School divisions in the province are looking at some major challenges after last week's provincial budget.

It included $414 million in funding over three years for student transportation.

K-6 students further than one kilometre from school and students in grades 7-to-12 more than two kilometres from school now will be eligible for funding.

"If you can imagine, if all of our students fit that criteria that's another 1,200 students that we'll have to transport if every parent wanted transportation for those students, " explains Foothills School Division assistant superintendent Drew Chipman. "That could be another 20 buses."

He says with new buses running $120,000, that's another $2 million they'll have to come up with.

That also means hiring another 20 drivers when they're already having trouble coming up with enough drivers now.

Chipman says he looks forward to going through the funding manual and meeting as school business officials with Alberta Education they'll get the answers they need to move forward.