Instructions to Complete Schooling at the Post Form
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List of Schooling at the Post forms
1. The form CAN BE FILLED OUT ONLINE. However, please note that you cannot submit this form electronically. You will need a printer to print the form. IMPORTANT be sure to: SIGN and DATE your form
2. You are accountable for all Education allowance and related care funding. Members are accountable and responsible for making schooling, education & family reunion travel applicable payment on behalf of the student. Notwithstanding, Outside Canada Support units have been authorized to make the payment of admissible education expenses directly to an educational institution on behalf of a member or group of members for entitled education benefits as outlined in the Post Ceiling and FSD 34. The member is accountable and obliged to inform Outside Canada Support unit in writing, immediately on receipt of a bill from a school and/or when a child terminates schooling during the academic year for which an education allowance has been paid. Member is to seek in writing, when applicable, any funding which may be refunded by the school under such circumstances must be made payable to the Department of National Defence. In the event that the school, in error, makes a refund directly to the member, this must immediately be refunded to the Department of National Defence. Members are not to take the “Tuition Refund Insurance” as this item would be a “non-admissible” education expense. All original receipts are to be forwarded to your Outside Canada Support Unit.
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLING AT THE POST - FSD 34.03-SCHOOLING AT THE POST - TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH FSD 34.01, 34.01(a), 34.02
Administration procedures may be found at: www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dem-epcg/pd/oce-drf/index-eng.asp
3. “Dependent Child” means a biological child, adopted child or legal ward of the member or of the member's spouse or common-law partner, if the child resides with the member at the post or previous place of duty in Canada for a minimum of eight months in a twelve-month period and who:
- is under 21 years of age, resides with the member at the post and is not married or in a common-law partnership, or
- is 21 or more years of age, and is dependent on the member by reason of mental or physical disability.
4. "Treasury Board Age parameters” and education allowance definitions
- Junior kindergarten, kindergarten school optional programs, as offered by the Ontario Ministry of Education, for students aged 3 years 8 months/4 years 8 months as of September 1 of the school year, or as of January 1 of the school year in the southern hemisphere;
- Elementary school programs equivalent to Ontario grades 1 to 8, or to Quebec grades 1 to 6, as applicable; and
- Secondary school programs equivalent to Ontario grades 9 to 12, or to Quebec Secondary I to Secondary V and general pre-university CEGEP I and II, as applicable.
It is intended that elementary and secondary children of members living at the post are educated at the nearest compatible non-fee paying day school.
5. Each Post has an established Posting ceiling, which is based on the recommendation of the appropriate Foreign Service interdepartmental co-coordinating committee and listed in PART XIV & XV – Education Post Ceiling /Travel Rate Guidelines. Post Ceilings establishes a representative school at the Post, which reflects the cost of admissible education expenses where non-fee paying schools are not compatible. Once a representative school at the Post has been approved and published in PART XIV & XV – Education Post Ceiling /Travel Rate Guidelines, the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority can approve an education allowance for admissible education expenses up to the financial limits of the representative school.
6. Compatible education means an education system providing an educational curriculum and services reasonably comparable to those normally provided without charge in public schools in Ontario in a junior kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary (grade 1 to 8) or secondary school (grade 9 to 12). The major criterion of compatibility is whether a child of normal ability, upon completion of a grade, or its equivalent, can enter the next higher grade in a public school on return to Canada.
7. The full range of educational facilities, normally found in Canada may not be available outside Canada. Members are cautioned to ensure appropriate language of instruction, grade level, special education requirements, if applicable, is available at the new post prior to accepting the posting. Education Screening for a Posting Outside Canada forms are to include a statement from the member that appropriate schooling is available at the new post in the appropriate language of instruction, grade level and special education, if required, prior to sign-off at unit level.
8. Language of instruction outside Canada, as within and when available, may be provided in the appropriate official language, i.e., the English or French language of instruction consistent with section 23 of the Minority Language Educational Rights prescribed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
9. French Immersion (FI) programs are optional programs for Anglophone pupils and are not contemplated under Section 23, Minority Language Educational Rights, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a language of instruction. Such programs are not available outside Canada.
10. Special education programs are very limited at most posts outside Canada. Source of special education services outside Canada must be included on the Education Screening for a Posting Outside Canada form prior to sign-off.
