Cost of school transportation - S7 expense

[momof2teenboys]

I know childcare for the purpose of education or employment is an S7 expense. But what about cost of school transportation?
Out youngest attends a special program at a high school that does not provide transportation as we are out of the boundaries. I've been driving him since September and rearranging my own school schedule around his. But that needs to change - likely for September with my own schedule no longer being as flexible.

Public transit is not available. We're in a separate municipality but same region - the bus connections just don't seem to match up in any way I try to work them.
So the next available option is a private service. I haven't looked into the cost but I doubt it would be cheap.
Just on the basis of S7 definition - IS IT OR ISN'T IT?

[rockscan]

Is there a subsidy? First check with local service providers and your local programs. Some areas provide subsidized transportation to and from "special ed" type of places.

Then you would need to consider if the program is necessary for his educational advancement.

If it can be proven that he absolutely needs to be in the program, that he cannot be served with it any other way and the only way to get there is the option youve chosen then it might be considered s7. Then you would need to take that cost and reduce it by and possible subsidies and grants available.

Even then its not set in stone but on first glance taking everything I said into consideration it may be considered.

(My two cents not a lawyer)

[momof2teenboys]

No subsidy available.

It's not a special ed program for a disabled child - it's International Baccalaureate - only available in one school in the board. So no choice where he does it either. Very difficult to get in and we've been dividing the fees as S7. He's been accepted for September (will be his second of a four year program).

I knew I'd be available to provide transport myself this year but that's going to have to change. I'll either be in school full-time in September or working part-time and in school part-time - either way, I can't do what I've been doing for the next 3 years.

I'm wondering if I offer to split this cost 50/50 instead of our usual 30/70. I looked at the guidelines for this as S7 and figured it was a "definite maybe"...

[stripes]

I think the cost of the private transport service would matter. Depending on your combined income, it might be reasonable or unreasonable. If, say, the transport service costs $8000 a year and your and Dad's combined income is $120 000 a year, it might not be a reasonable expense, but if it's only $800, it might be reasonable.

It may also matter whether Dad knew last year, when Kid enrolled in the IB programme, that you would be going to back to work or school and not available for transport. If he could have foreseen that transport would be a future financial issue at the time he initially agreed to the school, then considering transport as S7 makes sense, but if your return to school/work was not on the table at the time you discussed the school, then it would be more difficult to argue that this is S7.