Procedures

Travel to Meetings 

As employees of a rural school division are, from time to time, requested to travel to fulfill their employment (e.g., meetings), the following guidelines have been established to reflect fairness, equity, transparency and energy conservation practices: 

1. All eligible travel will be reimbursed at the rate established annually by the Board effective September 1 of each year.
2. Employees are responsible each work day for one return trip between their residence and their home school or office. No payment will be made for such travel.
3. When the kilometres travelled exceeds the normal daily return travel, then the excess kilometres may be claimed.
4. When an activity requires more than one employee from a site to attend, kilometres will be reimbursed for every four (4) staff members or multiple of four travelling. For example, 2 staff – 1 claim; 6 staff – 2 claims; 12 staff – 3 claims. Should staff choose to take separate cars, the kilometre rate may be shared by submitting claims together.
5. In the event that multiple meetings requiring different participation are scheduled for the same day, additional claims may be approved.
6. Costs incurred for multiple meeting attendance on the same day will be shared amongst sites requiring the meetings.
7. Claims for all travel reimbursement will be submitted on the appropriate division claim forms and authorized by the school or Central Office administrator, as appropriate.
8. For attendance at professional development activities funded under the terms of the ATA collective agreement, the total reimbursement will be limited by the available funds for the activity. For non-teaching staff, the same principle applies. For example, if the total funds available are $350 and registration, food , lodging, mileage and substitute costs total $400, then a maximum of $350 would be available for travel reimbursement.

Daily Transportation of Students 

Although every effort is made to support bus transportation of students with special education needs as our first choice, there are circumstances where that is not practical nor possible. In that event, the division will enter into a contractual arrangement with parents or a learning assistant to provide that transportation. 

For parent-provided transportation of students: 

1. The division will reimburse parents at the kilometre rate approved annually by the Board.
2. Payment will be for distances travelled to and from school when the child is in the vehicle.
3. Payment will be the greater of the actual kilometre rate or a minimum of 10 km per round trip. Where the minimum per round trip applies, the maximum payable will not exceed 20 km daily.
4. Claims must be submitted monthly using approved forms and authorized by the school administrator.
5. No claims will be paid until there is a signed contract in place for that school year.
6. Kilometres paid will only be for the distances travelled within the geographic boundaries of Palliser Regional Division No. 26 by the most direct route from the residence to the school and return.

Daily Transportation of ECS Children (with disabilities/delays): 

1. The division will reimburse parents at the approved kilometre rate up to the maximum Alberta Education ECS Special Transportation grant rate.
2. Claims must be submitted monthly using approved forms and authorized by the school administrator.
3. No claims will be paid until there is a signed contract in place for that school year. 

Home Visits 

1. For Family Oriented Programming visits to support the learning of young Program Unit Funded children, the kilometre rate will be paid up to a maximum of the trip grant rate established by Alberta Education.

For employee-provided daily student transportation: 

1. Reimbursement will be paid at the kilometre rate established annually by the Board.
2. The kilometres will be paid for the most direct route using the VersaTrans system from the residence to the school and return.
3. Payment will be the greater of the actual kilometre rate or the minimum of 10 km per round trip. Where the minimum per round trip applies, the maximum payable will not exceed 20 km daily.
4. The time required to provide the transportation will be included on the employee’s daily work schedule. The time required will be determined in consultation with the learning support teacher and parent.
5. Claims must be submitted monthly using approved forms and authorized by the school administrator.
6. No claims will be paid until there is a signed contract in place for that school year.