Calendars

General

Q. What’s changing?

For the 2025-26 school year and beyond, the CBE will be expanding yellow bus service and adjusting walk zones. This is in response to the Government of Alberta’s School Transportation Amendment Regulation for student transportation that comes into effect on Sept. 1, 2025. This means many more students will become eligible to take the bus.

The provincial legislation changes the transportation eligibility distance and how it is measured at each school. When changes are made to yellow bus transportation, it can have an impact on bell times for schools. That’s because bell times are directly connected to transportation. Aligning bell times across schools makes transportation more efficient, allowing each bus to run multiple routes. This creates a reliable transportation system, ensuring students get to school safely, on time and ready to learn.

Q. What’s the overall goal of these changes?

The overall goal is a reliable transportation system, ensuring more than 60,000 CBE students can get to school safely, on time and ready to learn.

We recognize that change brings challenges, and we appreciate the role each of you will play in supporting our students and school communities through this transition.

Transportation Eligibility

Q. How is transportation service to schools determined?

Currently, the Education Act and School Transportation Regulation require the CBE to provide for the transportation of students who meet the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility for transportation depends on where a student lives in relation to the school.

Students in schools with grade configurations of GR6 and up may be assigned to Calgary Transit as their mode of transportation based on considerations set out on CBE’s Calgary Transit webpage.

Students who are eligible for general transportation must still pay a fee.

Q. How is transportation eligibility measured in the new School Transportation Amendment Regulation?

Starting Sept. 1, 2025, transportation eligibility as defined by the School Transportation Amendment Regulation is measured by driving distance on developed roads, to the front door of school.

Eligibility for transportation will depend on where a student lives in relation to the school.

Q. What is a “walk zone”?

Walk zone is a zone based on proximity to school that identifies students attending their designated school that are not mandated to be transported by the school jurisdiction.

Q. How was transportation distance calculated previously?

Prior to the School Transportation Amendment Regulation coming into effect on Sept. 1, 2025, transportation eligibility was measured by the shortest walking distance from a student’s home property to the border of the school property. This way of calculating the walk zone considered the shortest distance to travel between home and school, including all Calgary public pathways and roadways.

For the 2025-26 school year, while the walk zone doesn’t appear to change at all for K-6, and only slightly for Grades 7-12, the change in how it is measured makes a difference in who qualifies for transportation. In this framework, transportation eligibility is measured by driving distance. See below for more information:

Q. When will walk zone maps be available?

Walk zone maps will be available in May 2025 prior to transportation registration commencing.

Q. Will these changes impact students who qualify for specialized transportation services?

There are no changes to specialized transportation services. You can learn more about these services on the CBE website.

Q. How do these changes affect transportation for students attending alternative programs?

Transportation for students attending an alternative program will continue to follow the congregated bus stop model.

Congregated stops are used when students from the same or multiple nearby communities congregate or gather at one stop to take a bus to their chosen school.

Individual routes will be created over the summer based on the registrations received by the registration deadline.

Individual schools, with alternative programs, may experience a bell time change starting this fall.

Q. Will these changes impact routes currently designated to Calgary Transit?

CBE works closely and collaboratively with Calgary Transit to ensure students can get to school safely and on time.

You can learn more about grades and communities designated to Calgary Transit.

Q. When is transportation registration for the upcoming school year?

Transportation registration and deadline details will be released in May 2025. Families will receive an email with more information then.

Q. Are transportation fees being impacted?

Transportation fees will be confirmed when the CBE budget is approved in May.

Q. How will these transportation changes impact lottery zones?

At this time, current lottery zones remain in effect. Any updates about the lottery process and zones will be communicated in fall 2025.

Bell Times

Q. Why are bell times at some schools being adjusted for fall 2025?

This change is necessary due to the addition of numerous bus routes required to align with Alberta Education’s School Transportation Amendment Regulation. When changes are made to yellow bus transportation, it has an impact on bell times for schools. That’s because bell times are directly connected to transportation.

