SIMI VALLEY : School Board Votes to Cancel Bus Fees

Simi Valley school board members voted unanimously Tuesday to rescind an $85 bus fee charged to students who participate in high school extracurricular activities.

Eric Bathen, an attorney for the Simi Valley Unified School District, recommended that the board cancel the fee based on a 1980 state Supreme Court decision that determined such fees were unconstitutional.

The issue of bus fees for students participating in extracurricular activities--such as sports, band and drill team--was initially raised by state education officials who saw a news article saying that the district was charging a fee.

“The case is very clear,” Bathen said. “You can’t charge an extracurricular bus fee.”

About $50,000 in bus fees already paid this school year will be refunded, officials said. Letters will be sent home with students notifying parents that they may request a refund or may donate the fee to the school district.

Refunds will come out of the district’s general fund, officials said. However, next school year school officials will have to come up with alternatives that could include trimming extracurricular activities, getting booster clubs to raise the money, asking parents to donate the bus fees or having students provide their own transportation.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to solve the problem,” said board President Judy Barry. “I don’t want to cut back on any activities.”

Last year, the school district collected more than $80,000 in bus fees for the entire year, about two-thirds of actual costs of providing the bus transportation. The school district has been charging the fees since September, 1982.