STAR Catholic School Division

What STAR Catholic School Division does

STAR Catholic School Division (legally St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Separate School Division) is a publicly funded Catholic K-12 school division operating 12 schools across six communities in central Alberta — Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Lacombe, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin — serving over 5,000 students. The division was formed through amalgamation in 1995 and expanded to its current footprint with the addition of Lacombe (2005) and Beaumont (2010); it is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Trustees and operates under the Alberta Education Act. Educational offerings span Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, including French Immersion, athletic pathways (Elite Performance Pathways, B.O.L.T., Athletic Excellence), Indigenous education, off-campus programming (Dual Credit, RAP, Green Certificate, Work Experience), and specialized collegiate offerings such as cosmetology, aviation, and culinary arts.

The division's revenue model is dominated by government education funding — specifically Alberta provincial grants and education property taxes directed by Catholic electors under the Education Act — supplemented by recurring student transportation fees (CAD $540/student annually, family cap $1,080, with a $75 late registration fee after June 15; source /), donations processed through a long-standing School Cash Online partnership, and ancillary textbook recovery from off-campus Dual Credit programs. Specific revenue is not publicly disclosed on the division's website; financial statements route through Alberta Education.

Operationally, STAR Catholic is a service organization rather than a technology product company. Its technology layer consists of vendor platforms: PowerSchool for student information and learning management, SchoolMessenger for parent text/email/voice notifications, the Bus Status App for real-time bus tracking, Rally CMS (Box Clever) for the division website, Atrieve ERP for finance, Apply to Education/Simplication for recruitment, and 32auctions for surplus equipment disposal. The division's competitive position rests on regulatory protection, a parish-and-school-council community ecosystem, and 30 years of operating history rather than on proprietary technology.

Name

STAR Catholic School Division

Legal name

St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Website

https://starcatholic.ab.ca/

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Short description

STAR Catholic School Division is a publicly funded Catholic K-12 school division in Alberta, Canada, operating 12 schools across Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Lacombe, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin and serving over 5,000 students through faith-centered education funded by provincial grants and education property taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• K-12 Catholic education
• Faith-based education
• French immersion programs
• Student transportation services
• Off-campus education

Headquarters

HQ city

Leduc

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a publicly funded Catholic school division in Alberta, STAR Catholic receives the majority of its operational funding through education property taxes directed by Catholic electors, provincial grants, and general provincial revenue allocated by the Alberta government per the Education Act.
2. Student Transportation Fees: The division charges annual bus fees of $540 per student for conditional riders (those living within 1.6 km for K-6 or 2 km for Gr 7-12 from their designated school), with a family maximum of $1,080. A $75 late registration fee applies for registrations after June 15. Funding-eligible students (living beyond the distance thresholds) receive busing at no additional cost.
3. Donations via School Cash Online: The division accepts donations through a partnership with School Cash/SchoolCashOnline. Donations of $10 or more generate automatic tax receipts. Donations can be directed to specific school projects or made in memory of individuals.
4. Off-Campus Dual Credit Tuition Recovery: Through Dual Credit programs, tuition is free for high school students but students are expected to purchase any required textbooks and supplies. This generates some ancillary revenue through textbook/supply recovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

STAR Catholic School Division provides publicly funded Catholic K-12 education to over 5,000 students across 12 schools in six central Alberta communities (Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Lacombe, Ponoka, Wetaskiwin). The core offering integrates Catholic faith formation with the Alberta Education curriculum and includes specialized programming in French Immersion, athletic excellence, Indigenous education, fine arts, and off-campus career pathways (Work Experience, Registered Apprenticeship, Green Certificate, Dual Credit), along with student transportation services and early learning programs (Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12).

