Funded Independent Schools

Starting a Funded Independent School

Individuals and groups interested in starting a funded independent school are advised to contact the Independent and International Education Unit for detailed information regarding starting a funded independent school.

There is a two-year waiting period for obtaining funding from the Department. During this two-year waiting period, the school must meet all of the requirements for funding within the Public Schools Act, Section 60(5) and other pertinent legislation and regulations. The waiting period can only start in the September of the school’s first year of operations.

Stakeholders interested in starting a funded independent school are advised to create a comprehensive financial plan to ensure that the school can meet its financial obligations during the two year waiting period for funding.  In addition to teacher salaries, the school must consider expenditures for learning resources (e.g., textbooks), technology, capital costs and administrative costs.

To operate a school during the two year waiting period, the school must enrol students in a minimum of two contiguous grades simultaneously between Grade 1 and 12 (for example, Grade 1 and Grade 2 or Grade 11 and Grade 12), or have a minimum of ten students in a single grade. The school must also submit an audited financial statement to the Department every fall (the first audit being due in October of the second year of the waiting period).

To start a funded independent school in Manitoba, the school facility must be suitable for the programming being offered.  The school must also submit to the Department copies of the current occupancy permit and fire inspection (free of violations) provided by the local municipality, and maintain the originals of these documents on site subject to inspection upon request.

A school operating within the two year waiting period will be inspected by Department staff at least once per school year.  The purpose of the inspection process is principally to ensure that the students within the school are receiving an education of a standard equivalent to that received by children in public schools. 

Upon request, the Independent and International Education Unit will provide a package on starting a funded independent school in Manitoba.