LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thousands of JCPS students could get their bus stops back this school year
About 60 bus routes are expected to be restored by mid-March.
"There are families that do not have access to the transportation that is needed to get children to and from school let alone the time to," Love Eden, a senior at DuPont Manuel High School said.
After a year of uncertainty, nearly 3,000 JCPS students will be able to ride the school bus again.
"I'm extra excited because my oldest daughter is getting her bus back," Berkley Collins said.
Emma Collins dreams of becoming a robotics engineer when she grows up. That's why Emma's mother, Berkley, sends her to Johnson Traditional Middle School, even after Emma lost her bus route in August.
"She's in there for engineering and business," Berkley said. "I'm not pulling her out of that!"
But that choice came at a high cost. A lot of Emma's friends had to transfer schools, and her mother had to change careers so she could drive her two daughters to school.
But Tuesday night, JCPS's board members voted to restore transportation for all students at Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary School, Young Elementary School, and Johnson Traditional Middle School.
"I can actually look at going back into my corporate career," Berkley said. "Emma's most excited because two of her best friends might be able to come back next year."
Busing will also be available for students on free or reduced lunch at Butler Traditional High School, DuPont Manual High School, and Louisville Male High School. Roughly 70 former TARC drivers will take over these bus routes in March.
Former students won't be able to transfer back into these magnet and traditional schools until the 2025-2026 school year.
"We will work to ensure that our students on free and reduced lunch will have the opportunity to submit an application to one of our magnets," Dr. Marty Pollio, JCPS Superintendent, said.
Board members said the first step will be asking impacted families to choose between getting a bus stop or continue getting stipends for driving their children to school.
At the meeting, District 5 board member Linda Duncan brought up the attendance rates of students who currently receive stipends. Their attendance this year is 95.8% compared to 92.1% for the 2023-2024 school year.
"That's a sizable, significant impact," Duncan said.
A few board members believe some parents will likely choose the stipends over the bus stops. Any TARC drivers that aren't used will help fill driver absences on pre-existing routes.
The board also said there may be delays for a week or two once the stops are implemented to "iron out adding that many routes." Though this change gets the wheels turning, some feel there's still a long way to go with JCPS busing.
"Did you know many of my friends had to leave Western because their parents couldn't provide transportation," Aliyah Yarbrough asked the board at the meeting on January 28.
Previous Coverage:
- Transportation to be restored for select JCPS students before end of school year
- Pollio says JCPS could bring back bus routes for some magnet, traditional students in March
- JCPS to consider restoring some transportation, some families say it's too late
- JCPS budgeted $12.6M to pay parents for transportation this school year
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