Regional Office –
2021-2022 busing fees approved
Each year the board establishes transportation fees for:
- In-town busing
- Rural students accessing transportation to a school of choice
- Alternate sites for students accessing more than one bus stop
As these services are not required or funded by Alberta Education, the division provides them for a fee to cover the cost of providing the service. Further analysis of the in-town bus routes indicate that they are not operating on a cost recovery basis and the board wants to consider alternative ways to offer in-town busing without subsidizing the cost. Following a review at their February 24th meeting, the board requested that administration provide further cost recovery options for in-town busing.
After reviewing 11 different options, lengthy discussion and two defeated board motions, the board approved the following transportation rates for 2021-2022:
- In-town busing fees will be set at $415 per student per year—a $55 increase from the current rate of $360
- To lessen the financial impact on families, the in-town fee increase to obtain cost recovery will occur over a two year period.
- Rates for PUF*/Kindergarten students are prorated at 50%. *PUF refers to pre-school and or Kindergarten aged students identified with specific needs according to AB Education’s Program Unit Funding conditions.
- Priority will be given to PUF/Kindergarten to Grade 6 students.
- A route for in-town service will not be offered if it falls below a utilization rate of 35%.
- Only one route will be offered in-town unless a second route can be offered on a cost-recovery basis.
- Rural busing fees for students leaving their attendance area to attend a school of choice will remain unchanged at $460 per student per year.
- The fee for alternate site requests will remain unchanged at $50 per student per year.
View the 2021-2022 Transportation Rates Annex online at www.pembinahills.ca/rates-annex/
Neerlandia Alternate Calendar Approved
In follow-up to the February 24th board meeting, amendments were made to the 2021-2022 Neerlandia Public Christian School Alternate Calendar to align operational days with other schools. The revised calendar was approved by the board and is available at www.pembinahills.ca/school-calendars/.
Check out the board meeting agenda and minutes for more information.
The next school board meeting is at the Regional Office on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 starting at 9:00 a.m. Members of the public are invited to view a livestream of the meeting on our website.