BARRHEAD – The Pembina Hills School Division discussed transportation fee changes for the 2025-26 school year at its meeting Feb. 19.
“We, as a board, have had fairly preliminary discussions around the changes to the county transportation funding arrangements,” said secretary-treasurer Heather Nanninga.
The recommendation is for transportation fees for students travelling to a requested school rather than their designated school remains at $460 per year. ECS student transportation fees are prorated at 50 per cent.
This transportation service is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the bus capacity reaches 95 per cent. When capacity has been reached, a waiting list will be started and parents will be advised of availability on a first come, first serve basis according to the Rate Annex.
If a student requires an alternate drop-off location the cost is $50, unchanged from the current school year fees, Nanninga said. The alternate drop-off site must be along an existing route and not require any sidetracking.
In-town transportation fees for unfunded students will be evaluated at the March school division meeting after the government funding has been defined.
The Government of Alberta announced that as of Sept. 1, 2024, in-town transportation for students within stated parameters would be funded.
No funds have been received to date by the Pembina Hills School Division.
The 2024-25 transportation fee for unfunded students is currently $100. Unfunded students are those in grades ECS (including PREP and Kindergarten) to Grade 6 who live in Barrhead and are less than one kilometre from the school.
Students in Grades 7 to 12 who reside in Barrhead less than two kilometres from the school are also classified as unfunded students.
Trustee Victoria Kane asked if there were grants or financial support to help struggling parents with the transportation costs.
Brett Cooper, school division superintendent, said he has worked with parents on an individual basis to find a solution. Those solutions may include a monthly payment plan for the transportation costs.
The Pembina Hills School Division board approved the transportation fee rates for the 2025-26 school year as presented.
The school division carried a motion to reinstate the bus transportation services to requested schools at the May 22, 2024, board meeting. Bus transportation services to requested schools had been suspended in April 2023 because of significant funding and operational requirements.
In June 2024, Nanninga said transportation funding calculations from the government had changed and the forecast was adjusted to reflect that.
