Calgary Board of Education trustees unanimously approved new capital ranking criteria on Tuesday, a measure aimed to address the growing student population in the city.
Changes to the New School, Modernization and Modular Ranking Criteria – which has been renamed to Capital Planning Project Ranking Criteria – were made after the board requested administration to review the criteria so they can be incorporated into the Three-Year School Capital Plan 2026-2029. According to a report presented at Tuesday’s board meeting, the amendments aimed to rank and prioritize major capital projects that will have “the most significant impacts on CBE students” and to address high utilization rates across the district.
This includes new eligibility filters (what qualifies to be ranked) and ranking criteria for new schools (how they are ranked), which now include high schools instead of just K-9 programs. All communities will be evaluated on a points system based on projected population growth over the next five years and median travel time. The higher the projected growth and median travel time, the more points will be allocated. If there is a school in an adjacent community that can accommodate students long term, that school will not proceed with the ranking process.
Additionally, Grade 10-12 projects will be ranked and given points based on projected utilization rates.
The criteria will also rank schools anticipated to be site-ready within the next five years. Previously, the criteria would filter out sites that would not be construction-ready within 12 months. This was done to facilitate a “staged approach” to requesting new schools as part of the province’s School Capital Manual, which outlines the four stages of the capital planning process—pre-planning, planning, design, and construction.
“I am satisfied that this [report] provides the transparency and trustworthiness to the public and provincial government on why we are prioritizing the projects we are prioritizing,” said Trustee Susan Vukadinovic, who represents wards 8 and 9.
“I also appreciate that we will have a way to rank solution schools, potentially replacement schools and other solutions considering our capital needs to give us flexibility in the future.”
Amendments made to school addition and school revitalization criteria
Tuesday’s motion also includes amendments to the existing school addition and revitalization criteria, which helps the CBE identify and prioritize schools requiring major capital investment to support their students. Capital investments include modernization, replacement of certain facilities, construction activity at multiple schools or permanent school additions. The amendments were made to address city densification efforts, which would mean higher demand for student spaces in schools without vacant land available.
Schools are eligible for additions if modular classrooms are already in use or need to be replaced, and a long-term solution is needed for the school. They are also eligible if the school is nearing or over capacity and is projected to have long-term accommodation challenges. Schools are ranked on a points system based on projected utilization rates – the higher the projected utilization rate, the higher the points. The amendments will also consider the availability and proximity of future school sites that will alleviate enrolment pressures once built.
Schools are eligible for revitalization and modernization if the building is 50 years or older, and if they have a high score on the Facility Condition Index. The index is a numeric representation used to “objectively evaluate” the condition of a facility based on industry standard methodology and is based on the total cost of any needed or outstanding repairs, the report said. The 30 schools with the highest Facility Condition Index Scores will be further evaluated and scored using other factors like accessibility, perceived project complexity and energy efficiency.
Other considerations include long-term student projections and long-term community population projections. These criteria are not scored. The list is then reviewed and vetted by administration for schools with facilities that have the “largest learning hindrances” such as ineffective school layout, indoor temperature extremes, critical building system failure risks, etc.
All schools with the greatest need will be evaluated and included in the Three Year School Capital Plan, the report said. Capital projects in existing schools have been “few and far between” historically, the report continued to say, and the criteria will ensure that the schools with the greatest need of attention are prioritized.
“I’m fully in support of adjusting the ranking criteria. I believe that it is responsive and supportive of multiple capital projects through multiple solutions. It’s data-driven. It’s prioritized. In no way it discounts the work that we do as advocates and representatives to make sure schools are built where students need them,” said Trustee Nancy Close, who represents wards 11 and 13.
“I encourage everyone to appreciate the work that has been done to make sure we are future-proof. In fact, I would like to add that we are future-focused and we have our heads up, and I like the idea to consider solutions in a data driven way.”
Modular classroom ranking criteria and eligibility filters amended
Tuesday’s amendments will also change eligibility filters and ranking criteria for modular classrooms. Schools are eligible for modular classrooms if they are currently over or projected to be over 90 per cent utilized in the next three years, and if it isn’t because of out-of-boundary students.
Starter schools and schools in a community approved for a new school are not eligible for modular classrooms. They are also not eligible if a school in an adjacent community can accommodate students in the long term.
Schools are then scored using three categories: category A, which looks at enrolment, utilization and projection; category B, which looks at site features and locations; and category C, which looks at anticipated cost. Each school will be given a score based on the criteria set out in the three categories.
Additional considerations include safety at proposed locations, washroom facilities, number of parking stalls, access to existing garbage enclosures and parking areas, access for modular delivery, buffer zones to existing playfields, and the presence of connection corridors used to tie new modular classrooms into existing schools.
The new ranking criteria will allow the CBE to further filter and rank schools that need modular classrooms at a time when most of them are experiencing utilization rates above 100 per cent, according to another report presented at Tuesday’s board meeting. Currently, there are 64 modular unit requests which will increase the capacity of 17 schools if approved by the province.
Eligible schools include:
- Annie Foote School
- Annie Gale School
- Centennial High School
- Colonel Macleod School
- Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School
- Ernest Manning High School
- Georges P. Vanier School
- John G. Diefenbaker High School
- Lester B. Pearson High School
- Manmeet Singh Bullar School
- Mount Royal School
- O.S. Geiger School
- Panorama Hills School
- Saddle Ridge School
- Sibylla Kiddle School
- Terry Fox School
- Vincent Massey School
“The request for additional modulars are crucial investments, required to help the CBE to address the pressures of significant enrolment growth in areas with significant need. These requests are crucial and reasonable,” said Trustee Marilyn Dennis, who represents wards 5 and 10.
The CBE estimates that it will cost more than $22 million to acquire new modular classrooms, which they say will be covered by Alberta Education. Around $425,000 will be spent on connection corridors and $58,000 will be spent on desks and chairs and Smartboards, both of which will be covered by the district.
There is also one modular unit disposition request, which will decrease capacity at James Short Memorial School if approved by the province. This will cost around $100,000 which will be covered by Alberta Education, the CBE said. The estimated reduction in annual operational costs is around $1,827. The estimated one-time reduction in deferred maintenance due to the disposition is around $160,000.
The report said the modular classroom projects will be bundled and released over the course of the 2025-2026 academic year due to the high number of modular classrooms being requested and the assumption that a significant portion will be approved.
“This approach ensures adequate time is provided to the modular manufacturer, consultants and contractors to complete designs, obtain permits and complete construction for all projects that receive provincial approval,” the report reads.
