East Central Catholic Separate School Formation Information - 2022
This information package will assist separate school electors with the separate school establishment process.
The right of Protestants or Roman Catholics to establish a separate school district is enshrined in legislation: Section 93 of the British North America Act, 1867 (now the Constitution Act, 1982); the Alberta Act, 1905; Section 29 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and the School Act.
Government has made a commitment to have one publicly funded system of education with two dimensions—the public schools and the separate schools. To meet this commitment, it is necessary to legislate a method for establishing separate school districts. The establishment process separates the minority denominational faith from the majority denominational faith (either Protestant or Roman Catholic), with Roman Catholics typically being in the separate system because they are generally the minority faith.
Most of Alberta is divided into historical public school districts, commonly called 4x4s, because they were about four miles square when they were originally established. The historical public school districts form the geographical land descriptions used for separate school district establishments. There are approximately 5,600 4x4s in the province. They are referred to as public school districts in the School Act, which are different from operating public school jurisdictions. School jurisdictions are referred to as school districts, school divisions or regional divisions in the School Act.
The province is also divided into 16 separate school regions through the Separate School Regions Establishment and Provision of Services Order. Each region is associated with a specific Roman Catholic separate school board. New separate school establishments are added to the separate school region they fall under.
The School Act sets out the procedures the minority faith must follow when exercising the right to establish a separate school district.
Why Establish?
Once a separate school district is established, education services must be delivered to the minority faith students, either Protestant or Roman Catholic, who are now considered to be resident students of the separate school board. Under Section 44 of the School Act, a student belongs to the board their parent(s) resides in. After an area has been established and the parent(s) is of the minority faith, they are no longer considered to be residents of the public school board, which is the board all other individuals fall under.
Alberta Separate School Formation Guide - Click here to download
East Central Ward Map Overview
ECCS Ward 1 Region
ECCS Ward 2 Region
ECCS Ward 3 Region
ECCS Ward 4 Region
ECCS Ward 5 Region
