program.
3 | You must provide proof of your child’s age, legal name, citizenship and address.
Acceptable proof of your child’s age, legal name and citizenship can include one of the following documents:
- Alberta birth certificate or card;
- Canadian birth certificate or card;
- Your child’s Canadian passport;
- Your child’s Canadian citizenship card;
- Confirmation of permanent residence; or
- Canadian Indigenous status card.
Acceptable proof of address includes one of the following documents:
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) letter;
- GST rebate;
- Home or renter insurance;
- Income tax statement;
- Mortgage statement; or
- Property tax assessment.
Also, you will need to provide a copy of your government-issued photo identification, like your driver’s license,
and a selfie with the government-issued photo identification clearly shown and readable.
Helpful tip | Scan or take a photo of these documents and pieces of identification ahead of time to have them handy during registration.
What is the regular program, and what is an alternative program?
Regular Program
Most CBE schools offer a regular program, and more than 80 per cent of all students are enrolled in regular programs. All schools teach according to Alberta Education’s mandated curriculum. However, a school’s focus, optional courses and school activities are as unique as every school. We encourage you to explore your designated regular program school’s website to find out more.
Alternative Program
An alternative education program emphasizes a particular language (CBE currently offers French, Spanish, Mandarin and German) or subject matter or uses a particular teaching philosophy, all while following the Alberta curriculum. Explore
our website to learn more.
How do you register for school bus transportation?
Registration for school bus transportation will begin in May 2023 and must be completed by the June deadline to ensure transportation is in place for the first day of classes in September. Learn more about service levels and fees in the Transportation section on our
website.
The best way to prepare for registration is to familiarize yourself with the CBE. Please explore our website and read our help pages to get started.
CBE Website
Help Pages