Look what they're doing in Montgomery County

In recent weeks, as the Pinellas school system confronted its worst fiscal crisis in years, scores of residents and district employees wrote in with budget-cutting suggestions. Many said the solution was simple: Just stop transporting so many kids on buses.

Of course, the trouble with that is the Florida law requiring districts to provide bus rides to kids who live more than two miles from their schools. The law also requires districts to bus elementary school students who live within two miles but would have to navigate a hazardous road if they walked.

As the School Board sat down to address the budget, cutting bus rides was not even close to being on the table. Not so in Montgomery County schools just outside Washington, D.C., where the school board today is considering a measure that would give the superintendent emergency powers to curtail bus service if necessary this year.

That district's diesel costs have more than doubled in four years. The last time Montgomery County increased student walking distances (1996), nearly 2,000 students lost their rides. Read this Washington Post story for an interesting take on how other school systems are facing tough economic times.

Comments

[ali]

I remember the "new" student assignment plan as proposed by district staff did not not include busing for "grandfathered" or so called "sibling preference" students. Only students assigned to their "close to home" school would be provided transportation if eligible under state requirements. However, the board overruled that proposal and decided all students would be transported if eligible for whatever school they decided to attended. So much for the board having a concern about saving costs.

[Janet Clark]

I was against busing to choice schools when we voted on the student assignment plan. On the first day the board discussed the proposed budget cuts, I brought up the grandfathering issue and the subject died. Since then another member has jumped on the bandwagon and then another. As it stands now, we will be looking at transporting choice students (or not) for the 2009/2010 year.

[Vann]

I think we should charge for using the bus, unless you meet low income standards. I see a lot of kids getting on the bus in my own neighborhood, while their parents are sitting at home. The buses are too often being used by lazy parents.

[Brian]

Use electric buses. They don't need to get above 40MPH anyway.

Charge them with a solar farm built on land that was slated for a now-unneeded school. Send the excess electricity back to the grid for profit. This should generate enough revenue during the summer and weekends to pay for the investment.

[Alex]

Reconfigure the city bus routes to serve schools. Then cancel school bus service. This way everyone gets better transit.

This system works in Europe.

[Bill]

Great idea Brian! Buying a new fleet of buses sounds like an excellent way to cut the budget!

If you went to a public school in Pinellas County you need to contact a lawyer and file suit against the county. You need to get your money back.

[walkmorerideless]

How about making all students who live less than 5 miles walk to school.

This would eliminate the need for extra PE time for at least a majority of the kids attending neighborhood schools by making them exercise on their way to school.....kind of like the older generations did.

More exercise, less money for PE teacher hiring, less diesel for fewer buses.

Now why hasn't any one thought of this one?

[Timmy!]

Alex,
Good idea, however as an adult who would have to ride with them, I don't know if I'd have the patience to deal with student foolishness.

[bob]

Perhaps boards should look at the buses their districts are buying as well. Several districts are overpaying on buses and pehaps getting incentives. Pinellas overspent by $350,000; Hillsborough by $225,000; Polk by $230,000; Marion nearly $100,000; Clay over $200,000; Lee by $250,000; Orange $450,000, Osceola over $200,000.
If boards want to curb spending, don't just verify that budgets are not being exceeded, double check what is being purchased with those budget dollars! Sunshine Law provides all the details!

[steve]

Bob, where did you get this information?

[bob]

steve,
you can research it on myflorida.com through the vendor bid system. DOE ITB2008-04. Additionally, www.faptflorida.org has the price and order guide from the same ITB posted on its website. click on the bottom most link on the left that says "specification and purchasing information". From there, it's sunshine law to determine what each county purchased. or an excel spreadsheet.