How about selling ads on school buses to raise money?

School leaders across Florida say they've cut to the bone. They've urged lawmakers to find new sources of revenue to help make ends meet.

There might be some things they can do on their own, too, it turns out.

Hillsborough is among the districts looking to increase its income by leasing land for cell towers. And then there's the state of New Jersey, where lawmakers are talking about making it legal for districts to sell ads on the sides of school buses, as the Press of Atlantic City reports.

Districts do run buses by the hundreds along busy streets and neighborhood roads. Why not take advantage, right? Well, this might prove as unpopular as BusRadio in Montgomery County, Md., schools or McDonald's ads on Seminole County report card jackets.

But with times being tough, can districts -- or parents -- really be too picky?

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Comments

[Watchdog]

Why not consider the money they are spending on purchase of the actual buses? Last year, counties in Florida spent an extra $4 million dollars for a particular make and model of bus. Just witnessed a county to the south of us spend an extra $250K this year and then reported that they can't finish school construction or give raises. Another county in the south spent an extra $800K this year. That's on top of $300K extra they spent last year. This county also wants to the state to allow districts to operate a deficit budget. The revenue from selling advertisements would be paltry compared to the savings on the big yellow buses themselves.

Why cut administration, stop unnecessary spending and align the district's budget to its goals when you could close schools, upset families and p i m p kids out to the next big business pushing sugary foods, unhealthy lifestyle choices and a future of monetary irresponsibility, overspending and superficialness in general?

[AP Teacher]

The state can save money by not paying for students to take AP exams? Let the parents pay the testing fee like in the old days. The state can pay in proven poverty cases (i.e. school lunch).

In the past, the AP program was voluntary for the students who wanted a challenge. The kids' parents paid for the exam, so the kids took the work seriously. Today, kids are forced into the program, often left wondering what they're doing in there. This happens because the superintendent gets bonus money based on enrollment figures instead of pass rate.

We should preserve the integrity of the AP program and save the state money at the same time!

[Jack]

I'm thinking... let's sell ads on our kids. You know, they have to wear a ipod shirt to school or a burger king shirt, etc. That way, we can thoroughly indoctrinate them into consumerism. If a kid agrees to have a tattoo of a company's logo, then that would be extra money to apply toward school supplies. Those students who sell their souls to a company, can have their college paid.

[Mr. Concerned]

Maybe some public announcement ads are something similar, but they would have to be strict policies concerning the type of advertisement after all it is a public school bus that our kids are riding on!
Maybe it is something to consider.