Wisconsin public schools could save more than a million dollars a year under a transportation proposal but not everyone is on board. Public schools are required to bus private school students up to a certain distance if not they pay parents to drive the kids themselves.
However a budget provision approved by the Joint Finance Committee ends the busing mandate for families that have more than one kid in the same private school. John Huebscher, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference , says it will be tougher on the families, especially those who have to go to work yet must make two round trips to take their kids to school.
Public schools currently pay families for each child that is too far away to bus. The proposal also means families will get only get reimbursed per household rather than the current way of getting paid for each child. Huebscher says it will cause a heavier financial burden for families and discourage them from attending non-public schools.
With government leaders urging people to reduce gasoline, a measure to limit busing makes no sense to Huebscher especially as gas prices are again on the rise.
Assembly Republican Robin Vos says he'll try to amend the measure once the budget reaches his house next week.
The total payments statewide in the program are about $3.5 million a year.