The bell time changes will also help accommodate increased travel times in a growing city and to ensure students receive all the required instructional hours.

Aligning bell times across schools makes transportation more efficient, allowing each bus to run multiple routes. This creates a reliable transportation system, ensuring students get to school safely, on time and ready to learn.

Q. Will bell times change each year?

Generally, school bell times are expected to remain consistent each year. From time to time, adjustments may be needed based on instructional scheduling, program changes, traffic patterns and other factors.

Q. What factors were considered as part of the bell time adjustments?

• Student well-being (ensuring adequate time for lunch and recess)
• Meeting the Alberta Education prescribed requirements for hours ​of instruction per school year
• Start and end times
• Feeder schools within an attendance area
• Size of each school and/or program attendance area
• Traffic patterns across the city
• Total travel time to/from school
• Calgary Transit routes and scheduling

Q. How will my child’s lunch hour be affected by bell time changes?

Changes to a school’s start and end times may affect the time available for lunch. As part of the bell time adjustments, it was important to consider student well-being and ensure each school had adequate time for breaks such as lunch and recess.

The setting of specific lunch times is at the principal’s discretion on a school-by-school basis.

Q. Why is my early dismissal time changing?

Bell times, including start, dismissal, and early dismissal day Fridays are tied to transportation schedules and instructional hours.

Q. How will bell time changes affect the scheduling of classes at my child’s school? Will instructional hours be affected?

Alberta Education sets mandatory hours of instruction. Students require 950 hours of instruction for elementary though junior high school students, and 1000 hours for high school students.  The bell times, including start, dismissal, and early dismissal day Fridays are set at the system level and are tied to transportation schedules. In advance of these changes, school bell time adjustments were reviewed to ensure that schools are able to meet the Alberta Education prescribed requirements for hours of instruction per school year while taking into account student non-instructional times like lunch and recess.

At the school level, the principal works within the bell times to develop a timetable that accounts for the hours of instruction required, suitable breaks for lunch and recess, and any other non-instructional times during the school day.  If you have any further questions regarding the impact of the bell times on your specific school's instruction hours, please connect with your principal.

Q. When can I drop my child off at school in the morning?

Drop off time and morning supervision schedule can differ from school to school. Your principal will provide more information before the start of the school year.

Students must be supervised by their parent or caregiver if they arrive outside of supervision times.

Q. What is the earliest possible start time and latest possible end time for the school day?

The general guideline is that the school day will not start before 8 AM and end no later than 4 PM​.

Typically, middle school and high schools have later bell times. When balancing all the factors, there are some schools outside of these bell time parameters.

Q. What time do students begin busing each day?

Working within the guidelines of school hours between 8 AM – 4 PM, we aim to have most students begin busing after 7 AM to ensure we can create a reliable transportation system, ensuring students get to school safely, on time and ready to learn.

Q. Will earlier start times have a negative impact on student learning?

Many CBE schools already have early start times, with no identified negative impact on student learning.

The goal is for buses to begin no earlier than 7 AM though some specialized programs may require an earlier start.

Q. How will bell time changes affect before and after school care programs in my child’s school?

Before and after school care programs that are housed within CBE schools may need to adjust their schedules to meet the earlier or later arrival or dismissal of students.

Before and after school care programs will receive a communication with the updated times this spring, so they have time to adjust.

Q. Will school-based extracurricular activities be impacted?

The change in bell times should not affect school-based extracurricular activities.

Extracurricular activities depend on staff availability, skill set and interest and may vary from year-to-year. These decisions are made by school staff at the beginning of the school year and once determined, will be communicated to each unique school community.

Q. If the new bell time schedule conflicts with my family’s schedule is there an opportunity to transfer to a different school?

We respect that parents will make the decisions they feel are best for their children in response to these changes, and we are committed to supporting families through this process.

You can read more about the transfer process on the CBE website.

Q. Was consideration given to aligning transportation and bell times between feeder schools?

Where possible, the CBE tries to align the elementary and middle school’s bell times and transportation services. Unfortunately, that is not always possible given route planning across over 250 schools.