Product overview

STAR Catholic School Division operates 12 schools across central Alberta (Beaumont, Drayton Valley, Lacombe, Leduc, Ponoka, and Wetaskiwin), serving over 5,000 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The division offers a unified educational portfolio centered on Catholic faith-based learning, encompassing core school operations (12 individual schools), specialized programs (French Immersion, Athletic Excellence, Elite Performance Pathways, Indigenous Education, Fine Arts), early learning (Junior Kindergarten, Little Lights Creative Kindergarten, Cogito Academy, Lil' Stars Preschool), and off-campus education (Work Experience, RAP, Green Certificate, Dual Credit). Supporting infrastructure includes PowerSchool student information system, SchoolCash Online payment platform, and bus transportation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STAR Catholic K-12 Schools (12 campuses)
• French Immersion Program
• Off-Campus Education Programs (Work Experience, RAP, Green Certificate, Dual Credit)
• Athletic Excellence / Elite Performance Pathways
• Early Learning Programs (Junior Kindergarten, Little Lights Creative Kindergarten, Cogito Academy, Lil' Stars Preschool)
• STAR Catholic Outreach School
• Student Transportation Services
• Indigenous Education Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 5,000 students across 12 schools in 6 communities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Woodlot Operations Learning Foundation (WOLF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoly Trinity Academy partners with the Woodlot Operations Learning Foundation (WOLF) to offer students hands-on forestry and wildlife education through the WOLF program, providing experiential learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom setting.
• Apply to Education (Simplication)coreTechnology or IntegrationSTAR Catholic Schools partners with Apply to Education (operated by Simplication) for all teaching and support staff recruitment. Applicants are required to create online profiles through the Simplication platform to apply for open positions. Contact support available at 1-877-900-5627.
• Post-Secondary Institutions (Alberta Colleges and Universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTAR Catholic maintains partnerships with over 30 Alberta colleges, universities, and seminaries for post-secondary pathway planning. Dual Credit agreements with institutions including NAIT, SAIT, Red Deer Polytechnic, and others enable high school students to earn both high school and post-secondary credits simultaneously with free tuition.
• School Cash / SchoolCashOnlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationSTAR Catholic has partnered with School Cash (SchoolCashOnline) for 15+ years to manage school fee payments and donation collection. The platform handles fee payments, field trip costs, and tax-receipted donations for all division schools and the donation program.
• Wolf Creek Public SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative busing agreement for students in Lacombe and Ponoka areas. Wolf Creek Public Schools operates bus routes serving STAR Catholic students in these communities. Students in Lacombe and Ponoka use Wolf Creek buses for transportation to STAR Catholic schools.
• Black Gold Regional SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative busing agreement for STAR Catholic students in Leduc area. Black Gold Regional Schools operates bus routes that serve some STAR Catholic students in the Leduc region.
• Wild Rose School DivisionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative busing agreement for STAR Catholic students in Drayton Valley. Wild Rose School Division operates bus routes serving STAR Catholic students in the Drayton Valley community.
• Wetaskiwin Regional Public SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative busing agreement for STAR Catholic students in Wetaskiwin. Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools operates bus routes serving STAR Catholic students in the Wetaskiwin community.
• Maskwacis - Prairie Bus LinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative busing agreement for STAR Catholic students in Ponoka area. Maskwacis - Prairie Bus Lines provides transportation services for STAR Catholic students in the Maskwacis and Ponoka communities.
• Brazeau CountyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural busing agreement for STAR Catholic students residing in Brazeau County (Drayton Valley area). Wild Rose School Division handles busing under this agreement for students living in Brazeau County.
• Alberta Education / Alberta Agriculture and IrrigationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTAR Catholic's Green Certificate program is delivered in partnership with Alberta Education and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. Students select from 11 agriculture specializations and work under approved trainers, earning up to 16 Grade 30-level credits per specialization.
• Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP)minorOthersSubstitute teachers and casual support staff are eligible for supplemental benefits on a voluntary basis through ASEBP. Contact: 1-877-431-4786 or 780-431-4786.
• Alberta Catholic School Trustees' Association (ACSTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACSTA advocates for Catholic school boards at the provincial level and educates Catholic electors about their right to support Catholic schools through education property taxes. ACSTA provides resources including the 'Your Taxes for Your Catholic Schools' brochure.
• Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCSSA develops and endorses Catholic education resources for use in Alberta Catholic schools, including the LIFE Framework for diversity and inclusion. Resources are endorsed by Catholic Bishops of Alberta for use in Catholic classrooms.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Holy Spirit Catholic School Division: Catholic separate school division serving Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta. Same Alberta Education Act framework, comparable mid-sized K-12 portfolio, and similar faith-formation plus specialty programming mix.
• Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools: Catholic separate school division serving Red Deer and central Alberta communities under the same Alberta Education Act. Similar mid-sized portfolio, similar mix of urban and rural schools, and overlapping geography with STAR Catholic's Lacombe service area — a close functional peer.
• Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools: Catholic separate school division serving Grande Prairie and northwestern Alberta. Same provincial governance framework and Catholic mission; serves rural and resource-economy communities comparable to STAR Catholic's Drayton Valley footprint.
• Edmonton Catholic Schools (ECSD): Catholic separate school division serving Edmonton under the same Alberta Education Act. Comparable in mission, governance structure (elected Board of Trustees), and funding model, and operates specialized programming (Dual Credit, athletics, Indigenous education) directly comparable to STAR Catholic's portfolio.
• Calgary Catholic School District: Publicly funded Catholic separate school division serving Calgary and surrounding area under the same Alberta Education Act framework as STAR Catholic. Operates a far larger portfolio of K-12 schools with similar French Immersion, athletics, and faith-formation programming, making it the closest structural analogue in the province.
• Evergreen Catholic Separate Regional Division: Catholic separate school division serving Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County west of Edmonton. Same Alberta Education Act framework, comparable mid-sized K-12 portfolio with both urban and rural communities — directly analogous governance and operating structure to STAR Catholic.
• Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional Division: Catholic separate school division serving Medicine Hat and southeastern Alberta under the same Alberta Education Act. Smaller portfolio with rural/urban mix comparable to STAR Catholic's scale, sharing the same regulatory framework and faith-based K-12 mandate.
• Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools: Catholic separate school division serving southern Alberta (High River, Okotoks, Cochrane, Airdrie areas) under the same Alberta Education Act. Comparable governance, funding model, and K-12 Catholic mission; smaller and growth-corridor adjacent in ways similar to STAR Catholic.

Regional players

• Conseil scolaire catholique du Centre-Est: French-language Catholic school board serving eastern and central Alberta (including Edmonton and surrounding regions). Operates a faith-based K-12 French Immersion mandate that directly overlaps with STAR Catholic's French Immersion programming, though from a French-first rather than bilingual perspective.
• Conseil scolaire catholique FrancoSud: French-language Catholic school board serving southern Alberta. Comparable faith-based K-12 mission but operates primarily in French; competes for French Immersion and Francophone families in overlapping Alberta geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GrACE4cathed
• Facebookfacebook.com/GrACE4cathed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 STAR Catholic School Division