Wild Rose School Division (WRSD) has approved its 2026-27 operating budget that includes a nearly $517,000 deficit to be covered by reserves.

The budget projects $70.7 million in revenue and $71.2 million in expenses.

Notably, it also includes the addition of student transportation fees, a new measure that has proved contentious among some Wild Rose parents.

The transportation fees, which will cost most parents $300 per student, are budgeted to generate nearly $790,000 in 2026-27. Fees account for nearly 50 per cent of the division’s non-government revenue.

In total, fees are expected to generate $1.64 million in revenue. Thanks largely to the new transportation fees, that’s double the $823,175 generated in 2025-26.

Before the fees were introduced, WRSD had projected a transportation deficit of about $1 million for the 2025-26 school year.

WRSD receives more than 95 per cent of its funding from the Alberta government. As a result, the division’s financial sustainability remains heavily dependent on provincial funding, which is expected to increase by 1.43 per cent from the previous year.

The division is projecting a 2.6 per cent decline in enrolment next year. An estimated 3,947 students are expected to be enrolled in Grades 1-12 in 2026-27, down from 4,054 in 2025-26.

In 2026-2027 the division is projecting staffing of 256 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers and 95 educational assistants. It also funds the addition of five educational assistants and eight operations and maintenance staff.

The division spends almost 50 per cent of its annual budget on teaching staff alone.

Other highlights include expanded mental health supports in schools and facility upgrades funded through the school safety grant.

The budget was approved at the board’s June 16 meeting.