Some parents in the Sioux Falls School District could pay for their students to be bused to specialty schools.
After a district-wide survey of elementary and middle school parents, the district is planning to pilot a fee-based busing program in FY14.
Parents will make semester-long payments up front, and fees will be based on a sliding scale of free and reduced lunch qualifications. Rates include $150 per semester for full lunch pay (approximately $1.75 per day), $100 per semester for reduced price lunch (approximately $1.14 per day) and $50 per semester (approximately 57 cents per day) for students fitting the free-lunch criteria.
The maximum family payment will be twice the individual rate.
Sign-up begins in January with non-refundable payment due for the first semester in February. FY14 second semester sign-up will begin in October with payment due in November.
According to the district's plan, the rates charged for the neighborhood busing program will cover the full cost of the routes.
