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School is back, and so are the fees parents have to pay

With two children in the Calgary public school system and two in the Calgary Catholic system, Shannon Rogers will shell out about $2,200 in fees this year.

One parent shelling out $2,190 in fees for four children

Dave Dormer · CBC News ·
September means classes are back in session, and school fees once again due.
September means classes are back in session, and school fees once again due. (CBC)

With two children in the Calgary public school system and two in the Calgary Catholic system, Shannon Rogers will shell out about $2,200 in fees this year.

Broken down, Rogers pays $30 each for her two children at CBE schools, along with $335 each for bus fees and $285 each for noon hour supervision.

Then she pays $175 each in bus fees for her two children attending Calgary Catholic schools, along with $270 each for noon hour supervision, for a total of $2,190.

In fact, many parents will pay more than that in fees this year, Althea Adams, Calgary Association of Parent and School Councils told the Calgary Eyeopener.

"It's not rare at all, sadly," she said.

"We're hearing a lot of frustration this year from parents, it's really hard economic times right now, people are getting laid off left, right and centre and parents are stressed."

Adams said she is upset the NDP government campaigned on a promise to lower school fees but so far hasn't delivered.

"Minister [David] Eggen did in fact promise this was not going to happen and it's gone up," she said. "It has happened under his watch."

Education Minister David Eggen says he hoped to see at least a three per cent reduction in school fees globally across the province. (CBC)

Eggen told the CBC last month his government has "been unable to move on that in the way we have hoped to."

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the minister said school fees "can be a significant burden on families, and that's why our government is committed to reducing them."

"In the 2016/17 school year, we expect an overall decrease in school fees of 3.1 per cent from the previous year. In fact, 41 boards are planning to lower their fees this year."

Adams said she wants to see more parents speak out on the issue.

"What we would encourage parents to do is to write letters, send emails, write your MLAs," she said.

"The thing is, we have more in numbers, that's really what we need. The more parents that start speaking out, the louder our voice is going to be."

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener

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