District considers charging bus fees, changing routes
Marissa Espino
HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Huntington Beach City School District’s second
meeting on transportation fees turned into a plea for safer bus routes.
A few of the six residents who attended the Aug. 19 meeting requested bus
routes for the Dwyer Middle School students who live in the Peninsula and
Edwards Hills areas because of the construction on Goldenwest Street and
other nearby streets.
“Safety is so important,” Peninsula resident Teresa Ifland said. “At this
point I’m willing to pay for it.”
Jerry Buchanan, assistant superintendent of administrative services, said
the district is exploring whether to offer temporary bus routes because
of construction, and is determining whether there are enough buses and
that the drivers would be able to work new routes into their exiting
ones.
Buchanan also said the proposed costs to parents if the district switches
to a pay-to-ride busing system will be $180 for an annual round-trip
pass, or $100 for a semester round-trip pass per student. Qualified
low-income families will pay $25 and students qualifying for
reduced-priced lunches will pay $90 annually, he said. Families also will
receive discounts if more than one child is taking the bus, he said.
District staff has been conducting a study this summer on whether to
establish a fee for bus riders because the district is spending about
$140,000 more than what the state provides for bus transportation.
The Huntington Beach district staff will present its proposal before the
school board Sept. 7. The board is expected to take action by Sept. 21.
If the school board approves the proposal, bus passes will be sold in
December and the program will begin Jan. 3. The cost to parents will pay
$90 for the first year and $45 for students who qualify for
reduced-priced lunches, Buchanan said.
Peninsula resident Ken Ball said he felt the district’s proposal was
fair.
“Having looked at some of the other districts who charge, they [would]
charge toward the lower end,” Ball said. “If they have to make up the
deficit, the only option is to do this.”
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