Bill would cut Calif. district funding to restore transportation money
Senate Bill 81 would replace the recent $248 million reduction in funding for home-to-school transportation with an across-the-board reduction to all districts equal to about $42 per student. Officials say this would shift the budget burden to suburban districts that don't offer much bus service.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — State lawmakers are pushing a bill to restore school bus transportation money by cutting general purpose dollars in all districts, The Sacramento Bee reports.
Senate Bill 81, which was amended by the Senate budget committee in the state Assembly last Thursday, would replace the $248 million cut for home-to-school transportation — which SBFreported on last month — with an across-the-board reduction to all districts equal to about $42 per student. Officials said this would shift the budget burden to suburban districts that don’t offer much bus service.
Last month, the Los Angeles Unified School District filed a lawsuit to block the $248 million funding cut, claiming it would violate federal busing mandates and past court decisions ensuring equal education funding for all districts.
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