LONGMONT, Colo. -- A Colorado school district is considering charging families for bus rides to and from school.

One proposal in the St. Vrain School District wants to charge $29 per student, per month.

Some 7,500 students in the St. Vrain district take the bus to and from school each day. The district, which currently foots the bill, said it has become an expensive proposition.

"We've had some dramatic increases in cost of transportation," said John Poynton of St. Vrain Valley School District. "Fuel alone went up $100,000 last year."

A new state law allows districts to charge for transportation and now St. Vrain is thinking of passing along some of the cost to those who use it.

"I would probably opt not to pay an extra $500 a year for anything especially not for something I can provide," said parent Kathy Glenn.

Glenn said if lots of parents began driving their kids to school, her small rural school would be overwhelmed.

"We are really concerned about our kids and traffic and trying to get to the other side of the road safely," said Glenn.

St. Vrain argues the money has to come from somewhere.

"We're a district that's focused on academic achievement and we're having to choose right now where to dedicate our resources to," said Poynton.

Glenn said all taxpayers should have to shoulder the responsibly of transporting kids to school.

"Fees are one thing. Getting to school is another thing," said Glenn. "This is how our children get to school safely."

A third of all students in St. Vrain take the bus. Some kind of fee could be in place by fall of next year.

The school district is welcoming public comment on the bus fee idea. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The St. Vrain School Board is expected to make a decision on the issue in January.