School Choice in Canada: Diversity Along the Wild–Domesticated Continuum

Abstract

Policies governing school choice in each of Canada's 10 provinces are summarized and then compared using a conceptual continuum contrasting "domesticated" and "wild" organizations. Analysis focuses on the evolution of school choice in the six most populous provinces accounting for 93% of the Canadian population. Ontario, the largest province, accounting for 38% of population, emerges as displaying the greatest contrast between highly domesticated public schools and notably wild nonpublic schools.

The changing landscape of school choice in Canada: From pluralism to parental preference?

“…In contrast, the share of students enroled in non-government sector schools-independent schools and home schools-has been steadily, if slowly, increasing over the past three decades (Allison, 2015a, Table 2). Such increases are not currently being encouraged by government policy.…”

“…An alternate program is defined as "an education program that (a) emphasizes a particular language, culture, religion or subject-matter, or (b) uses a particular teaching philosophy," but is not a special education program, a s.23 French language program, or program of religious education in a separate school (s.21(1)). If a school board rejects a proposal to establish an 5 Statistics Canada (2011, Table 4) reported 167,800 4-15 year First Nations children 2011, which represented 4.5% of the total Canadian 4-15 year cohort.. 6 This section draws heavily on Allison (2015a). alternate program, s.31 of the Act allows the applicants to seek charter school status from the Minister of Education, subject to the restriction that charter schools cannot be "affiliated with a religious faith or denomination" (s. 34(4)).…”

“…Saskatchewan enacted legislation in 1995 giving parents the choice of enroling their children in either a separate or public high school regardless of religious affiliation. Eidsness, Steeves, and Dolmage (2008) report that Saskatchewan's separate boards have been admitting nonCatholic students to their elementary grades for some time.…”

“…The country's two official languages (French and English), its settlement patterns, with over 50% of Canadians living in the 17 largest cities, 10 of which are located in Ontario and Quebec, and legacies of historical accommodations have shaped the policies and provisions for education differently within the 10 provinces and three territories 2 (Allison, 2015a).…”

“…Then, drawing upon recent empirical data (Allison, 2015a;Allison, 2015b;Allison, Hasan & Van Pelt, 2016;Bosetti, Hasan, & Van Pelt, 2015;Clemens, Palacios, Loyer & Frazier, 2014) Van Pelt, Clemens, Palacios, & Brown, 2015) we turn to an analysis of the current context of school choice in Canada, examining enrolments, and changes in enrolments in various choice options. We also provide an overview of the differences in levels of funding and support for choice in various provinces.…”