Back to School: A Guide to Edmonton Public Schools & More

As of 2021, the Edmonton metro area has a population of nearly 1.5 million residents. With so many people moving to Edmonton, it's no surprise that there are abundant educational opportunities in this large, modern city. Edmonton used to be known primarily as an oil and gas city, but the diversified Edmonton economy that has expanded since the 1990s now includes a robust tech sector and increasing educational opportunities. People looking to buy homes in Edmonton might be interested in learning more about the school in the area. Keep reading for a complete guide to the public schools, private institutions, and universities in Edmonton.

Public School Districts Serving Edmonton

Edmonton School District Number 7, also known simply as Edmonton Public Schools, is the sixth-largest school district in Canada. There are too many public schools in this metropolitan city to list in a short guide, so here are some highlights about District No. 7.

The city has 126 individual elementary schools, 27 junior high schools, and 14 secondary high schools within the metro area. That does not include the combination elementary/junior high schools or combined elementary/secondary schools, which also number in the dozens.

District No. 7 also has schools that offer Advanced Education Programs, Academic Delay Programs, Cognitive Disabilities Programs, Behavior and Learning Assistance Programs, the Interactions Program for students on the autism spectrum grades 1-12, and a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program for grade 1-12 students.

Bilingual and second language programs are offered at certain public schools and grade levels in Edmonton as well. This includes American Sign Language, Arabic, Mandarin, French and Late French Immersion, German, Hebrew, and Spanish. Every student must learn a second language between grades 4 and 9, so the district offers a dozen foreign language programs that meet this requirement, including Punjabi, Japanese, Cree, and Ukrainian.

There is a wide range of extracurricular programs offered by District No. 7 as well. This includes:

• A Dance Program
• Sports Training Programs (soccer, lacrosse, hockey)
• International Baccalaureate Programs for Primary, Middle Years, Diploma and Career Training
• Pre-Advanced Placement

Edmonton Charter Schools

Students interested in Edmonton charter schools have several options available.

• Aurora Charter School: This charter school serves several hundred Edmonton students with an enhanced focus on language arts and mathematics. This school is recognized for its use of technology to improve learning experiences.
• Boyle Street Education Centre: The Boyle Street Education Centre is a high school charter program geared toward students who have missed time in the formal education system. All students are between the ages of 14 and 19 and have had their education interrupted at some point. The school places heavy emphasis on educational success and social development.
• Mother Earth's Children's Charter School: This school is Canada's only Indigenous charter school. In addition to traditional language arts and math, the curriculum is focused on the Seven Sacred Teachings, the Medicine Wheel and the Spiritual Connectedness of Canada's First Peoples.
• Suzuki Charter School: The Suzuki Charter School in Edmonton first opened in 1995 with 18 kindergarten violinists. Since then, it has grown into a complete academic program focused on the Suzuki Method of education. This style of teaching was pioneered by Japanese violinist and philosopher Shinichi Suzuki in the 1950s. The method involves playing musical instruments from a very young age, which fosters increased academic and social skills in many different areas.

Edmonton Private Schools

There are several unique private schools in Edmonton as well, including some Montessori preschool and elementary schools. Here are some other notable private schools in the Edmonton metro area:

• Progressive Academy: This private K-12 school is located in a quiet part of the city close to the homes for sale in the Glenora neighbourhood. The school includes a technology centre, two performance stages, music and art programs, and more.
• Menorah Academy: The Menorah Academy is a private school serving the Jewish community in Edmonton. It provides leadership training, academic skills and moral character training for students utilizing values from the Torah.
• St. George's Hellenic Language School: This private school focuses on Greek heritage, history and language. It is a fully accredited Alberta Second Language program for K through 9 students.
• Headway School: The Headway School is located near the Edmonton waterfront homes on the southern side of the Saskatchewan River. It is a university-preparatory school for K-12 students, focusing on academics, physical health, and spirituality.
• Anne Fitzgerald Catholic Elementary School: This private elementary school focuses on Catholic religious education, French as a Second Language, and leadership programs. It has a robust slate of extracurricular programs, including floor hockey, volleyball, skiing, student recycling, choir and more. Each classroom is individually equipped with Chromebooks, iPads and other educational technology tools.
• Institut Guy-Lacombe de la Famille: While not technically a private school, this is an incredible paid resource for French-speaking families in Edmonton. The Institut has a full-service French-only library for all ages and Monday through Friday afterschool programs for French-speaking children and their parents.

Colleges & Universities near Edmonton

The University of Alberta is a significant driver in the Edmonton economy, contributing five percent of Alberta's total GDP. It's a public research university with more than 200 undergraduate programs, 500 graduate programs, and 300 research areas. UA has approximately 41,000 students enrolled in its five campuses as of 2021. The school was first founded in 1906, and it is the sixth-largest public university in Canada.

MacEwan University in Edmonton started as a community college in the 1970s but has grown to a respected public university today. It serves 12,000 full-time students in Edmonton and offers ten Bachelor's degree programs and 43 applied diploma and certificate programs. The City Centre campus is home to most of the university's degree programs. The clock tower at the entrance to the university is a prominent architectural feature in Edmonton, which can be easily viewed from 104 Street.

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a polytechnic and applied sciences college in Edmonton. NAIT is one of the most extensive apprenticeship programs in Canada, providing 34 registered trades programs. It offers Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration, Technology Management and Construction Management. NAIT has around 16,000 enrolled students and 12,000 apprenticeships each year.

Those are the three major public colleges and universities in Edmonton. The city is also home to several smaller private colleges and universities as well.

Edmonton is an Education-Focused City

From preschool programs to doctorate degrees in advanced sciences, Edmonton is home to students' wide range of educational opportunities. The city's economic boom has been underway since the 1990s has provided increased investment and expansion of educational institutions and resources. As people continue to flock to Edmonton condos and new construction homes, the emphasis on education will undoubtedly continue to contribute to the city's future success.