The committee studying whether to privatize the state-run school transportation system will recommend that the state request bids for each district to determine how much privatization would cost.

It is expected to submit its report to the General Assembly this week.

The government-appointed committee — the result of a failed push last March to privatize the state system — approved the report Monday in an 8-1 vote.

Five of nine members were present; four voted by proxy.

While the committee said privatizing the state school bus system was “feasible,” it did not come to any conclusion about affordability.

“Until we ask someone, we’ll never know,” said Brian Moody, the governor-appointed chairman of the committee and a member of the Charleston County school board.

Charleston and Beaufort already have private school transportation systems, both at an increased cost.

The report states that committee members could not agree on whether privatization was the best way to improve student transportation; some members urged better funding of the system.

But members were clear in opposing any option that would cost local districts more money.

“I will not support anything if it passed an additional burden on to the districts,” said Leni Patterson, president of the South Carolina School Boards Association.

The report reiterates that districts should not bear an additional cost.

Jeanette Skinner, president of the South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation, voted against the report.

“I have not been convinced that we would save money by going private,” Skinner said.

She said very few — if any — officials in the districts she talked to indicated a preference for privatization.

Jim Foster, spokesman for the state Department of Education, said districts should not be forced to participate in the bid process but that the department supports the effort to improve student transportation.

“Our only interest is that the bus system be safe, efficient and cost-effective, regardless of how it’s organized.”

The committee also recommended the school bus fleet be updated and a regular replacement schedule be implemented. The average fleet bus has 170,000 miles on it.

In his 2005-06 budget, Gov. Mark Sanford, who supports privatizing public school bus transportation, proposed $8 million in new funding from lottery revenues for school bus replacement.

“The aging school bus fleet is an enormous barrier,” Moody said. “That’s one of the reasons why we can’t determine the cost.”

Ultimately, it’s up to the General Assembly whether to follow the recommendations.

Reach Roko at (803) 771-8409 or eroko@thestate.com.