The District 65 school board unanimously approved a 5% increase in bus fees Monday for students attending either magnet schools or specialty programs like two-way immersion (TWI) for those learning both English and Spanish.
The vote was part of the consent agenda during Monday night’s board meeting, the last of the 2022 calendar year.
According to board policy, families have to cover two-thirds of the cost borne by the district for busing students to magnet schools and special programs. Low-income students receiving free lunch and native Spanish speakers in the TWI program have their transportation costs fully covered.
But for any others in those programs, the full sticker price for busing is increasing from $555 this school year to $583 next year. Students eligible for reduced-price lunch will see their discounted transportation fee increase from $166 this year to $174 next year.
In a memo on the fee increases submitted to the board’s finance committee, Superintendent Devon Horton said the cost hike was necessary “due to the rising costs of transportation,” and “to keep fees current with costs and to help offset the costs related to the transportation of students.”