They caused traffic jams, drove parents out of the district, and even brought on a lawsuit. They were the most explicit sign of the pressures Indiana school districts felt as a result of the state’s new, constitutionally-enshrined property tax caps. But now, Franklin Township’s “pay-to-ride” school busing fees are a thing of the past — [...]
The AG published an opinion supporting the premise of a lawsuit against Franklin Township for the district’s cancellation of bus service, but superintendent Walter Bourke is standing firm.
Indiana law requires public school districts to provide transportation to school for foster children, homeless children, and even for students who attend private schools and live along bus routes. But does the Indiana Constitution forbid districts from making families pay for the busing? That’s the argument in a lawsuit against Franklin Township schools which started charging families monthly fees [...]
The limits on the percentage of property taxes a municipality can charge dried up a total of $66 million in revenue to Marion County’s 11 schools and likely hundreds of millions more from schools statewide.
Wednesday was the first day of classes at all Franklin Township schools — and also the first day that a Franklin Township student couldn’t ride district buses without paying a fee of $40 or more after the district made deep cuts to its transportation budget. The cuts have offered district parents two unenviable options: pay [...]
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