CONEJO VALLEY : Schools to Continue Funding Bus Service
Conejo Valley school board members decided Thursday to continue funding school bus transportation at least until spring, instead of charging parents for the service.
Supt. William Seaver said the issue will be brought back to the board in the spring, before bus contracts expire, although the state Supreme Court is expected to rule between May and August on the constitutionality of charging for school bus transportation between home and school.
According to a Conejo Valley Unified School District report, parents would pay $373 a year per child for bus service between school and home if the district cut its funding. If the district contributed half of the expenses, the cost for parents would be $187 annually per child.
The costs would increase if the district shortened the walking distances. More students would be eligible to ride the bus, and nine buses would have to be purchased.
Under this plan, the annual fee would be $543 per child, or $272 if the district paid half the costs.
The district spends $670,683 a year to transport more than 1,700 students to school. Of those, 226 are special education students who are required to be transported under state law.
No school districts in Ventura County charge parents for bus rides between school and home.
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