11. For the most part, at the elementary level grade 1 to 8, be it Canadian, British or American, the education programs are compatible and transfers between programs at this level is not likely to provide an impediment for re-entry into the Canadian school system. At the secondary level, the systems begin to diverge. Whether it is Canadian, British or American, the education program is based on subject credit requirements and entry or re-entry requires some planning to ensure prerequisite requirement and introduction of subject content at various level is studied. It should be noted that school programs and course content will vary from education system to education system. Members are encouraged to obtain a curriculum outline from school dependants are now attending which will assist with course/subject planning at new school outside Canada.
- ENGLISH SCHOOL: www.cois.org
- FRENCH SCHOOL: www.aefe.diplomatie.fr
- ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL: www.catholiclinks.org
LIST OF REPRESENTATIVE SCHOOLS AT THE POST (Go to FSD 34.03(a)) AND OTHER SCHOOLS ON THE ROSTER
Questions are to be forwarded via Email to: Dependent Education Management.
POST CEILINGS BY REGIONS:
12. Roman Catholic instruction schools for which the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority can approve an education allowance for admissible education expenses may also be found at PART XIV & XV – Education Post Ceiling / Travel Rate Guidelines. ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLING AT THE POST-READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH FSD 34.01(c)(E) Roman Catholic education comparable to that provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Where Roman Catholic education is not available, expenses for Roman Catholic religious instruction may be claimed.
13. When a Post Ceiling school has not been establish or the representative school at the Post is not compatible for a particular student, Form 9F-NC –Education Allowance Request – Submission to the Education Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee for funding – FSD 34.03(d) is completed and submitted to the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority for recommendation and then forwarded to DDEM for submission to the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-coordinating committee.
| FORM 9F | GRADE 1 TO GRADE 12 FEE-PAYING SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B3202 |
| APPROVAL | By Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority
|
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT | Provide schooling at the Post. If a fee-paying post ceiling school has not been established then Form 9F-NC – Request for Post Ceiling funding must be completed. |
| REMARKS | References:
|
SCREENING FOR OUTSIDE CANADA POSTING
14. Parents of a student being educated at home and posted outside Canada are directed to education screening found on DND Dependent Education Management Web site: www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dem-epcg/ps/esp-hcs/index-eng.asp. The following steps must be followed:
- Complete Part I and Part III Question 1 of the Screening Form and along with required documentation as outlined in this instruction and forward to DGCB/ Dependent Education Management for approval of Instruction at Home program.
Note: Home schooling is challenging, demanding, requires patience, persistence and an incredible ability to network—not to mention the ability to have one parent stay at home. Students who are following a home study program prior to posting outside Canada may be approved to continue with instruction at home outside Canada. Normally instruction at home, unless no other education alternative is available at the outside Canada posting location, will not be authorized for a student entering a home study program upon receipt of posting instruction for outside Canada.
EDUCATION ALLOWANCE FOR STUDENTS FOLLOWING AN AUTHORIZED CANADIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION PROVINCIAL CURRICULUM
15. An education allowance for instruction at home (admissible education expense) up to the post ceiling, or, where a post ceiling has not been established, the Ontario non-resident school fee. The NDHQ Approving Authority, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, may authorize an education allowance for home schooling (textbooks, school supplies and other expenses that would be authorized under the Home Schooling Program) up to the post ceiling, or, where a post ceiling has not been established, the Ontario non-resident school fee, where:
- a member chooses to have a child educated at home, following a Ministry of Education Canadian Provincial curriculum ; and
- an approved education plan as outlined in this part.
16. Responsibility for documentation rests with the member. Itemized list of admissible educational tests or materials must clearly indicate relevance to the Canadian provincial curriculum areas. Student must be following a approved Ministry of Education Canadian provincial curriculum as taught in Canadian public schools to be eligible for a home instruction education allowance. To establish an education allowance, curriculum documentation as found on each provincial Ministry of Education web site would indicate relevance to the Canadian provincial curriculum area. Allowable home instruction expenses may include:
- Traditional provincial curriculum recommended textbooks and other supplemental material recommended for math, science, language arts, social studies and other subject on a grade/age appropriate basis.
- Instructional CDs/software as recommended in the provincial curriculum.
- Fees associated with Canadian provincial distance learning.
