Certified Independent Schools

Certified Independent Schools receive funding of 75 per cent of the provincial per student average based on the actual number of eligible school-aged students registered in the school. Only those students who are Saskatchewan residents are eligible for funding.

Kindergarten students attending both a public and a Certified Independent School fall under the eligible enrolment of the public school and are not eligible for funding in the Certified Independent School.

To plan for the upcoming school year, the Ministry of Education needs an estimate of student enrolment. Finalized enrolment data must be provided to the ministry by September 30^th.

Independent schools that are eligible for the Certified Independent School designation include those that:

• Have lawfully operated as a qualified independent school for at least five consecutive school years immediately prior to applying for Certified Independent School designation;
• Are owned or operated by a non-profit corporation that is incorporated or continued in Saskatchewan that must not conduct any business, carry on any other activity or exercise any power other than for the ownership, governance, administration, management and operation of the school;
• Use ministry-approved core learning resources that are submitted to the ministry for review at least once every five years;
• Have and continue to enrol a minimum of 150 full-time equivalent students;
• Employ at least one Professional A teacher in every classroom and maintain a student-teacher ratio no higher than 25 students per full-time equivalent teacher;
• Offer a minimum of 75 per cent synchronous educational programming that is scheduled between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and
• Pay teachers and school administrators a minimum of 90 per cent of the amounts set out in the current collective bargaining agreement for teachers.

They also agree to:

• Submit independently-audited financial statements to the ministry each year that include detailed salary information for all teachers and school administrators;
• Be supervised and inspected by ministry officials; and
• Comply with ministry policies and directives.

In addition, the independent school must:

• Employ a school director who is not a member of the board of directors for the school, and who does not also act as school principal; and
• Employ a school principal who is not a member of the board of directors for the school, and who does not also act as school director.

Schools that choose to apply to become a Certified Independent School must submit a Form B1- Certified Independent School Application and all supporting documentation to Independent Schools and Home-based Education, Ministry of Education no later than December 31 in order to be designated as a Certified Independent School for the following school year.

Schools must contact ministry officials prior to the submission of their application. This ensures the ministry officials are aware of the application and may assist in the development of the application package. It is expected that this will occur a minimum of six months ahead of the application deadline.

Schools already designated as Certified Independent Schools are not required to reapply.

Once a school submits an application to become a Certified Independent School, staff from the Ministry of Education evaluates the application.

The ministry will contact the school about the status of their application.

To be considered eligible as a Certified Independent School, please complete one application per school seeking designation.

Certified Independent School Application

Send an original signed copy of the application and supporting documents to:

Ministry of Education
Independent Schools & Home-based Education
Programs Branch
409A Park Street
Regina, SK S4N 5B2
programsed@gov.sk.ca

The Ministry of Education will not consider applications received after December 31. The ministry will also not accept incomplete applications.