LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- All Jefferson County Public Schools Early Childhood locations open Monday, Sept. 25, after a weeks-long pause to accommodate the busing issues facing elementary, middle and high school students around the district.

The preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds was scheduled to start Aug. 23. The day before, the district delayed the start by "at least" two weeks as JCPS grappled with first-day-of-school transportation issues stemming from newly-implemented bus routes and school start times. 

The district said part of its short-term adjustments to those issues included using buses meant for the Early Childhood programs to help get K-12 students to school.

According to JCPS, once the sites are open, the daily instructional schedule will be 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Students can still be at locations all day, and there will be Early Childhood Enrichment at each site.

But JCPS will only be able to provide transportation for the 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. timeframe. And when Early Childhood programs begin Sept. 25, there will only be transportation provided to special needs students who have transportation listed as a requirement in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

All students with disabilities, also known as Exceptional Child Education students, (ECE) can receive transportation to Early Childhood starting Monday, Oct. 9.

JCPS said it will not provide transportation for students who do not have an IEP.

Parents will be provided with notices by the school once bus numbers and estimated pick-up and drop-off times are determined.

"We understand this is an adjustment but it's currently the only way to make transportation successful for our Early Childhood Program," JCPS said in a news release.

JCPS also encourages those who are able to drive their child to the program or pick them up to do so. It's also possible to drive your child one-way, you can drop them off or pick them up.

JCPS said it's working on a way to provide a "monetary stipend" to parents who can transport their kid to and from Early Childhood each day. More information will be made available at a later date.

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