17. Non-admissible home instruction expenses would include:
- Equipment such as: computers, keyboards, printers, televisions, facsimile and scanning machines, calculators, microscopes and furniture.
- Non- provincial recommended specific CDs, videos, DVDs.
- General reading materials, reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopaedias, globes) etc.
- Purchase or rental of items that have a broader use than the course being studied (i.e. computer hardware, calculators, band instruments).
- Expendable supplies (paper, pencils, markers) that are normally purchased by parents in Canada.
- Parental training in home-study private instruction.
- Any form of compensation to the parent such as childcare or supervisory costs.
- Travel and transportation costs at post or away from post.
- Personal telephone, Internet, satellite, cable or other available communication subscription fees.
- Fees for museums, cultural events, or performances that would normally be paid by parents in Canada.
- Private lessons.
- Membership in gymnasiums, cultural clubs, spas, and other private clubs.
- Textbooks, Bibles, workbooks, daily devotionals, or material primarily for religious instructions.
- Fees to an independent agency for posting credits and issuing transcripts.
- Any expenses associated with a non-Canadian provincial curriculum.
18. The Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority is responsible for maintaining an education file on each student receiving instruction at home.
| FORM 9HSE | EDUCATION INSTRUCTION AT HOME ADMISSIBLE EDUCATION EXPENSE |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B0951 |
| APPROVAL | DDEM APPROVAL REQUIRED |
| PARAMETERS | An education allowance for home instruction (admissible education expense) up to the post ceiling limits, or, where a post ceiling has not been established, the Ontario non-resident School fee. |
| INTENT | Provide some financial assistance when a member chooses to have a child receive home instruction in accordance with a Provincial Home Schooling program; and an “Education Plan” is provided that meets a provincial requirements. |
| REMARKS | Admissible Education expense items may be found in Part I - Administration |
| FORM 9HSI | EDUCATION INSTRUCTION AT HOME Canadian home based learning resource page:www.flora.org/homeschool-ca |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | Written request for Instruction at Home by parents |
| APPROVAL | DDEM based on Canadian Provincial Education Plan |
| PARAMETERS | Provincial Ministry of Education Home Instruction Policy |
| INTENT | Provide guidelines for Education instruction at home when parents indicate, in writing, their intention not to register or to withdraw a child from school for the purpose of providing instruction at home. |
POST CEILING SCHOOL SELECTION FACTORS
19. Before authorizing an education allowance, DDEM, on the recommendation of the appropriate Foreign Service interdepartmental coordinating committee, shall consider whether a foreign educational facility is compatible for a child. In forming an opinion on the compatibility of a school for a particular child, DDEM shall take into account the advice of the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority, the relevant experience of other departments represented at the post, and the opinion of the member as to the compatibility of schools at the post, based on the educational history and other personal factors pertinent to the child’s education. In particular, DDEM shall be guided by the objective of providing access for the child of a member to:
- Instruction in the appropriate official language, ie, the English or French languages of instruction consistent with Section 23 of the Minority Language Educational Rights. prescribed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
- Schooling in a safe, healthy and secure environment.
- The curriculum is reasonably compatible with the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum.
- Problems arising from racial segregation or hostility to foreigners.
- Schooling free from compulsory, incompatible religious instruction.
- Roman Catholic education, comparable to that provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education, which right in the Constitution of Canada.
- Schooling where there is no lack of confidence in the school staff, or in the prevailing climate of morality among the school’s student population.
- Schooling which will enable continuation in the child’s educational stream.
