Busing eligibility is based on walk distance criteria set by each Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial. This means, your child must live outside the walk distance set by your region.
Pre-primary FAQ: Busing
How does my child become eligible for busing?
I want to register my child for pre-primary, but I don’t know if I am eligible for busing. How do I find out?
If your child is eligible for pre-primary this year, they may also be eligible for busing.
When you call to register your child for the program, the operator can advise you of your eligibility to receive busing.
My child has special needs. Will they be accommodated to ride the bus?
Pre-primary is an inclusive program. Children with special needs, who meet the eligibility criteria to be bused to the program, will have access to transportation.
My child is registered for pre-primary in September, where do I get more information about busing.
If your child is registered to attend pre-primary in September and they are eligible to receive busing, your Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial will send you all necessary information.
Where do I find the walk distance criteria?
Walk distance criteria is set by each Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial. This information can be found on their websites or by calling your regional centre or the CSAP.
Where is my bus stop? What time will the bus pick-up and drop off my child?
For these and other service-related questions, please contact your Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.
Who will greet child at the school? Who will put them on the bus to come home?
For this and other service-related questions, please contact your Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.
Will my child be riding the bus with older kids? Even grade 12s?
Your child will be on the same bus as your family, friends and neighbours from your community.
The other children on the bus will be public school students.
This is not uncommon, as four-year-olds have been bused to programs and schools across the province regularly and safely for more than a decade.
Will my child wear a seatbelt?
School buses are among the safest vehicles on the road due to their unique design features. The Motor Vehicle Act requires all children under 40 pounds to use a seatbelt on a school bus, if they are available.
Will there be monitors on the buses for pre-primary children?
Four-year-olds in Nova Scotia have been bused regularly and safely for more than a decade without additional supervision. Supervision on buses is an operational decision of the RCE or CSAP.