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Schools out for summer, and school buses are parked in the garage.

Will it stay that way?

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is withholding millions in school transportation payments from cash-strapped school districts.  He says schools can choose how they use general state aid and thus cover lack of bus money over the summer months and into the future.

He says schools can choose how they use general state aid and thus cover lack of bus money over the summer months and into the future.

For smaller, rural districts like we have around here, that can be detrimental.

We asked the superintendent of Payson and the Western School District about this.

Rodger Hannel told us, if this happens, Payson would lose about $60,000 and Western could lose as much as $80,000.

Rodger Hannel says, "Both parents are working and so they rely on our transportation to get their students. It's not like 40 years ago where there may have been another parent at home that could bring the kids into school. With all the transportation costs that are involved with picking these students up, we rely on that reimbursement."

From what Rodger Hannel understands, the proposal would take away one of the state's four transportation payments to school districts a year.

If there were no buses ... could you get your child to school?  Answer this question below or on our Facebook page here!