Students urge Palmdale Aerospace Academy board to lower Universal Studios trip costs

Eighth-grade students and ASB representatives told the Palmdale Aerospace Academy board that bus and ticket prices for a planned Universal Studios graduation trip make participation unaffordable for many families and asked the board to reduce or cover the costs.

Several students addressed the board during the public-comment portion, saying the trip was meant as a reward for academic and behavioral achievements and that the current cost structure would exclude many who earned the right to attend. "We deserve to go to this for sure because we honestly do work hard," said Ariana Alba, identifying herself as a member of the class of 2029. "Please take my words into consideration."

The students offered specific complaints and context. Sebastian Rivas said recent bus quotes were high and compared them to a prior AVID trip that cost $2,000 per bus; he told the board the current field trip budget shows four buses and an estimated total in the tens of thousands. Bianca Rivas, speaking for the eighth-grade cohort, cited school academic rankings and argued that the class’s test scores contribute funding to the school and therefore the trip should be subsidized. Several speakers said ASB fundraisers already covered part of event costs and asked that those funds be applied to student transportation.

Why it matters: Students and families in this Title I charter school argued that bus fees pushed the overall cost beyond what many low‑income families can afford. Multiple speakers described the school population as largely immigrant and low income and contrasted per-student funding the speakers said Palmdale Aerospace Academy receives with the California average.

Board and staff responses: Executive staff told the students the district is trying to lower costs. "We have a plan in place. We're just trying to make sure that it does follow the guidelines," said a district administrator, who reported a pending budget review and potential donations that could reduce student costs. The administrator added that charter bus fees were being renegotiated and that staff had a budget meeting scheduled to explore additional resources.

The board did not take a vote during the public comments. Speakers repeatedly asked the board to consider applying ASB or other school funds to reduce transportation fees and to prioritize accessibility so the reward remains available to students regardless of family income.

Ending: Board members acknowledged the students and indicated staff would pursue budget options and possible donations to lower bus expenses. No formal change to the trip fee structure was recorded in the meeting minutes.