JCPS: Only fix for late buses is to stop transporting magnet and traditional students
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the status of Grace James and W.E.B. Dubois academies.
Eliminating busing for magnet and traditional school students is the only option that will result in less routes than drivers and get kids home on time, according to a presentation a Jefferson County Public Schools official will give to the school board.
The presentation by Chief Operations Officer Rob Fulk is on the agenda for Tuesday night's meeting.
Despite overhauling its transportation system last year, the district is again operating daily with about 50 fewer drivers than bus routes, meaning some students aren't getting home until after 7 p.m.
For months, leaders have said eliminating a significant number of routes will be essential moving into next school year. Considering hiring and retention projections, Fulk's presentation says that the district's goal is to have about 470 bus routes and that no longer busing students to and from magnet and traditional schools is the only option that will achieve that goal.
Busing would still be provided to Grace James and W.E.B. Dubois academies, which are categorized differently than other magnets because they serve a specialized population.
Legally, the district is only required to provide transportation to homeless students and those with specific disabilities. There about 4,800 students who fall into those categories currently receiving transportation, but JCPS buses about 68,000 students each day.
Establishing hubs for magnets or only transporting magnet students considered economically disadvantaged still wouldn't eliminate enough routes. Additionally, while hubs were discussed as one potential option in September, Fulk's presentation outlines multiple challenges with that model, including finding locations to accommodate thousands of students.
The presentation includes a slide highlighting several comparable districts - in Milwaukee, Nashville, Philadelphia and more - that do not bus magnet students but do have a dedicated routing team on staff (JCPS does not).
More: How does JCPS' busing system compare to last years'? Is it actually better?
Following suit would mean a commitment to, "having less routes than drivers available which will translate to on time service for all reside students," the presentation says. "This is the only solution that the Operations division has found that will reduce routes below daily available drivers."
This option projects all students would be dropped off by 6:15 p.m. but it also comes with challenges that would lead to more systematic changes.
Start times could be shifted, and if a significant number of magnet students choose to enroll in the school closer to their home, it could cause overcapacity in some buildings. Additionally, not transporting students to magnets who otherwise have no means of accessing the school creates an inequitable situation.
"If you have magnet programs, those magnet programs tend to be magnet in name only if you don’t provide transportation to students," said Ray Hart, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools. "If you have magnets and you don't provide transportation, they're not really magnets."
More: Hundreds of grades at JCPS middle school changed without teacher approval
The board is not set to make a decision regarding which change, if any, it will make to busing during Tuesday's meeting. It is expected to vote on an option sometime in March, according to JCPS spokeswoman Carolyn Callahan.
Contact Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS magnet and traditional schools could lose busing under plan
