The Calgary Board of Education is facing pushback over its plans to eliminate school bus service at five middle schools that run alternative programs — and have students use public transit instead.

More than 200 people filled the gymnasium at Senator Patrick Burns School Monday night to voice their concerns about the plan.

"We've got 10 and 11-year-olds riding public transit?" said Eric Salkeld, who worries about the trip his granddaughter would have to take.

"Something's wrong here."

Many students who attend Patrick Burns come from across the city for Spanish and English-language programs, and some parents said the trip would require taking multiple buses.

Dany Breton, the CBE's superintendent of facilities, said the bus policy change follows public consultations and economic assessments — as well as provincial government cuts to several school fees, including transportation.

"What we've been trying to do over the past several years is get to a place where transportation is financially sustainable," Breton said.

The cost of transportation was being subsidized through the use of funds earmarked for classroom instruction, according to the CBE.

"This is a deficit that the CBE can no longer continue to generate," the board said in a handout to parents.

Travel decisions up to parents

An annual student pass for Calgary Transit will cost $700 beginning in September, according to the handout, or families will have the option to purchase $65 monthly passes.

Some families can also qualify for the city's new sliding-scale rate, which offers monthly passes for between $5 and $50, depending on household income.

New program replaces one-size-fits-all $44 pass 0:29

While CBE and Calgary Transit officials said student safety is a top priority, the board said individual travel decisions will be up to parents.

In the meantime, parents groups said they'll be trying to come up with other ways to help students get to class.

Roughly 2,000 middle school students transitioned to Calgary Transit in the current school year, according to the CBE.

The planned changes would see another 1,300 students in Grades 6 to 9 use public transit, starting in September.