BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK - Changes to requirements on the distance students live away from their school before they are accessible for provincial funding could significantly impact Pembina Hills School Division's (PHSD) transportation plan for the 2023-24 school year.
During their April 26 meeting, trustees approved suspending in-town and rural bussing fees as set out in Rates Annes RA 4. As part of the resolution, trustees also decided that transportation to a student's school of choice service will only be offered to those currently bussed to a school other than their designated school. West-Ward 1 trustee Victoria Kane was opposed.
The move was in response to the province announcing on March 13 that they lowered the distance students have to live away from their school to be eligible for transportation funding from 2.4 kilometres to one kilometre (road distance) for Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and two kilometres for Grade 7 to 12 students.
In addition, the new model also provides funding for students transported to a school of choice, including alternative programs and private schools.
In town-transportation
Deputy Supt. of human resources Brett Cooper explained that under the new model, for the 2023-2024 school year, the division can decide whether it wants to provide in-town transportation.
Pembina Hills has provided optional in-town bussing for several years for a fee. Currently, about 37 in-town students take the bus to school in Barrhead.
Using 2022-2023 enrollment numbers under the new criteria, Cooper said that next year the number could potentially balloon to more than 150.
"Quick math will tell you means that are more than two busses as the biggest bus we have is 65 passengers," he said.
However, he said that doesn't mean that the 151 K to Grade 6 students who live one kilometre or more will take the bus next year, but they are eligible for transportation funding.
It is worth mentioning that currently, no Grade 7 to 12 students would be eligible for transportation funding under the new model.
In Westlock, there are 151 Kindergarten to Grade 6 students, including those from St. Mary School, there are 108 students who live closer than a kilometre, while 108 Kindergarten to Grade 6 students live one kilometre or greater from their school, and there are 10 students Grade 7 to Grade 12 in-town students who live two kilometres or greater, to their school. Presently, 70 Pembina Hills and St. Mary students ride in-town buses.
Cooper noted that Pembina Hills has an agreement with the Evergreen Catholic School Division to transport students to St. Mary, which means the division receives those students' transportation funding.
In Swan Hills, there are currently 17 students who live closer than a kilometre to the school, 107 Kindergarten to Grade 6 students who live one kilometre or greater away from the school and six Grade 7 to 12 in-town students who live two kilometres or more away from the school.
Cooper reiterated that while in-town students may be eligible for transportation funding, there is no guarantee that they will or want to take advantage of the service.
He noted it is their recommendation is to use the communities in-town busses (one each for Swan Hills and Barrhead, and two for Westlock) for funding eligible students first.
"We don't know for sure that they will fill right up, but it is highly possible," Cooper said.
He added there is also the possibility that they will have to add busses to in-town routes, but admitted that could prove difficult, given the driver shortage.
Cooper added the transportation department has said there might be the option of having the out-of-town busses make quick side trips on their way into the towns and picking up a hand full of students as space permits.
"We need to be prepared. The parents will know their children are funded," he said.
As for funding ineligible students, they would only be accommodated if space permits, Cooper added, noting that does not include students with physical or developmental challenges that necessitate bus transportation.
Presently, non-eligible students are charged $415.
"Basically, it is cost recovery," he said, adding if they opened eligibility open to everyone, it would likely be a money-losing proposition as multiple bus routes would have to be added.
Cooper noted that regardless of route time, in-town bus drivers for a minimum of three and a half hours.
A discussion led by East-Ward 3 trustees David Truckey and Kane suggested that the division add a nominal fee to all students to lower the bussing fee of funding ineligible students.
Rural student transportation
Presently, Pembina Hills allows students, with the agreement of the principal and if there is room, to attend a school other than the one designated for them, with the cost of transportation being the parents' responsibility. PHSD also students to attend other than their designated school for programming, the most notable examples being French immersion or the Christian programming at Neerlandia Public Christian School.
"In the new model, we get funding to transport those students," Cooper said. "If we allow a parent or child to go on the bus to their school of choice, my fear is that we will be closing schools, such as Fort Assiniboine, Dunstable and Eleanor Hall."
However, he said boards have a right to say that there is a school in your community and deny schools of choice.
This is why he recommended to grandfather students that they've allowed to go to a school of choice until they graduate, but moving forward we don't allow parents to choose to have their child go to a school of choice.
