LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools is officially recommending a plan to cut transportation for all magnet and traditional students.
The Jefferson County Board of Education will vote on the plan next Tuesday, March 26.
The district's recommendation was made public Thursday, when added to Tuesday's meeting agenda. If passed, the only students who will be offered a seat on the bus those who attend neighborhood schools, and students the district is federally required to transport, including special education students that have transportation included in their Individualized Education Learning (IEP) or homeless students.
JCPS is also looking at giving out stipends for Magnet and Traditional students' parents, $5 per day, or $10 a day for families that qualify for free or reduced lunch.
It is also working with TARC to offer all students passes that can be used any day of the week.
JCPS said this plan will guarantee students get to and from school on time.
The district is asking for feedback on the plan. To weigh in, click here.
In that survey, JCPS explained how its recommendation is the most equitable for Black and other students of color.
"Black and other students of color are a majority of JCPS bus riders and are disproportionately being impacted, right now, by the shortage of drivers and the resulting late arriving buses. Those students - thousands of them - are missing, on average, 14 minutes of instruction at the start of every school day. Some are arriving more than an hour late on some days. We have 8,500 magnet school students who are Black. Approximately 6,000 of them ride the bus. Yes, we understand those students will be impacted the most as will all students who make the choice to attend a magnet school and need a ride to get there," it said.
JCPS transports 14,502 students to magnet schools and programs, traditional schools. and students attending Academies of Louisville programs that are not in their reside school.
When asked about the official recommendation and survey seeking feedback, less than a week before the expected vote, JCPS said:
"There is no perfect or easy solution to our transportation situation, and we have spent months digging into many possibilities for what transportation could look like next school year.
We continue to be impacted by the nationwide bus driver shortage which means we do not have enough bus drivers to continue to provide transportation to all JCPS students who request it. If we continue to transport all students with the number of bus drivers we have, students will continue to miss instructional minutes.
Our recommendation to eliminate transportation for magnet/traditional students is just that, a recommendation. Ultimately, the seven members of the Jefferson County Board of Education will decide which students will receive transportation next school year. Information from the feedback form will be shared with Board members. The feedback form is also a way for us to understand what other information families, students, and staff members are looking for as they prepare for transportation adjustments."
JCPS has discussed changing its transportation plan for next school year after a year of busing issues that have plagued the city's public school system since the start of this school year.
After changing from two to nine start times and overhauling bus routes, the new system had a disastrous rollout in August when delays forced the cancellation of six days of school. Things have improved since then, but the data sheds light on the issues schools continue to grapple with each day. In just a three week period of October, JCPS students district-wide missed over one million of instructional minutes.
JCPS Transportation Coverage:
- JCPS committee reviewing all transportation options, including one not previously discussed in-depth
- Kentucky House committee passes resolution that would create task force to 'monitor' JCPS
- JCPS board members weigh in on transportation options up for consideration
- JCPS considers solutions for transportation and dealing with behavior issues on buses
- JCPS superintendent Pollio against splitting district, discusses challenges and highlights at 'State of the District'
- Traffic jams caused by JCPS car-rider lines also impacting those who don't have students
- Long car-rider lines at JCPS schools causing traffic jams on Louisville streets
- JCPS in conversations with TARC to offer alternatives if transportation limited next school year
- Possible solution to JCPS transportation issues raises concerns about equity
- JCPS board continues weighing transportation options amid concerns over limiting students' access to magnet schools
- JCPS says only 1 plan will solve its bus driver shortage next year. Here's how it would work.
- JCPS bus delays much worse under new start times, data shows
- JCPS board will consider these options to fix bus debacle in February, superintendent says
- Bill would allow Kentucky public school employees to drive students to and from school in passenger vehicles
- JCPS says transportation not guaranteed for all students next school year
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
