California Bus Aid Still Imperiled, Despite Reprieve

Isaiah Ware, grade 8, and Anna Barthel, grade 7, arrive by bus at the Creative, Performing, and Media Arts Magnet Middle School in San Diego. State officials say transportation funding cuts would hurt those living far from school.

—James Gregg for Education Week

Despite reprieve, districts fear cuts loom; warn of effect on choice, desegregation

By Nora Fleming

California legislators swiftly passed a budget bill last week aimed at sheltering school busing dollars from a midyear budget cut many districts and advocates said particularly hurt rural school systems, along with urban districts with desegregation plans.

While the measure, which Gov. Jerry Brown was expected to sign into law, would restore $248 million in home-to-school transportation for the remainder of the school year, it also means districts would have to weather bigger cuts to K-12 general funding. And given that next year's budget proposals threaten to wipe out the entire $500 million-plus in busing funds, districts statewide are left wondering how they'll afford to keep the buses running for their students long-term.

"We don't think the transportation cut is good policy from the state, and believe there are fairer and more advisable policy options to address the budget," said Myong Leigh, the deputy superintendent for policy and operations for the San Francisco Unified School District . "As we can see in our own district, it's going to have an undermining effect and disproportionate impact on students who are the most vulnerable, like other cuts from...