Starting in 2025, Aliso Niguel High School’s parking pass policy has undergone some changes aimed at improving campus parking passes and affordability for students.
Student parking is no longer a flat, fixed rate. Students now only pay for the remaining amount of days they would use the parking pass. Instead of the student paying a full annual fee, the cost is prorated to reflect the days they will use the parking pass. Calculated on a per-day basis, this new change in the parking pass policy would end up costing the student and their family less money than paying for one set price.
Before this student parking pass policy change, the set price for the ANHS student parking pass depended on two criteria: whether or not the student has an Associated Student Body card and whether they are paying for a full school year or one semester.
Without an ASB card, the parking pass price is 120 dollars for an entire year and 60 dollars for a semester. With an ASB card, a student is eligible for a discount; the parking pass price is 100 dollars for an entire school year and 50 dollars for a semester. However, with a small change in the policy, the student will now be charged for the days in the semester the pass will actually be used, which helps the affordability for students.
Mrs. Ferlic, career guidance specialist with CCA, said, “The new parking pass policy is a good way to help the students that might not be able to afford a fixed cost. The small change gives the students more flexibility and accessibility to parking.”
Every school year, the design of the parking pass is changed to help differentiate year after year. If the student were to purchase the full year, they would get a parking pass that is the main school color, teal. If the student were to only purchase a fall or spring semester parking pass, they would be issued a different colored parking pass depending on the semester. For the 2024 to 2025 school year, students who purchased the semester pass were issued a red-colored pass for the fall semester, and if they decided to renew their parking pass for the spring semester, they would be issued a blue-colored pass.
The application process for acquiring an ANHS student parking pass has stayed the same. Students must fill out the form with their vehicle and license information, have a parent or guardian’s signature and complete the online course, Impact Teen Drivers. If there are available spots, the student will then be directed to the kiosk in the cafeteria to pay and return to student services with a receipt to then be issued with an official ANHS parking pass.
Mrs. Vernaza, Student Services Secretary, said, “We simply ask that students with an ANHS parking permit park on school grounds, while those who do not own a permit or pass should park on the hill. Adhering to the rules would help us keep track and be able to calculate the total number of spots available. If students wish to park in the school parking lot, we encourage them to visit the Student Services office.”
With only 455 parking spots available to the ANHS student body, students who are unable to acquire a parking pass will be put on the waitlist. If there are more available spots, the students queued on the waitlist will be eligible to purchase a parking pass. The waitlist currently has around 20 to 30 students. Without a parking pass, the alternative option for students who drive to school and need parking is to park on the hill outside the school premises.
