Education Freedom Index

Summary

The purpose of this internship was to inform the debate over school choice by identifying the range of school choices available to parents in different parts of Canada. The intern examined differences in school choice between provinces and compared provincial legislation that determines what kinds of educational choices are available to families. Three types of education were examined: independent (private) schools, charter schools, and home schooling. The research examined ease of access to alternate (i.e., non-public) types of schooling, requirements for reporting to parents, governmental funding, teacher certification requirements, and curricular approval.

Grant Outputs

The Canadian Education Freedom Index – http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/research/display.aspx?id=13490

The Canadian Education Freedom Index report draws attention to the role provincial governments play in facilitating or limiting access to educational choice. It shows that “public education” does not mean the same thing in every province. Some provinces, through funding and regulation, allow many different educational choices for parents, while others do not. The report suggests that regions with higher levels of educational choice tend to demonstrate higher academic achievement, and argues for more educational freedom in every province.