CBE to reduce yellow school bus fees to $260 per rider next school year
CBC
Parents of students at Calgary public schools will see a decrease in busing fees for the 2023-24 school year, as the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) submitted its finalized budget to the province on Wednesday.
The board is also stepping away from its "mandated and "non-mandated" transportation fee structure, which was introduced in 2020.
"Non-mandated" riders, those who live within walking distance or don't attend their designated school, currently pay more.
Next year, all families will pay $260 per rider for school bus services, except for kindergarten riders, who will pay half the price for one-way service.
For some families, that will mean savings of up to $205 dollars per student.
"The increase in transportation funding enables us to decrease transportation fees to all students, and to charge the same fees for families, whether their child attends their designated school or one of our programs of choice," said CBE trustee Marilyn Dennis at a board meeting on Tuesday, when they finalized the budget.
"I continue to appreciate our waiver process to assist families who might be experiencing financial difficulty. We are public education, and we welcome everyone and serve everyone."
The change comes after years of changes to fees, and is a big decrease from the 2020-21 school year, when parents of non-mandated riders were paying $800 for busing.
The CBE received an additional $130 million from the provincial government from the previous year, totaling its budget to $1.5 billion.
Jeff Park, executive director of the Alberta Parents' Union which represents around 20,000 Alberta parents, says he's happy about the fee reduction.
"Affordability has been a big concern for parents more broadly, so for parents to see some savings there is a big deal and is going to help a lot of people plan for the next school year," said Park.
Jessy Roos currently pays $930 a year for her two elementary-aged kids to get to and from their non-mandated school.
She welcomes the cost savings in September, but says it doesn't solve ongoing transportation issues.
"The bus system is absolutely chaotic. They don't have enough drivers."