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Home > Blogs > Lakota Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > September > 29 > Entry
Busing 10 percent of Lakota’s operating budget
The biggest complaints Business Manager Chris Passarge has gotten from busing this year is that some students are being asked to sit three to a seat. While this is a standard best practice from the state, it hasn’t been for Lakota. But, Passarge said with younger students (and a little shuffling of various size older elementary school students) this move, as well as others, could save the district millions in a time when school funding is being cut and tax payers are feeling the burden of picking up the rest of the tab. Lakota has an “everyone rides” policy, that officials say is a luxury, but not a requirement. Parents will notice a shift in the way the district handles transportation, and Passarge said it has more to do with long-term sustainable savings than it does with a looming levy.
Here is what has been done so far in response to a transportation audit, reported to the district in March:
He is looking at each school to determine how many of the 4,400 students who live within a mile of their schools would safely be able to walk. It may be cheaper to install sidewalks than it would be to have extra buses transporting students across the street into various neighborhoods, he said.
By changing the start time of Shawnee Early Childhood School, 10 buses were eliminated from the Lakota fleet.
By combining preschool, kindergarten and first-grade students, routes have been eliminated and buses reduced for a total of 23 buses at a price tag of $1.5 million.
Looking into parochial schools to see if students live more than 30 minutes from their Lakota home school. If so, he said compensation is worked out, but the district does not have to send a bus.
Bus times and riders are being analyzed for every bus.
For next year, the district is collaborating with special services to improve efficiencies with routes for students with special needs.
State law requires transportation for grades k- eight for students who live more than two miles from school. If they live within a mile, the district will not receive transportation compensation for those students.
The district plans to bid out the Petermann contract next year and also look at what it would cost to bring busing back in house. It was a recommendation from a previous performance audit of the district that it not lease its buses.
What are your thoughts on the issue?
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By Billy
September 29, 2009 1:21 PM | Link to this
Busing is 10% of the total budget and the first thing cut when Lakota officials want a tax levy passed. Remember that voters.
By Former Levy Supporter
September 30, 2009 9:46 AM | Link to this
What’s not spent on busing is the larger issue. When the time comes, it would be nice to see the Journal-News finally write about total compensation packages versus rates of pay. Rich benefits, three weeks off above and beyond school holidays within 180 days of work year one, defined retirement packages, tenure program that could push out younger, experienced teachers for those soley with more years of service, protections for poor performers, etc. Address even a few of those issues and they may re-earn support (I’d even support spending more), cut busing instead and they’ll fail. Plus, it’s hard not to believe that busing isn’t far greener, more efficient and far safer for all residents of this community.