Support staff wage and benefit increases reflect commitment to student success
Dunmore, AB - At a special public meeting held on August 25, 2025, the Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) Board of Trustees approved wage and benefit increases for non-unionized support staff and bus drivers, effective September 1, 2025.
The Board motions included the following:
A 6% wage increase for non-unionized support staff.
A 3% wage increase for bus drivers.
An increase of $75 to the Health/Wellness Spending Account for non-unionized support staff.
A directive for administration to undertake a market wage grid review for non-unionized support staff to ensure wages remain comparable within the education sector.
PRPS Bus Driver Bryan Goethals
PRPS Payroll Staff Amber Kitching and Carla McNally
“The Board of Trustees recognizes the essential work of our support staff, whose contributions directly impact the success of our students,” says PRPS Board Chair Lois Bedwell. “Our decision reflects the importance of providing fair compensation, but also the need to remain competitive with other school divisions across Alberta. Attracting talent to work in our jurisdiction is a priority to ensure we have thriving and supported school environments.”
In addition to providing compensation for staff, PRPS has also prioritized support for students in classrooms. From 2022 to 2025, allocations for student support in schools increased from $2 million to nearly $3 million dollars. This number includes 114 Educational Assistants who work directly with students. Other added PRPS student directed supports include:
Students who meet criteria for a severe behavioral code have one to one support.
Students with a severe medical code have at minimum 2:1 support.
A Resilience Strategist has been added to work with our most complex students and their families.
A designated Student Support Advocate works directly with students and families facing barriers to attendance.
The Student Wellness Counsellor (formerly FSLW) team has been increased by 0.2 FTE.
Occupational Therapy contracted hours have been doubled.
PRPS has partnered with the PALIX foundation to foster positive childhood experiences in our schools for all students using models such as the Brain Story and the Resilience Scale.
These investments reflect the division’s commitment to ensuring students receive the support they need, while also highlighting the importance of retaining and attracting skilled staff through fair and competitive compensation. The approved support staff increases were built into the previously approved 2025–2026 operating budget, which remains balanced. The decision also responds to the reality of rising costs of living in southeast Alberta and across the province, and aligns with compensation trends for education support staff in other Alberta school divisions.