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Yesterday, the 2025/26 operating budget was approved by the Board of Trustees of Rocky View Schools (RVS).
According to RVS, most of the $344.5 million budget will go directly to schools in areas such as classroom and school staffing; numeracy, literacy, career learning and inclusion supports; Indigenous knowledge-building; technology and school-based supplies and resources.
“The Board remains deeply committed to ensuring all 29,500+ students across RVS have access to a world-class education,” said Board Chair Fiona Gilbert. “The Board continues to stretch every dollar we receive and direct as many resources as possible to schools to support learning, providing access to a variety of supports to enhance student and staff wellness while improving facilities and technology infrastructure.”
RVS is expecting to welcome 500 new students in September. To support rising enrolments and diversity, and complexities in classrooms, RVS shared that 90 per cent of instructional dollars will go directly to schools, with the remaining dollars managed centrally to support schools and school staff.
"The division will maintain class size guidelines with 1,430 teaching staff and school administrators in total. RVS maintains a lean budget for system administration at 2.99 per cent, prioritizing additional spending in areas of greatest operational need. The budget requires $1.4 million of operating reserves to balance the budget while maintaining a reserve balance of one to two per cent, which is just above the mandated amount set by the government and within RVS’s guidelines for budget 2025/26."
The division shared that they remain focused on strengthening numeracy and literacy skills by providing schools with direct staffing for these targeted areas in elementary schools, with additional support from learning specialists, along with dedicated specialists in English as an Additional Language and Indigenous Learning.
To help students with complex needs, a committed team of forty-five full-time learning specialists, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, family school liaisons, and speech-language pathologists will collaborate closely with classroom teachers.
“Supporting our dedicated teachers through coaching and in-classroom collaboration is essential to strengthening student learning,” said Superintendent of Schools Greg Luterbach. “The Board’s continued investment in learning supports plays a vital role as we advance literacy and numeracy and implement the new curriculum in our classrooms.”
This budget will continue to provide choice for students, shared RVS, with investment in diverse learning opportunities and environments such as two online schools, career and dual credit opportunities, Community Learning Centres, Building Futures and the RVS Mechanics Training Centre.
“Preparing students to be future-ready is essential for their success beyond school,” said Gilbert. “RVS has made significant strides in expanding career-connected learning aligned with our Education Plan. The Board is proud to support this important work, which offers real-world learning opportunities, exposure and connection to broad career choices and helps equip students for success in adulthood.”
Transportation spending is set to rise to $27.3 million for the 2025/26 school year, driven by higher contractor costs, growing student enrollment, and 14 expected new bus routes. The annual transportation fee for Grades 1–12 will increase by $70, bringing it to $395. Additionally, Rocky View Schools will introduce a new half-time rate specifically for Kindergarten students.
After this approval, RVS will submit its 2025–2026 budget to Alberta Education and make it available on the RVS website.
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