Washington state is considering eliminating all funding for school busing to address a $2 billion shortfall in the state budget. Cutting school busing for all students would give the state an additional $220 million. Getting rid of transportation for students would mean that it will be up to parents to figure out how to get their kids to school not to mention lots more traffic at drop-off and pick-up time.
But it also raises the question of what constitutes a “basic education.” While some note that cutting transportation is preferable to other cuts in the classroom, no more school buses means that some students will have no means of getting to school, if parents work or if students live beyond walking distance. While there are some benefits to students — such as the exercise from walking — there are also safety concerns, depending on where students live and how long their walk is.
Washington is not the only state that has put school buses on the line in seeking to address budget issues; California and Colorado have also previously cut funds for transportation. But if Washington Governor Chris Gregoire’s idea is approved by state lawmakers, Washington would be the first state to completely eliminate transportation for children in public school in the US. Bob Riley, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, says that about 50 percent of US school children –not including children in special education whose transportation is mandated under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — take school buses to.... more on
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