Families in the Okanagan-Skaha school district will benefit from improved transportation services thanks to $167,035 in funding under the new provincial Student Transportation Fund.

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton announced today on behalf of Education Minister Mike Bernier that the Okanagan-Skaha school district will use the new funding to:

• Create a new bus pass system to track the exact location and time students are riding the bus;
• Provide alternative transportation for students that need it.
• Offset cost pressures on the transportation budget.

School districts had the opportunity to apply for the Student Transportation Fund from Aug. 10 to Sept. 30, this year. To be eligible for funding, districts had to submit a plan to the Ministry of Education outlining how they will use the funding to enhance transportation services for students and families.

The amount of funding a district is eligible for is based on a formula tied to the ministry’s student location factor, which is used to determine the rural makeup of a school district. Districts will be required to report back on the outcomes and benefits they achieve as a result of the funding.

The new $14.7-million Student Transportation Fund was announced in August to help school districts provide affordable and accessible transportation for B.C. families.

As a result of B.C.'s strong economic growth and fiscal discipline, government is able to support and fund projects that make a real difference in the lives of British Columbians.

Quotes:

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton –

“It is great to see this new fund being so well utilized by the school district. Parents will take comfort in the fact that the new bus pass system will track the exact location of a bus anytime and anywhere on its route.”

Quick Facts:

The Student Transportation Fund builds on government’s recent investments to further strengthen B.C.’s education system and support student learning, including:

• $25 million of administrative savings returned to school districts to invest in students;
• $2-million Rural Education Enhancement Fund to help keep schools open;
• $28 million to ensure enrolment increases and labour settlements are covered; and,
• $6 million to train teachers on coding and new curriculum and to buy computers.

Learn More:

Read the Student Transportation Fund news release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016EDUC0076-001429