Calgary's Webber Academy and several Edmonton elementary schools have earned perfect scores in a new Fraser Institute ranking of 699 Alberta schools, highlighting significant differences in academic performance across the province.The Report Card on Alberta's Elementary Schools 2026, authored by Max Shang, Joel Emes and Peter Cowley, evaluates schools using provincial achievement test results from the 2024-25 academic year.Ten schools received perfect scores of 10 out of 10, including five in Calgary, four in Edmonton and one in Okotoks.Webber Academy in Calgary topped the rankings with a perfect 10 out of 10 and a five-year average of 10.Edmonton's Mount Pleasant and Windsor Park schools also received perfect scores, along with Calgary's Clear Water Academy, Holy Name and Westmount schools.Other schools receiving 10 out of 10 were Grandview Heights and Aurora Academic in Edmonton, Edison in Okotoks and Horizon Leadership in Calgary.The Fraser Institute said the annual report is intended to help parents compare academic performance when deciding where to enrol their children.“By doing so, the Report Card assists parents when they choose a school for their children and encourages and assists all those seeking to improve their school,” the report stated.The rankings are based on seven academic indicators, including Grade 6 provincial achievement test results in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.Researchers also examined the proportion of tests falling below acceptable provincial standards and differences in academic results between boys and girls.Schools were assigned an overall rating between zero and 10, with higher scores producing better provincial rankings..The report found considerable differences in results between schools, including institutions operating within the same communities.In Calgary, Webber Academy, Clear Water Academy, Holy Name, Westmount and Horizon Leadership received perfect scores.Other Calgary schools near the top included Khalsa, ranked 11th with 9.9 out of 10, Rundle College, tied for 13th with 9.7, and Bearspaw Christian, tied for 20th with 9.3.Edmonton also had several strong performers.Mount Pleasant, Windsor Park, Grandview Heights and Aurora Academic all received 10 out of 10.Stratford and Tempo schools tied for 13th with scores of 9.7, while Constable Daniel Woodall placed 17th with 9.4.Outside the two largest cities, Edison in Okotoks received a perfect score, while Notre-Dame des Monts in Canmore ranked 16th with 9.5.Strathcona Christian and Fultonvale, both in Sherwood Park, tied for 17th with scores of 9.4.The report also identified schools whose academic performance has improved significantly over time.Edmonton's Laurier Heights, for example, received a current score of 9.0 compared with a five-year average of 6.4.Elmwood in Edmonton earned 9.3, well above its five-year average of 6.6..Researchers said comparing results over several years provides a more useful picture of a school's academic performance than relying on a single year's results.The report also revealed substantial differences at the lower end of the rankings.Piitoayis Family School in Calgary and The Third Academy in Rocky View County shared the lowest ranking, 698th, with scores of zero out of 10.Exshaw School and Wildwood School tied for 696th with scores of 0.1.The Fraser Institute cautioned that its rankings do not include every elementary school in Alberta.Schools without Grade 6 students, those with insufficient testing data and certain smaller schools were excluded.A total of 699 schools met the requirements for inclusion.The report also acknowledged that academic test results do not capture every aspect of a school's performance.“Of course, the choice of a school should not be made solely on the basis of a single source of information,” the authors stated.They encouraged parents to visit schools, speak with teachers and principals, and consider other educational programs before making enrolment decisions.The Fraser Institute maintains that publishing comparable academic results helps parents make informed choices while encouraging schools to improve.“Comparisons are at the heart of improvement,” the report stated.The complete 2026 Alberta elementary school rankings, including current provincial standings, five-year averages and academic ratings, follow below.
