Surrey Schools

What Surrey Schools does

Surrey Schools, formally School District No. 36 (Surrey), is the largest school district in British Columbia, operating 130 elementary, secondary, and alternative schools that serve more than 83,000 K-12 students across the cities of Surrey and White Rock. The district's catchment spans 195+ languages and supports a portfolio of programs that includes standard curriculum delivery, Programs of Choice (French immersion, Challenge, Connections, Intensive Intervention), Early Learning (StrongStart, Kindergarten Transitions), International Education for fee-paying overseas students, Adult Education, and the SAIL online and distance learning platform. Supporting services include a Welcome Centre for new immigrants, Community Schools Partnership, mental health and well-being resources, the Bell Performing Arts Centre, and accessibility programs. Operations are governed by an elected Board of Education under the BC Ministry of Education, with the Superintendent functioning as Chief Executive.

The technology stack is third-party SaaS layered onto Microsoft infrastructure: Azure AD-authenticated Office 365 for staff and student SSO, the provincial MyEdBC student information system for records and the parent portal, Discovery Education for digital curriculum content, SchoolCashOnline for fee payments, Vimeo for video distribution, and a SharePoint-based Staff Portal that includes an internal SD36 Data Portal. The district does not maintain a public or partner-facing API or SDK. Its primary digital products are the surreyschools.ca website, native mobile apps on iOS and Android, and the parent and student portals — the website is auto-translated into 40+ languages to serve the multilingual community.

Funding is predominantly governmental: core operating revenue flows from the BC Ministry of Education and local property taxes, supplemented by international student tuition, facility rental income, and ancillary fees (activity fees, meal programs, childcare) processed through SchoolCashOnline. Pricing for core K-12 education is effectively zero for resident students; international student tuition is set by the district under BC Ministry guidelines. The district is pursuing a $5.5 billion five-year capital plan for 2027-28 to address student space needs, signalling anticipated physical expansion aligned with Surrey's population growth. Recent strategic emphasis has been placed on AI governance (a Superintendent's AI Student Council) and accessibility (a Wayfinding Enhancement Project funded by a $35,000 RBC Barrier Buster Grant awarded via the Rick Hansen Foundation).

Name

Surrey Schools

Legal name

School District No. 36 (Surrey)

Website

https://surreyschools.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Surrey Schools (School District No. 36) is British Columbia's largest public school district, operating 130 schools serving over 83,000 K-12 students across Surrey and White Rock with multilingual Programs of Choice, international education, and online learning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Full-Time Virtual K–12 Schools (Statewide/Cyber Charters & District Programs) (EDAJADAA)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• International student programs
• Specialized education programs
• Early childhood learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Surrey

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Government-funded K-12 education through the BC Ministry of Education, providing core operational funding for schools.
2. International Student Tuition: Tuition fees charged to international students studying in Surrey Schools programs.
3. Facility Rentals: Rental revenue from community use of school facilities during non-school hours.
4. School Fees and Services: Various student fees including activity fees, meal programs, and childcare services processed through SchoolCashOnline.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Surrey Schools (School District No. 36) is a publicly funded K-12 school district operating 130 elementary, secondary, and alternative schools that deliver public education to approximately 83,000 students in Surrey and White Rock, British Columbia. In addition to standard curriculum, the district offers specialized programs of choice (French immersion, Challenge Program for gifted learners, Intensive Intervention, Social Development), early learning programs, international student programs, adult education, online and distance learning (SAIL), summer learning, and community services through the Welcome Centre.

