State education officials should shut the school bus door and drive away from the idea of charging students for transportation to and from city schools.

This bad idea apparently initiated in Hoover City Schools where officials considered eliminating buses, then discussed a possible fee last week. Eventually, Hoover — one of the more affluent school districts in Alabama — consulted with the state.

“It is not something we are promoting,” state Superintendent Tommy Bice said. “It’s a discussion that we need to have because what we’ve realized is, if Hoover has an issue with not being able to fund transportation based on the allowance they’re getting from the state, then obviously there are other (systems) that are, too. What are the options for funding that gap in transportation?”

City school systems in Alabama are not required to provide transportation, but those that do can have about 75 percent to 80 percent of the costs covered by the state. The remaining expenses are covered by local tax dollars.

Florence City Schools is spending about $274,000 and Russellville about $175,000 for bus transportation. School systems in Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals do not provide regular transportation.

Many of the bus riders come from low-income families that cannot afford or provide dependable transportation. To consider charging these families a fee to ride the bus is unconscionable.

Florence Superintendent Janet Womack said eliminating bus service or charging fees to riders would negatively impact families and school enrollment.

“The majority of our families are working families,” Womack said. “It would be a hardship on the majority of our families.”

Womack said the school system already has a problem with attendance and tardiness. Making transportation more difficult would only exacerbate those issues.

State education officials are correct in surmising that if Hoover is having problems paying for transportation, other school districts are, too. Hoover ranks third in local school funding in Alabama at $3,711 per pupil in 2012. That compares to $2,527 in Florence and $1,390 in Russellville, where officials say bus transportation is essential.

State education officials are seeking about $14 million in additional transportation funding in 2015 from the Legislature to reduce the burden on local school systems.

If the state can generate that money, it would allow school systems to dedicate more of their local tax revenue directly to the classroom.

The Alabama Legislature should step up and find the tax dollars needed to pay for transportation rather than erecting new obstacles. Additional roadblocks and burdens should not be placed on families of students.

— The [Florence] Times-Daily