以下信息于2017年6月8日由教育委员会董事会发送给所有CBE的家长/监护人。

亲爱的家长/监护人：

今天，董事会召开新闻发布会，就CBE学生的交通和政府的1号法案：“减少学校费用法案”发表意见并澄清情况。作为董事会，我们相信我们的交通计划与1号法案保持一致，我们对此充满信心。

在下个学年，大多数学生的交通服务水平将保持不变。大多数学生前往公交车站的路程将保持不变。对于大多数学生，费用将保持不变或减少。

然而，也有一些例外。例如，将有额外的1,500名中学生/初中生加入已经使用卡尔加里交通的近17,000名6-12年级学生。为这些学生继续提供黄色校车服务已经不再具有财务可持续性。我们知道这一变化对家庭有影响。

在过去几周里，我们收到了数百名家长的来信。我们的工作人员将继续与校长和家庭合作，提供信息，回答问题，并在过渡期提供支持。

为了向家长提供关于服务水平和费用的信息以及有足够的时间为秋季规划路线，我们根据CBE行政部门与政府直接接触获得的信息进行了决策和计划。阿尔伯塔教育部支持我们的计划，并批准在法规定稿前向家长通报该计划。

政府的常见问题（FAQ）文件详细描述了可以收取的费用以及谁有资格获得交通费返还，谁没有资格获得交通费返还。这些常见问题明确了常规指定学校和替代项目（选择的学校和项目）之间的区别。文件还概述了在何种情况下可以使用市政交通进行学生交通。

1号法案的相关法规已于2017年6月5日由政府宣布。我们相信我们的交通计划反映了该法律的意图。我们将利用每一分钱就提供可持续的交通服务。我们听到了家长的声音，他们希望我们将省级资金用于支持学生学习，而不是补贴交通费用。

如果您的孩子有资格使用黄色校车服务进行2017-18学年的服务，请在6月11日星期日之前进行预注册。如果您的孩子在此日期之前没有进行预注册，他们将不会被纳入秋季路线规划。这意味着您家附近或社区中可能没有公交车站。

我们将继续代表我们所有的社区、学生和系统，为更新的省级交通资金模式进行倡导。我们也在为与影响我们家庭的决策进行更多咨询的时间进行倡导。

为了使学生取得成功，我们必须共同努力——家长、学生、合作伙伴、社区成员、政府、CBE行政部门和董事会。

关于2017-18年的交通服务水平和费用的更多信息已经发布在CBE网站上，此外还有一个误解与事实文件。您也可以将问题发送至dialogue@cbe.ab.ca。

谢谢您，

CBE董事会

The following message was sent to all CBE parents/guardians from the Board of Trustees on June 8, 2017.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Today, the Board of Trustees held a press conference to provide comments and clarity about transportation for CBE students and the government’s Bill 1: An Act to Reduce School Fees. As a Board, we believe our plan for transportation aligns with Bill 1 and we have confidence in it.

For the next school year, transportation service levels will be the same for the majority of students. Travel distances to a bus stop will remain the same for the majority of students. And fees will be the same or reduced for the majority of our students.

However, there are some exceptions. For example, an additional 1,500 middle/junior high school students will be joining the almost 17,000 Grade 6-12 students already accessing Calgary Transit. Continuing to provide yellow bus service for these students is no longer financially sustainable. We know that this change has an impact on families.

We have heard from hundreds of parents over the past few weeks. Staff will continue to work with principals and families to provide information, answer questions and provide support through the transition.

To inform parents about service levels and fees as well as having enough time to plan routes for the fall, we were required to make decisions and plans based on information CBE administration received while working directly with government. Alberta Education expressed support for our plan and approved communicating this plan to parents before the regulations were finalized.

The Government’s FAQ documents describe what fees can be charged and who qualifies for transportation fee rebates and who does not. The FAQs clearly make a distinction between regular designated schools and alternative programs (schools and programs of choice). The document also outlines that municipal transit can be used for student transportation and under what circumstances.

The regulations for Bill 1 were proclaimed by Government on Monday, June 5.  We believe our plan for transportation reflects the intention of the legislation. We will use every dollar we receive for transportation to provide sustainable transportation services. We have clearly heard from parents that we need to use provincial funding to support student learning rather than subsidizing transportation.

If your child is eligible for yellow school bus service for the 2017-18 school year, please pre-register before Sunday, June 11. If your child is not pre-registered by this date, they will not be included in route planning for the fall. This means there may not be a bus stop near your home or in your community.

We will continue to advocate on behalf of all our communities, our students and our system for an updated provincial transportation funding model. We are also advocating for more time to consult with our communities on decisions that impact our families.

For students to be successful, we must work together – parents, students, partners, community members, government, CBE administration and trustees.

More information about the 2017-18 transportation service levels and fees is posted on the CBE website, as well as a Myths & Facts document. You may also forward your questions to dialogue@cbe.ab.ca.

Thank you,

CBE Board of Trustees