| FORM 9F-NC | Education Allowance Request – Submission to the Education Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee for funding – FSD 34.03(d) |
|---|---|
| APPROVAL | Foreign Service interdepartmental Co-coordinating Committee |
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT | Before authorizing an education allowance, DDEM, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental coordinating committee, shall consider whether a foreign educational facility is compatible for a child. In forming an opinion on the compatibility of a school for a particular child, DDEM shall take into account the advice of the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority, the relevant experience of other departments represented at the post, and the opinion of the member as to the compatibility of schools at the post, based on educational history and other personal pertinent to child’s education. |
| REMARKS | Compatible schooling at the Post that will enable the dependent to continue in the chosen educational stream and will facilitate re-entry into the next higher grade level at a provincial public school system upon return to Canada. Most CF postings outside Canada permit children at the elementary and secondary level to be educated at the Post. |
| FORM 9NF | GRADE 1 TO GRADE 12 NON-FEE PAYING SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B3203 |
| APPROVAL | Grades 1-12 within age parameters at a Post Ceiling School as indicated in the “Part XIV - Education Post Ceiling Guidelines |
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT | It is intended that elementary and secondary dependent students residing at the Post will be educated at the nearest compatible non-fee paying day school at the Post. |
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.02 Note: If State school will not accept student because of birthday; submission must be made to DDEM for approval to attend a fee paying school |
| FORM 9P | ROMAN CATHOLIC FEE PAYING SCHOOL Roman Catholic Schools outside Canada: www.catholiclinks.org |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B3204 |
| APPROVAL | By the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority:
|
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT |
|
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.02(b) |
20. Ontario secondary credits (Grade 9 to Grade 12) may be obtained from:
- On-line Distance Education from the Avon Maitland Distance Education Centre ; or
- The TV Ontario's Independent Learning Centre
| FORM 13DIS | DISTANCE EDUCATION/SUPPLEMENTARY COURSES OR PROGRAMS |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B0952 |
| APPROVAL | DDEM |
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT |
|
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.01(c)(i)(D)(1) |
| FORM 13EXAMS | COMPULSORY FEES ASSOCIATED WITH ADVANCE PLACEMENT EXAMS (AP); INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB), SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TESTS (SATS) www.ibo.org – IB program, www.collegeboard.com – College Board for APs and SATs |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B0953 |
| APPROVAL | Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority for cost of compulsory costs associated testing. |
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT | Secondary programs offered which will prepare students to enter Canadian Universities |
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.01 |
| FORM 13S | SCHOOL CRAFTS AND ARTS MATERIALS |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B3210 |
| APPROVAL | Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority |
| PARAMETERS | School craft and art materials for students in Grade Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 as determined by the appropriate service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on the basis of practice followed by:
In an Ottawa area school, parents of elementary students must provide students with items such as:
|
| INTENT | To provide dependent students with crafts and art material that would normally be provided free of charge from the Ottawa area school system. An allowance may be authorized for Crafts and Arts materials upon certification by the school principal that these are compulsory requirements and are not provided by the school. Crafts and Arts materials may include:
|
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.01a.1.f |
| FORM 13RELOC | RELOCATION DURING ACADEMIC YEAR |
|---|---|
| INTERNAL ORDERS | GRC0000B0954 |
| APPROVAL | DDEM |
| PARAMETERS |
|
| INTENT | Provide an Education when a student moves on a cross posting during the academic year. |
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.05 |
Extraordinary Expenses - Standing Advances and Debentures
21. Standing Advance - When it is a condition of enrolment at the school of a dependent student that the member must provide a refundable deposit, other than a deposit for the student's personal expenses, to an educational institution at the primary or secondary level, the member may be issued, an accountable advance equal to the amount of the deposit. The member must repay the advance within 10 days after the date on which it is due to be refunded by the school (FSD 34.08 refers).
22. Debentures - When it is a condition of enrolment at an educational institution, at the primary or secondary level that the dependent student must purchase a school debenture, the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority may reimburse the school directly and have the debenture made out to "Receiver General of Canada". Such debentures are to be forwarded to NDHQ/D Fin S/DFPP by the Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority.
Note 1: In an agreement with the Directors at the American Community School in London, UK in 1994, all new American Community School families with the Canadian military will not be subject to debentures.
| FORM 13RD/AA | REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT OR ACCOUNTABLE ADVANCE |
|---|---|
| APPROVAL | Outside Canada Support Unit Approving Authority |
| PARAMETERS | An accountable advance may be provided where it is a condition of enrolment of a dependent student that a refundable deposit is paid to an elementary or secondary level educational institution student is attending at the Post. |
| INTENT | Where it is a condition of enrolment of a dependent child/student of an member who is posted outside Canada that a refundable deposit be paid to an elementary or secondary school level educational institution, an accountable advance equal to the amount of the deposit, which shall be accounted for within ten days from the date on which it is due to be refunded by the school. Note: The accountable advance is not meant to cover any deposit towards the dependent student’s personal expenses. |
| REMARKS | References: FSD 34.08 |
