Loudoun County considers charging for school bus rides

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WASHINGTON — There’s no law that requires school systems to provide students
a free bus to school; it’s just always been that way. But in a time of
continued school-budget cuts, Loudoun County may change that.

ABC7
reports
that members of the county’s school board will ask state lawmakers
in Richmond to give them, and all Virginia school boards, permission to charge
students to ride the school bus.

School Board member Bill Fox tells ABC7 that he doesn’t want to do it, but “if
it’s between cutting out of the classroom and cutting from transportation
services, I’d rather cut from transportation.”

ABC7 says the schools ran a $38 million deficit last year.

Kate Bailey, a parent of an Ashburn Elementary School student, says she is
against the idea.

“Loudoun County should be able to rearrange their budget somehow.”

In April, Forbes listed Loudoun County
as one of the 10 richest counties
in the United States.

There was no word from school system leaders on how much a ride on the school
bus might cost.

See a report from ABC7:



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