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Bills could curtail busing for private school students

Two bills have been introduced in the Assembly that could curtail transportation for private school students. Public school districts must provide transportation to eligible private school students on days when the private schools are in session.

AB-723 and AB-725 would limit this obligation only to those days when the public schools are in session. Under these bills, school districts may still provide transportation - but will not be obliged to do so - on days the public schools are not in session. Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) expects many public school districts to deny transportation on such days as a cost-saving measure. John Huebscher, WCC executive director, in written testimony on the bills acknowledged the financial burden on public school districts, but argued that safety of school children is more important.

"The lives of children who attend religious schools are not less deserving of our concern because their families choose schools that on rare occasions tailor their schedules to accommodate important religious holidays," he argued. "Nor should educators in religious schools have to choose between a shorter school year and increased transportation costs because the legislature has retreated from the commitment it made decades ago to provide for the safe transport of all children who do not live within walking distance of their schools."

Both bills are scheduled for a second public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 10. WCC opposes AB-723 and supports amending AB-725, on the grounds that is not always possible for public and private schools to be on the same academic schedule and that, as taxpayers, parents have the right to expect that their children will be transported safely to and from school.

The Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools has created an Action Alert on its website where schools, faculty, parents, and other interested parties can send a pre-drafted e-mail message to their state legislators urging opposition to AB-723 and removing language related to pupil transportation from AB-725. To send the pre-drafted e-mail go to www.capwiz.com/wcris/officials/state/?state=WI, click on "Advocacy" and follow the prompts.