Regina Public Schools announced they are increasing and expanding their lunchtime supervision fees.

The division will be increasing lunch fees by 10 per cent come September.

Fees for kindergarten students will rise to $55 per student from $50; for elementary students, fees will increase to $110 from $100; and for high school will be $55 per student. Fees will still be capped per family, rising to $220 from the previous $200.

“Following the release of the 2023-24 Provincial Budget, school divisions, including Regina Public Schools, have been faced with some difficult decisions,” Director of Education and CEO Darren Boldt said in a letter to parents.

“As a result, we will have to carefully look at staffing levels, reduce lesser priority spending, and increase other revenue sources, such as fees, to manage within the resources allocated to us while minimizing impacts on student classroom learning,” Boldt continued. “While some of our cost-saving planning and changes may not have an immediate impact on schools, changes to noon supervision fees is one that families need timely notice of.”

The fees were initially introduced to elementary and non-bused students in the 2016-17 school year to offset costs associated with schools providing noon supervision for students who spend their lunchtime at school.

Since being introduced, this marks the first time the division has decided to increase the supervision fee.

This letter comes less than a month after being sent out to staff, informing them that they will be looking to save money after not receiving the funding needed to maintain their current service levels.

Both letters come after the Regina Public Schools received an operational funding increase of one per cent or $2.5 million; however, the division needed a three per cent increase or $7.5 million to maintain the status quo.

Regina Public Schools isn’t alone in increasing their fees, as Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools also announced that they would be increasing their lunchtime supervision fees.