Manitoba Education
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A Handbook for International Students
An Overview of Education in Manitoba
Organization, Courses, and Credits
- What is the difference between public and independent (private) schools in Manitoba?
- How are Manitoba schools organized?
- What is a Senior Years credit?
- How are Senior Years courses organized and designated?
- Which courses are required for a Senior Years graduation diploma?
- How are course marks determined?
- What courses are required for post-secondary studies?
This section of A Handbook for International Students explains how Manitoba schools and Senior Years (high school) courses and credits are organized. Specifically, this section discusses the
- differences between public and independent (private) schools in Manitoba
- distinctions between a semester system and a non-semester system
- four school Programs available in the province
- Senior Years credit system
- organization and designation of Senior Years courses
- Senior Years graduation requirements
- factors considered in determining course marks
- requirements for post-secondary education
What is the difference between public and independent (private) schools in Manitoba?
Some differences between public and independent (private) schools are described below:
- Public schools operate directly under the Minister of Education, Training and Youth. These schools are governed through elected school division/district boards. Public schools are funded by a combination of direct provincial funding and special taxation levies. All Canadian citizens and landed immigrants have the right to attend public schools subject to provincial regulations.
- Independent schools vary. Some are affiliated with a specific religious or denominational group. They have their own governing bodies or boards. Independent schools are eligible for provincial funding if they implement the Manitoba curriculum and meet a number of additional requirements. A student who wishes to enter a private school must meet the admission requirements and pay the admission fee set by the specific institution. Only funded independent schools are authorized to issue Senior Years course credits recognized by Manitoba Education, Training and Youth.
How are Manitoba schools organized?
Manitoba schools are organized according to the following school Programs, languages of instruction, grade groupings, and school systems:
- School Programs: Manitoba has four school Programs:
- English Program
- French Immersion Program
- Français Program
- Senior Years Technology Education Program (available for the English, French Immersion, and Français Programs)
- Languages of Instruction: English and French are the languages of instruction in Manitoba. Schools that provide French language instruction fall into one of two program models:
- French Immersion schools are intended for students for whom French is a second language.
- Français schools are intended for students for whom French is a first or home language.
This handbook focuses specifically on English Program schools.
- Grade Groupings: Manitoba schools offer 13 grades (Kindergarten to Senior 4), which are grouped as follows:
| Grades | Division | Approximate Age of Students |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten* to Grade 4 | Early Years | 5 to 10 years |
| Grade 5 to Grade 8 | Middle Years | 11 to 14 years |
| Senior 1 to Senior 4 | Senior Years | 15 to 18 years |
* Kindergarten is not mandatory
- School Systems: Senior Years schools in Manitoba may use either a full-year (non-semester) system or a semester system to organize their programming. In a full-year system, courses generally run for the full school year, from August/September to June. In a semester system, the school year is divided into two semesters, from August/September to January and from January to June.
What is a Senior Years credit?
In Manitoba, Senior 1 to Senior 4 (or Grade 9 to Grade 12 in some jurisdictions) are organized around a system of credits. A credit represents 110 hours of course-specific instruction or classroom-based learning experiences. Students earn credits when they achieve a final mark of 50 percent or more for courses.
Most Senior Years courses are worth one credit. In schools that operate under a semester system, a one-credit course generally takes half a year or one semester to complete as more time is scheduled for each course per day or cycle. In non-semester schools, one-credit courses require one school year to complete. In many schools, half-credit courses are also available.
Students must earn a minimum of 28 credits to meet Manitoba’s Senior Years graduation requirements. Some schools may, however, require more than 28 credits to meet their local requirements. The time it takes to complete the minimum graduation requirements depends on how quickly a student can earn the 28 credits and pass all the courses he or she needs for future plans. It takes most students four years to do this.
Students entering Manitoba schools as international students or ESL learners may need additional time to meet the graduation requirements and prepare for their future studies and careers.
How are Senior Years courses organized and designated?
Senior Years courses are identified by the nature of the course and the year. For example, Senior 1 Mathematics is designated as Mathematics 10F. Senior 2 course designations begin with a "2," Senior 3 courses with a "3," and Senior 4 courses with a "4."
Courses are also designated as follows:
- Foundation (F): Educational experiences that are broadly based and appropriate for all students and that may lead to further studies beyond the Senior Years (e.g., apprenticeship, college, and university). When new curricula and policies are implemented, as outlined in departmental correspondence to the field, this designation will come into effect. The definition appears here to indicate that course identification changes will be implemented as new curricula are implemented.
- General (G): General educational experiences for all students. The G designation will be retained for Independent Study Option (ISO) and Teacher Mediated Option (TMO) courses in all areas until these courses are revised. As system-wide use of new curricula is mandated, the G designation will be phased out. All School-Initiated Courses (SICs) and Student-Initiated Projects (SIPs) remain as G designation.
