SIMI VALLEY : Officials to Take Vote on Student Bus Fees

Simi Valley school officials have agreed to vote on a proposal to charge parents $300 per year for student bus transportation.

If the fees are approved by the board at its Feb. 1 meeting, the Simi Valley Unified School District would become the second in Ventura County to charge for busing. The Conejo Valley Unified School District adopted a similar plan in 1992.

The Simi Valley school board discussed the plan at its regular meeting Tuesday. With no opposition voiced, the board scheduled the issue for a vote. Parents would be charged $300 for the first child in a family, $200 for the second, $100 for the third and $50 for a fourth sibling to ride the bus.

In a related budget item, the board also is scheduled to vote next month on whether to move sixth-period athletics to after-school hours. Once sports are shifted to after school, the district could legally charge those students an additional $90 a year for transportation to and from competitive events, said Supt. Mary Beth Wolford.

The district needs to cut about $2.5 million to replenish reserves and balance the budget at $77.1 million, officials said. The board is holding special budget study sessions periodically and scheduling items for formal votes as decisions are reached.

Other cuts that could be decided at the next meeting include eliminating teacher advisers who spend one or two class periods a day working with students who are frequently absent.