Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Castaic District Expects to Charge for School Bus Rides : Education: Trustees on Thursday will discuss a fee aimed at offsetting an annual transportation deficit of about $250,000.

Families of some 1,200 students now bused to school here will have to pay if they want to continue the service this fall.

“At this point, it’s not a question of ‘if’ so much as ‘how much,’ ” said Michael R. Slater, business manager for the Castaic Union School District.

Castaic trustees Thursday will discuss the fee, earlier suggested at $100 or $200 per year for each student, that district officials hope will offset an annual transportation deficit of about $250,000.

California reimburses schools for bus service based upon a 1978 formula, with minor adjustments made for inflation but not for explosive population growth such as that experienced in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Busing students to Castaic and Live Oak elementary schools and Castaic Middle School cost the district $277,278 more than it received from the state last year. That is the equivalent expense of eight teaching positions in the district.

Castaic trustees have already approved a $20 charge for summer school transportation. Its implementation will demonstrate how many parents will pay the charge and how best to collect such fees, Slater said.

About 750 students are enrolled in summer school, which runs July 5 to 29, but school officials are unsure how many of them will take the bus.

A busing fee for the regular school year appears to have conditional support from parents.

A written survey mailed to Castaic families in February generated 398 responses. More than half said they would support a fee if it also paid for textbooks, instructional supplies, reading teachers or libraries. Fewer than half said they favor a fee that would help pay for counselors or for programs for students with limited English skills.

District officials admit the proposed fee would not pay for additional services, but say they are encouraged by the survey results.

Three other school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley now charge to bus students to and from campus.

The William S. Hart Union High School District and Newhall School District charge students $200 a year to ride the bus and the Sulphur Springs School District last fall approved a fee of $60 per semester or $100 per year.

California law exempts disabled students from school busing fees, and Castaic officials have mentioned making provisions for low-income students.

Castaic trustees are also considering an earlier start for Castaic Middle School, beginning the school day at 7:30 rather than 8 a.m., and staggering the schedule so that additional buses would not be needed to serve the two elementary schools.