Public school parents upset with proposed bussing fee increase
Posted May 7, 2011 10:42 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A parents and school council organization says plans by the Calgary Board of Education to hike bussing fees by 60 percent is hitting many parents “pretty hard.”
Eryn Kelly of the Calgary Association of Parents and School Councils says the CBE will need to exempt more low-income families from the fees as a result.
Currently less than 10 percent of public school parents receive fee waivers.
In the case of a family of four making just over $26,000 a year, the bussing fees represent 2.5 percent of the family’s income. Kelly tells the Herald that’s not reasonable.
If the fee increase goes through, families could be hit for as much as $670 in bussing fees.
Calvin Davies, Director of Community Engagement and Operational Planning, says the board is subsidizing bus travel and the extra $8.8 million in revenue from the increase would help save teaching and support positions.
The CBE is facing a $62 million budget shortfall, and currently has plans to let go 374 teachers and support staff.
The board has done on-line surveys indicating parents support ending bussing subsidies in favour of spending the money on instruction.
But Kelly says the board needs to be speaking with parents directly and not relying on on-line surveys for big decisions.
