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WESTLOCK — Pembina Hills trustees passed a motion during their March 21 meeting to adopt an updated transportation fees rates annex, which now reflects the province’s decision to reduce the distance that students must live from their designated schools in order to have their bus transportation funded.
In March 2023, the Alberta government announced that as of Sept. 1, 2024, Grade 1-6 students who live more than one kilometre from their designated school and Grade 7-12 students who live more than two kilometres would have their transportation funded.
Previously, students had to live at least 2.4 kilometres from their designated school to access bus transportation without having to pay additional fees.
However, the Pembina Hills board decided in April 2023 to suspend the in-town bussing and rural transportation fees for eligible funded students during the 2023-2024 school year, effectively adopting the province’s new funding formula a year early.
The rates annex reviewed and adopted by trustees at the March 21 meeting states that a $100 in-town transportation fee will only be charged to unfunded students.
These include students in Grades 1-6 who live more than one kilometre from their designated school, as well as Grade 7-12 students who live more than two kilometres from their designated school.
A pro-rated (ie. halved at 50 per cent) fee is also charged to Early Childhood Services (Kindergarten and PREP) students who live more than one kilometre from their designated school.
The annex also states that in-town bus service is provided on a first-come, first-served basis for unfunded students, with priority given to ECS to Grade 6 students, who must purchase bus passes between June 1 and Aug. 14.
If there is still room on buses, Grade 7-12 students can then begin purchasing bus passes on Aug. 15. A waiting list will be started once buses reach full capacity.
“If we need to add additional bus routes, we can. We do have a little flexibility there,” noted secretary-treasurer Heather Nanninga.
It should be stressed that there are different fees covered in another rates annex for students going to “schools of choice,” or non-designated schools.
Impact on busing
Board chair Judy Lefebvre asked if Nanninga had any data showing the impact of the board’s decision to suspend in-town and rural transportation fees for eligible funded students last April.
Nanninga said there is two a double run occurring in the town of Swan Hills, though she later clarified that the second run is transporting ECS kids, who have a later start time than older students.
She added that there is also three in-town buses running in Westlock, while Supt. Brett Cooper indicated there is a wait list for kids to get on the bus in Barrhead.
Cooper noted he had recently dealt with a parent who had a young child living within one kilometre of the elementary school.
That parent wanted in-bus transportation for the young child as both parents worked, but they had to be put on the waiting list.
“She was not very happy about that, but the bottom line is justifying a second bus for just a few kids doesn’t make sense,” said Cooper.
Nanninga noted that there is movement within the bus population — families moving around and such — so that waiting list could grow.
Trustee Maureen Schnirer asked whether the $100 fee for unfunded students was per family or per student, using the example of a family with three unfunded students wanting to ride the bus.
Nanninga clarified it was the latter, while also pointing out that there are designated bus stops within Westlock, Barrhead and Swan Hills.
