Options for Taking Externally Delivered Credit Courses

While WISDOM supports only 100% parent directed education, high school students with WISDOM have some opportunities to take externally delivered credit courses through another school authority. There are two predominant options that support this choice:

Non-Primary Registration Fully Funded
WISDOM students may take up to 5 credits through any school in Alberta that offers online or paper based distance education. These 5 credits are fully funded and do not affect the student’s Home Education program.

Shared Responsibility with Another School WISDOM Fee By Percentage
A student who engages in Shared Responsibility with an outside school authority can take externally delivered credit courses. To cover the funding loss, WISDOM charges a support fee based on the percentage of education taken from the partnership school.

Non-Primary Registration with Another School (600/622 or 623 option):

With this option, WISDOM students are considered to be 100% Home Education students, and are fully funded by Alberta Education for their Home Education program. A student can enroll as a Non-Primary student with another school in Alberta (not including your local school) that offers online or paper-based Distance Education and take up to 5 credits worth of courses.  WISDOM retains the primary registration of the student, and Alberta Education will also fully fund the other school school authority to deliver up to 5 credits (equivalent to one core-course). Students must be registered prior to term start dates for courses. Certain schools will also allow students to enroll in more than 5 credits worth of courses by charging the student a fee per credit taken (usually about $125 per credit).

Enrollment Process for Non-Primary Registration: 

Student enrolls with WISDOM as normal, then contacts the other school authority to enroll as a non-primary registration student for up to 5 credits (or more if paying for courses). Students must enroll as a Non-Primary student before the term 1 or term 2 deadlines depending on which term the credit course falls in.

Pros: 

• Students retain 100% Home Education status.
• Courses are teacher-directed and totally organized by the other school authority. 
• Can be a good option for students who need extra support.
• This option is fully funded by Alberta Education.
• Some courses have flexible programming and students can work at their own pace.
• Opportunity to complete off-campus courses with this option (RAP, Green certificate, etc.).

Cons: 

• Limited to 5 credits per year.
• Some courses lean heavily into independent study with limited support. 
• Some courses follow a strict schedule which may be cumbersome to some students.
• Course delivery method might not fit the student's learning style.

Shared Responsibility with Another School (611/612 option):

WISDOM students may enroll in a Shared Responsibility program with a partner school to take 10 or more credits in externally delivered courses. Shared Responsibility with another school comes with funding implications. In this model of education, funding is divided between the two school authorities according to the percentage of education being delivered at each. As a result, WISDOM receives proportionately less funding but must provide full Home Education support. To assure long term sustainability of this model of schooling, WISDOM will charge a support fee based on the percentage of education pursued with the partnership school (example: if a student takes 10 credits at another school authority, the family will be charged an amount equal to approximately 30% of their normal home education funding allotment to cover lost WISDOM funding). This option is only available to students who have given notification to WISDOM and enrolled in credit courses delivered by the partner school before September 12. Partner Schools include: Hope Christian School, NorthStar Academy, and Chesterton Academy.

Enrollment Process for Shared Responsibility Between Two School Authorities.

The student enrolls with WISDOM as normal, then contacts the other partner school to enroll as a shared responsibility student for 10 or more credits. The partner school will inform WISDOM of the percentage of education they are assuming responsibility for, and WISDOM will adjust the home education notification accordingly. WISDOM will then charge the family a home education support fee which must be paid no later than the September deadline (typically mid-Sept.) for WISDOM to accept the student notification for the year.

Pros: 

• Courses are teacher-directed and totally organized by the other school authority. 
• Students can take more than 5 credits per year with another school authority.
• Can be a good option for students who need extra support.
• Opportunity to complete off-campus courses with this option (RAP, Green certificate, etc.).

Cons: 

• There are funding implications, and WISDOM will charge a support fee to cover any Alberta Education funding lost with this option.
• Option is available only with schools in partnership with WISDOM (currently Hope Christian, NorthStar Academy, and Chesterton Academy).
• Parents must relinquish a portion of their education responsibility to a school authority.
• Course delivery method might not fit the student's learning style.

Important Note: These two options are mutually exclusive of one another. A student can not be enrolled as both a non-primary student and a Shared Responsibility student.

Other Options for Taking Externally Delivered Credit Courses

Summer School (not with WISDOM)

WISDOM students can take up to 10 credits through summer school without affecting their Home Education status during the regular school year. This option is totally external to WISDOM, and is fully funded. Many schools in Alberta offer online summer courses.

Pros: 

• Courses are teacher-directed and totally organized by the other school authority. 
• Students can take up to 10 credits.
• This option is fully funded.
• Can be a good option for students who need extra support.
• Off-campus courses may be completed with this option (RAP, Green certificate, etc.).

Cons: 

• Summer courses may limit other opportunities such as volunteerism, summer jobs, and event or vacation participation.

Post-Secondary Courses

A Home Education student is permitted to take a portion of their overall education at a post-secondary level without affecting their Home Education status. Students can enroll in open studies or upgrading courses delivered by post secondary schools to complete high school courses, and/or some university courses.

Pros: 

• Students retain 100% home education status.
• Some open studies courses might be applied to post-secondary program credits.
• Some open studies courses will allow a student to satisfy admission requirements to a post-secondary program through an open admissions pathway.
• Upgrading courses provide mature students an opportunity to take teacher-directed high school courses after graduation.
• Upgrading courses often have very flexible delivery methods.

Cons: 

• Courses are expensive (about $650+ per course), and Home Education funding may not be used towards these courses.

For more information, please contact the WISDOM High School Advisor, Christian Bekolay.