- Specialized (S): Educational experiences in specialized areas leading to further studies beyond the Senior Years (e.g., apprenticeship, college, and university).
- ESL (E): Educational experiences designed to assist students for whom English is not a first language in making a transition into the English Program. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is required for each student.
- Modified (M): Educational experiences intended for students with significant cognitive disabilities and where the provincial subject area curriculum outcomes have been modified by 50 percent or more to take into account the learning requirements of a student. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is required for each student.
- Individualized (I): Educational experiences intended for students with significant cognitive disabilities and that are developmentally and age appropriate and highly individualized to take into account the learning requirements of the student. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is required for each student.
NOTE: The Individualized (I) programming designation now appears in this document. Students in individualized programming do not use Manitoba Education, Training and Youth curricula. The designation indicates student participation in individualized programming. For example, 11I indicates year one of student participation in locally developed programming individualized for the student; 71I indicates year seven of such participation.
- College-Based (C): Educational experiences at the college level that can be used for dual credits; credit at the Senior 3 and Senior 4 levels and also for the first year of college.
- University-Based (U): Educational experiences
at the first year university level that can be used for
dual credits; credit at the Senior 4 level for Senior
Years graduation purposes and also for first year university.
Students may change courses or elect to "drop" a course for various reasons. Many schools offer tutoring for students who are experiencing difficulty.
Which courses are required for a Senior Years graduation diploma?
Manitoba Education, Training and Youth requires that students accumulate a minimum of twenty-eight (28) credits for graduation from the Senior Years (Senior 1 to 4). Schools may choose to exceed the provincial minimum.
Selection of courses should be made on the basis of students' learning requirements, interests, and abilities, as well as the admission requirements to the post-secondary education, training, and/or work situations to which the student aspires. A student's goals for post-secondary education, training, or work will, in part, determine the courses he or she selects. Schools should ensure that students are informed of the admission requirements of the universities, colleges, professions, trades, and so on.
The chart that follows outlines the Senior Years graduation requirements.
| Senior 1 Compulsory Subject Areas (5 credits) |
Senior 2 Compulsory Subject Areas (5 credits) |
Senior 3 Compulsory Subject Areas (3 credits) |
Senior 4 Compulsory Subject Areas (2 credits) |
|---|---|---|---|
| language arts (English) | language arts (English) | language arts (English) | language arts (English) |
| mathematics | mathematics | mathematics | mathematics |
| science | science | social studies | |
| social studies | social studies | ||
| physical education/ health education |
physical education/ health education |
Optional Credits: 13 from subject areas such as
- language arts (additional)
- mathematics (additional)
- sciences (additional)
- social studies (additional)
- basic French
- other second languages
- the arts
- visual arts
- music
- drama
- dance
- physical education
- health education
- skills for independent living
- technology education
- vocational industrial
- home economics
- business and marketing
- industrial arts
- Students must ensure that they meet the entrance requirements of the post-secondary education, training, or work situations they intend to pursue.
- Within the optional subject areas, students must complete 1 Senior 3 credit and 2 Senior 4 credits.
- Note: School-Initiated Courses (SICs) and Student-Initiated Projects (SIPs) may be used to fulfil the graduation requirements within the optional credits to a maximum of 11 and 3 respectively. Depending on the different requirements of the four school programs, the number of possible SICs used as optional credits may vary.
How are course marks determined?
Senior Years schools that operate under a semester system usually provide four report cards per year, at the middle and end of each semester, and non-semester schools provide them quarterly. The marks for courses are based on the results of tests and classroom work, such as projects and assignments.
Senior 1 and Senior 4 students are currently required to write provincial standards tests in specific subject areas. Marks for these courses are based on a combination of school-based student evaluation and the student’s performance on provincial standards tests. Provincial standards tests are voluntary in Senior 1 for mathematics and are required in Senior 4 for English language arts and mathematics. Provincial standards tests count up to 25 percent of the final mark in Senior 1 and must comprise 30 percent of the final mark in Senior 4.
Report card marks are based on the evaluation of what students know and are able to do, as demonstrated in classroom work, assignments, portfolios, and formal tests or examinations. Therefore, teachers also use their observations of and interviews with students to report on student progress and achievement.
Schools may have various policies and practices with respect to reporting student progress and achievement. Parents and students can consult school division/district handbooks or appropriate authorities for specific information about course offerings, requirements, and student assessment and evaluation. For provincial policy, see Reporting Student Progress and Achievement: A Policy Handbook for Teachers, Administrators, and Parents, Renewing Education: New Directions series (Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Education, Training and Youth, 1997).
What courses are required for post-secondary studies?
The transition to post-secondary studies requires careful planning. The requirements for admission to post-secondary institutions (e.g., university, community college) vary. Parents and students can obtain information about post-secondary admission requirements from school counsellors or directly from post-secondary institutions.
