Dist. 26 to charge St. Emily students for bus rides

For the first time next year, District 26 will charge St. Emily's students for bus rides to and from the Mount Prospect school.

"Every school district is looking at their costs and we're no different," said Lyndl Schuster, director of business services at River Trails Elementary District 26.

St. Emily's students who use District 26 buses will be charged $100 per year. The topic was discussed at two finance committee meetings and voted on at the school board meeting last month, Schuster said.

District 26 now buses about 85 St. Emily students. State law requires public schools to provide private school children the chance to ride their buses and get off at the closest regular stop nearest to their school.

District 26, however, transports the St. Emily's kids on separate routes and drops them directly off at the school. The $100 fee will continue that service, Schuster said.

St. Emily's parents could recoup some of the costs by applying for a state reimbursement designed to help families in this situation, she said.

But that's not how the Rev. Steve Newton, president of St. Emily's Catholic School, interprets the issue.

"District 26 has to give St. Emily students free bus service," he said in an e-mail. "The safety hazards, as defined by law that covers both public and nonpublic school students, require free bus service. If we are correct, the issue is far from closed."

In addition, St. Emily officials didn't find out about the new fee until after the vote took place, Newton said.

Newton will meet with District 26 officials on Tuesday, to talk about the change and "see if anything can be worked out," he said.

"Hopefully, we'd like to negotiate," he said. "It's understandable that all school districts are hurting, but we're hurting too."

Last year St. Emily's school officials cut $175,000 in salaries and benefits to keep the school financially stable. On Tuesday school officials will meet with parents to discuss the school's finances and future capital projects, Newton said.

In 2004, Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 ended their bus service to St. Alphonsus students. Districts 214 and 57 don't transport private school students, according to school officials.