Quote:
Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear
Cost, how do they mesh with the Alberta system upon return, are they all of comparable quality?
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No, they are not at all of comparable quality. International schools are broadly grouped into three tiers.
Tier three schools are to be avoided at almost all costs. I would turn down a 250k a year job if the only schooling option for my kids was a school like this. (Looking at you, Saudi Arabia). These schools are invariably for-profit, mostly populated with local students, and prioritizing maintaining enrollment above all else. They may be quite expensive, but a key sign is high rates of turnover in both faculty and admin.
Tier two schools make up the majority of International schools. These can be both for profit and non profit. They may be secular or religious. They are always better run than tier three and generally focus on education over enrollment. They may have an extremely specific focus. Generally what links them is a lack of financial resources compared to the tier one schools. Some tier two schools are EXCELLENT especially if they have a particular focus like arts or sciences. Almost all will operate a curriculum that transfers well with Alberta, particularly for elementary and junior high ages. Quality between individual schools at this level can vary wildly from really excellent to extremely poor and specific research into the local options is essential. Costs also will vary, but expect between 5,000 - 20,000 CAD/year per student. More expensive is in no way indicative of better quality.
Tier one schools are the very best. Generally there are one or two of these in most major cities with as many as four or five in truly huge, global metropolises like Tokyo or London. Some entire nations may only have one, and the continent of Africa as a whole has maybe four. These schools are always not-for-profit, though they may be religious they are often not. Frequently associated with embassies, these schools have robust governance policies and generally attract and retain very high quality faculty. They are usually quite expensive. Expect to pay 20,000+ CAD per year, per child, often much more than this. For example, as a Canadian, the annual cost for an elementary age student to attend Singapore American School (a very good tier 1 school) is more than $45,000 CAD/year. This cost does translate into fantastic opportunities and world class facilities for students, however.
There is no hard-and-fast list of schools and tiers. There is a ton of argument on the margins of each category about where a school belongs.
Ultimately, compatibility with the Alberta curriculum will be a much lower concern than quality of school and expense.
I hope this helps.
