LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- In an attempt to solve ongoing transportation issues, Jefferson County Public Schools is considering cutting bus routes for magnet and traditional students. The idea has some parents worried that their kids will miss out on education opportunities. 

JCPS has four preliminary bus options it may consider to get kids to school. All of those options could impact families with students at traditional or magnet schools.

Students who attend those schools choose to do so and are required to apply.

"We chose a magnet school because we thought that would be the best for our kids," Corey Shapiro, a JCPS parent, said.

Shapiro has a first-grader and a fifth-grader at Brandeis Elementary School. He's worried their children's bus route will be cut.

"Part of this concern is anxiety over what this will be like and making a choice for middle school," he said.

JCPS thinks cutting bus routes will solve some transportation issues.

"Public school is important to us," Shapiro said. "And if they have to sit on the bus a little bit longer to get a great public education, then that's something that's important."

JCPS is considering four options. 

The first option would require all magnet and traditional students to be dropped off at a central location. From there a bus would pick them up, take them to a depot, and drop them off at school. This option would cut up to 70 routes.

The second and third options would only provide transportation to magnet or traditional students on free or reduced lunch. The difference between them is if students would be picked up from a regular bus stop or at a central location. These two options cut about 100 routes.

And, the fourth option would cut the most bus routes, up to 140, and would not provide transportation to any magnet or traditional school student.

But Erika Davis, a parent of a senior at Central High School, said she has a fifth option.

"The fifth option:  keep everything original and normal like it was, or increase the bus driver's pay," she said. "Make sure they're safe and maybe then we can keep our bus drivers and everything flowing."

"I really don't think that they should eliminate the buses for single parents like myself, you know, such as parents that they don't have vehicles to get their kids back and forth to school," she added.

Shapiro agreed.

"It's important that we provide transportation options for everybody so that people can take advantage to the schools that are are out there for those kids," he said.

Brandeis Elementary School

Brandeis Elementary School. (WDRB photo)

Currently, out of the nearly 65,000 students JCPS transports, nearly 16,000 students attend magnet or traditional schools.

JCPS said it currently has 568 routes, and 578 full-time drivers. But, it averages 44 drivers a day calling out.

JCPS spokesperson Mark Hebert says the district hopes the preliminary options "provoke some thoughtful discussion about the best way(s) to resolve" JCPS transportation issues.

Hebert added the district is open to other options and it plans on asking for feedback from the public "before any plan is recommended to the school board."

The district says a final decision will more than likely come this Spring.

For a list of JCPS magnet and traditional schools, click here.

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