Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh dear parents,
We sincerely thank you for your engagement, your candid feedback, and your continued commitment to Calgary Islamic School. The level of involvement reflects a shared responsibility for the success of our school and the well-being of our children.
Following the recent town hall, we understand that many parents have concerns regarding the fee adjustment for the 2026–2027 academic year, as well as questions related to transparency, process, and communication. These are valid concerns, and we are committed to addressing them clearly and constructively.
Process and Approval
The fee adjustment was developed through a detailed review of the school's operating requirements and submitted through the appropriate process, including review and approval by Prairie Rose School Division.
We recognize that while the approval process was followed, parent communication and engagement should have been earlier and clearer. This is an area we are actively improving.
Understanding the Budget
The 2026–2027 budget reflects the actual cost of delivering both academic and Islamic programming.
Alternative Program Cost Breakdown
| Alternative Program Requirements | Cost |
|---|---|
| Non-Certificated Teachers (19.3) | $1,993,609 |
| Insurance, Supply, Utilities & Maintenance | $733,595 |
| Janitorial & Support Staffing | $621,852 |
| AP Education Assistance | $250,000 |
| General & Administration | $204,236 |
| Building Lease & Upgrades | $900,000 |
| Total | $4,703,292 |
Staffing remains the largest component of the budget. Teaching staff alone represent approximately $2.0 million. When combined with support staff and student services (including but not limited to Alternative Program education assistance, janitorial, day porters, caretakers, maintenance staff and security), staffing represents the largest portion of total costs required to deliver the program.
The Financial Reality
- • Total Educational and Operating Cost: ~$4.7M
- • Alberta Education O&M Funding: ~$1.0M
- • Remaining to be Funded: ~$3.7M
2026 – 2027 Fee Structure
Fees Calculation
| CISS 2026 – 2027 Budget | $4,703,292 | A |
| Alberta Education O&M allocation to CISS (based on 1545 students) | $1,006,736 | B |
| Remaining Budget to be Funded (A - B = C) | $3,696,556 | C |
| Estimated Number of Students | 1545 | D |
| Weighted Average Fee per Student (C / D) | $2,393 |
2026 – 2027 Fees
| Grades / Program | Total Annual Fee First Child | Additional Child(ren) |
|---|---|---|
| KG – Grade 9 | $2,450 | $2,250 |
| Grades 10 – 12 | $2,690 | $2,490 |
| Tahfeez Program | $2,690 | $2,490 |
The cost of a Non-Certificated Teacher includes more than base salary. It reflects the full employer cost required to employ qualified staff, including vacation pay, CPP, EI, health benefits, and pension contributions. These are standard across the education sector.
For example, a teacher with a base salary of $75,000 represents a total employer cost of approximately $100,000 once these required contributions are included.
This reflects the true cost of delivering instruction and is consistent with standard employment practices across schools.
Our Non-Certificated Teachers play a critical role in delivering Islamic, Arabic, and Quranic instruction. Ensuring they are fairly compensated is essential to maintaining program quality, stability, and continuity for our students.
Furthermore, the school operates within leased facilities, and these costs form part of the day-to-day operating requirements necessary to deliver the program (including but not limited to lease payment, cleaning supplies, waste disposal, general maintenance and repairs, insurance and utilities). For context, the lease rate is significantly below typical market rates, and the total reflects the size of the space required to operate a full school program. Please note the majority of the lease value is dedicated to improving the school campuses.
Alignment with Alberta Education Framework
Alternative program fees are intended to cover costs directly related to delivering the programs that are NOT funded through Alberta Education.
Alberta Education provides Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funding to Prairie Rose School Division to support the basic operation and upkeep of school facilities. This funding is allocated at the division level and is based primarily on student enrollment.
As part of this structure, approximately $1 million in O&M funding is applied to support the operation of Calgary Islamic School. This funding helps offset facility and operational costs; however, it does not fully cover the total cost of operating the school, which is approximately $4.7 million annually.
The Board's Authority to Set School Fees
CISS was registered as a not-for-profit organization on September 4, 2024, and subsequently obtained charitable status effective January 15, 2026.
The Board of Directors operates under a formal governance framework established by the Societies Act (Alberta, RSA 2000, c S-14) and the Society's Bylaws, which were adopted on October 27, 2025.
Section 15 of the CISS Bylaws expressly grants the Board this authority:
"The Board shall determine School Fees payable each school year. Parents shall be notified in writing of such fees for the forthcoming [year] no later than April 1 of each year."
"School Fees" is a defined term in the Bylaws and includes tuition fees, activity or trip fees, technology fees, capital improvement fees, alternative program fees, and any other ancillary fees. The power to set these fees rests exclusively with the Board of Directors and does not require a membership vote or referendum. This is consistent with how not-for-profit societies in Alberta are governed, where operational financial decisions are entrusted to the elected and appointed board.
The Board exercised this authority following a thorough review of the Society's financial position, operating requirements, and the needs of the school community. The fee adjustment was passed by Board resolution and is effective for the upcoming school year.
Governance and Responsibility
The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability of the school, overseeing operations, and setting school fees in accordance with the Society's Bylaws and governance framework.
The Board includes parent representation, with a majority of current members being parents of students within the school, including individuals who represent the parent body. This structure is intended to ensure that parent perspectives are part of Board-level discussions and decision-making.
We recognize that while representation exists at the Board level, broader parent communication and engagement should have been stronger. We are committed to improving this moving forward through more structured and consistent communication.
Our Commitment to Transparency
CISS has been taking steps to establish more structured communication processes with parents. In response to recent feedback, we are accelerating these efforts through the following actions:
- Establishing a structured communication channel through an official website to support ongoing engagement with the Board
- Sharing the Society's Bylaws and governance documents on the official website
- Providing a clear financial summary, with financial statements shared in accordance with fiscal timelines
- Sharing relevant materials that are important to parents
We are currently organizing this information and will share it through our new CISS website (cissociety.ca), which is under development and expected to be available in the coming weeks.
Moving Forward Together
The Board of Directors serves this community voluntarily. Every Director — elected or appointed — receives no remuneration. Our singular focus is the success and wellbeing of your children and the longterm sustainability of this school as a premier Islamic educational institution in Calgary.
We are building something meaningful here — a school rooted in Islamic values, academic excellence, and a deep love of the Quran. That mission requires a sound financial foundation, and this fee adjustment is part of ensuring that foundation remains strong.
We thank you for your patience, your candour, and your continued commitment to this school community. If you have further questions or wish to discuss this matter directly, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school office or any member of the Board.
We ask Allah (SWT) to guide us and grant us wisdom in serving this community.
Wassalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
The Board of Directors
Calgary Islamic School Society
Questions or Concerns?
We welcome your feedback and are here to address any questions you may have.
Contact us:
[email protected]