There will be no more free rides in those school buses. In the new school year 2008/2009 there will be a charging fee for school bus transportation. This was done reluctantly, but was a necessary action given the dismal outlook for education funding in the state budget.School districts are not required to provide school bus transportation. The costs of transportation have risen so dramatically over the past few years that many school districts have eliminated transportation entirely as school funding has gotten more and more problematic. This year, the budget outlook for the next school year is catastrophic and charging a fee for transportation will allow the school to maintain that service and keep other programs which are more directly related to children's education.
We (the parents) are going to be able to pay bus fees at our school office starting on August 18, 2008 when the offices open for the new school year. We can also pay bus fees at the District Office throughout the entire month of August. The school will be selling annual passes good for the entire school year, semi-annual passes, monthly passes, and daily tickets. If my child rides the bus only one-way, to or from school, the fee for a pass will be half the round trip fee.
Of course, for those families who qualify for the National School Lunch Free and Reduced Price Lunch program will not be charged a fee. In order to qualify for this program, we (the parents) must submit proof of income and various other documents required by the federal government. Which I think now we WILL qualify.
It's just weird to know that to ride the bus we will have to pay and the fees are just... fees. Just, look at the prices!
Daily tickets - $1 each way
Monthly - $40 average depending on the number of school days in the month.
Semester Pass - $170 ($0.94 per ride)
Full Year - $323 ($0.90 per ride)
Now, if I have a second child (or more)
Semester Pass - $150 ($0.83 per ride)
Full Year - $300 ($0.83 per ride)
Charging fees is not something anyone wants to do, but it is the best alternative in these tight budget times. What is there to do?... to go with the flow I think.
5 comments:
OMG are you serious. That angers me what about the working poor or just the poor how are they supposed to afford this????
My God what is next
OMG are you serious. That angers me what about the working poor or just the poor how are they supposed to afford this????
My God what is next
Be glad you at least still have a bus! Our district (No. CA) has charged for years. Now they have told us that effective 10/1/08, they are discontinuing bus transportation (except special ed) for all students. Our high school has 2500 students, and our middle school has 900. Our community is across Interstate 80 with no safe way across, and no public bus stops in our neighborhood.
It is awful. Time for us Californians to say, NO MORE!
California is one of just a few states in the country that does not make school bus transportation manditory.
School bus fees come as a shock to me. Their imposition continues the trend of privatization of government functions and the abandonment of the social contract.
which schools still have buses, i'm considering moving and want to move to one that does
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