Sandra Emerson, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Created: 07/04/2012 11:11:10 PM PDT

UPLAND — The school district’s Board of Trustees has decided to eliminate home-to-school transportation for students in grades 7-12 to address needed cuts in the 2012-13 fiscal year.

The school board spent several weeks discussing possible reductions to Upland Unified’s transportation program.

“I have been on the board for 25-plus years. This isn’t the first time that we have faced this issue and we’ve been able to adjust, but we’ve never been in such a severe financial situation as we are at this point in time,” board member P. Joseph Lenz said.

The board reviewed three options:

Elimination of all general education transportation, which would save from $448,000 to $512,000.

Elimination of general education transportation for grades 7-12 that would save $256,000.

Enforcement of minimum distances from schools for bus use, which would save $256,000.

The school district will continue to provide required transportation for special education students.

“Our backs are against the wall right now. Of the (options) I could live with the best would be 7-12,” Lenz said.

About 350 students in grades 7-12 take the bus to school.

To read entire story, click here.