Product overview

Surrey Schools is School District No. 36 operating a comprehensive educational platform centered on its main website and parent/staff portals. The digital portfolio includes the Surrey Schools website and MyEdBC Parent Portal for student information access, a mobile app available on iOS and Android, the SAIL online learning platform, and the SharePoint-based Staff Portal. Beyond these core digital products, the district offers a wide range of educational programs including Programs of Choice (specialized programs like French immersion, Challenge Program, and Social Development), Early Learning (StrongStart, Kindergarten Transitions), International Education, Adult Education, Summer Learning, and the Welcome Centre for new immigrants. The district also operates the Bell Performing Arts Centre and hosts signature programs including the annual Surrey Schools Jazz Festival and Surrey Book Awards. Integration points include Microsoft Office 365 for authentication, MyEdBC (BC Ministry student system), SchoolCashOnline for payments, and Discovery Education for digital learning resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programs of Choice Specialized educational programs including Bases (French immersion and other language programs), Connections (alternative education), Challenge Program (for academically gifted students), Social Development Program, Intensive Intervention Programs (elementary and secondary), Intensive Literacy (4-6), Multi-Age Cluster Class (MACC), and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resource services, offered to K-12 students in the district.
• Early Learning Programs Early childhood education offerings including StrongStart early learning centers and Kindergarten Transitions programs for young learners and their families in the Surrey and White Rock area.
• International Education Program Programs for international students studying in Surrey Schools, including enrollment services, cultural programs, and academic pathways for students from outside Canada, recruited through approved agents and direct applications.
• Adult Education Continuing education and adult learning programs offered by the district, including academic upgrading, ESL programs, and career development courses for adult residents.
• SAIL Online & Distance Learning Online and distance learning program offering digital education options for students in the Surrey district, providing flexible remote education pathways.
• Summer Learning Summer educational programs offering academic enrichment, skill development, and recreational learning opportunities for students during summer break.
• Bell Performing Arts Centre District performing arts facility hosting school performances, district events, and community arts programming including the Surrey Schools Jazz Festival, available for school and community use.
• Welcome Centre Services Support services for new immigrants and families moving to the Surrey/White Rock area, providing information about school registration, programs, and community resources.
• Homework Help & Tutoring Academic support services including homework help resources and tutoring programs for students needing additional academic assistance.
• Facility Rentals Rental of school facilities (gymnasiums, fields, classrooms) for community use during non-school hours, generating revenue for the district.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 medals (18 gold, 9 silver, 8 bronze) at provincial track & field championships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Rick Hansen FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Long-standing partnership supporting accessibility initiatives in schools across Canada. The foundation has brought ambassadors to schools, led accessibility training for teachers, provided resources for National AccessAbility Week, donated towards accessible playgrounds, and honoured staff and students championing accessibility. Currently partnered on Wayfinding Enhancement Project with $35,000 RBC Barrier Buster Grant.
• Dr. Shimi KangmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPsychiatrist and author who partnered with Surrey Schools to deliver virtual AI education events for families, including 'Junk, Toxic & Healthy AI: Helping Families Understand the Difference' addressing privacy, child development, and AI safety topics.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Calgary Board of Education: Large public K-12 school authority serving Calgary, Alberta. Comparable as a major Canadian urban district with diverse student demographics, alternative programs, and international student offerings under a different provincial framework.
• Peel District School Board: Large Ontario public K-12 district serving Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon. Comparable as one of Canada's largest and most diverse public school systems with significant international student and multilingual populations.
• Coquitlam School District 43: Public K-12 district serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody in Metro Vancouver. Comparable as a BC public school district with similar Programs of Choice, international student program, and operational model.
• Edmonton Public Schools: Major Alberta public K-12 district serving Edmonton. Comparable in scale, urban multicultural student population, and breadth of program offerings including alternative and specialized education.
• Burnaby School District (SD41): Neighboring Metro Vancouver public K-12 district under the same BC Ministry governance. Closely comparable in regulatory framework, multicultural demographics, and program structure to Surrey Schools.
• Winnipeg School Division: Large Manitoba public K-12 district serving Winnipeg. Comparable as a major Canadian urban public school system with a diverse student population, alternative programs, and significant capital planning needs.
• Vancouver School Board (School District 39): Public K-12 school district serving Vancouver, BC. Closest direct peer due to shared BC Ministry of Education governance, similar urban context, and overlapping program portfolio including French immersion and alternative education.
• Toronto District School Board: Canada's largest school district, operating public K-12 schools across Toronto. Comparable in scale, urban diversity, multi-language student population, and breadth of Programs of Choice, though in a different provincial regulatory environment.
• Greater Victoria School District (SD61): Public K-12 district serving the Greater Victoria region under the same BC Ministry framework. Comparable governance, curriculum model, and Programs of Choice structure, though serving a different urban context.
• York Region District School Board: Large Ontario public K-12 district serving York Region north of Toronto. Comparable in scale, suburban-urban demographics, multilingual student population, and breadth of specialized programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/sd36learn
• Instagraminstagram.com/surrey_schools
• Xx.com/Surrey_Schools
• Facebookfacebook.com/SurreySchools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surrey Schools