Auburn-Washburn board approves policy narrowing free bus service to students living within 2 miles

At a special meeting May 12, the Auburn‑Washburn USD 437 Board of Education voted 7–0 to adopt a bus transportation recommendation for the 2025–26 school year that ends automatic free bus service for students who live within 2 miles of their school and establishes paid opt‑in options and exemptions.

The policy change matters because the district says it is intended to reduce the number of routes and ease staffing pressures while focusing limited resources on safety and infrastructure where needed. Parents who spoke at the meeting urged the board to prioritize student safety, including sidewalks, crosswalks and safer drop‑off routes.

Board member and subcommittee chair Michael White, who presented the recommendation, said the subcommittee reduced the district’s eligibility distance from 2.5 miles to 2 miles and added targeted exemptions. "We have to do something to address this ongoing issue that we've had for several years," White said. He told the board collected fees would be used for transportation needs such as cross guards, sidewalks, bike racks and driver compensation adjustments.

Under the motion approved by the board, elementary students in grades K–5 who reside within 2 miles of their school will no longer receive free round‑trip bus service; families may opt in by paying an annual family fee stated in the recommendation. The motion specified a $250 annual family opt‑in fee for round trip elementary service and maintained free transportation for students eligible for free or reduced‑price meals under the National School Lunch Act, students whose individualized education program (IEP) requires transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and students who attend a licensed day‑care facility in the district with other students from the same elementary school.

For secondary students in grades 6–12, the board approved ending free bus service for students who live within 2 miles and offering an opt‑in after‑school service for families for the fee amount specified in the recommendation. The recommendation also allows families to designate one nonresidential district location for pick‑up and drop‑off, applies one family fee when multiple children from the same household ride, and keeps no change for early childhood transportation as stated in the recommendation.

Parents and residents who addressed the board raised safety and implementation concerns. Parent Nolan Weigel said his second‑grade child would be required to walk about 2 miles to Farley and warned that walking across a nearby roundabout was "an accident waiting to happen." Parent Renee Adkins described a nearly two‑mile walk to the new middle school along Auburn Road with no sidewalk and waterlogged ditches, and said parents would likely need to arrange before‑care. Jamie Stafford, a Farley parent, urged the board to phase changes "building by building" based on safe infrastructure and said, "It's not just about inconvenience. It's about student safety. It's plain and simple. I wanna be clear." Resident Lee Bird and Kevin Dreier urged greater transparency on driver staffing levels and urged the district to recruit drivers by offering full‑time positions.

Board members and staff said the change is intended to reduce reliance on employees who are not normally bus drivers, free some staff to resume primary duties and reduce the number of routes the district operates. Jeremy (board member) said the change should reduce the need to pull maintenance and grounds staff to drive buses. Administrators noted the district will prioritize neighborhood or centralized stops, licensed day‑care locations, kindergarten and first‑grade homes for pickup, and that families must register by July to allow transportation to design routes.

The motion as read on the record included the numeric details recited above and was moved by Michael White. The motion was seconded and carried on a 7–0 vote. The board directed that fees collected for transportation be used for transportation needs such as cross guards, crosswalk adjustments, compensation changes and infrastructure (sidewalks, bike racks).

Board members acknowledged the policy is imperfect and said they will continue to review it and make adjustments as necessary based on route design, hiring outcomes and safety issues raised by families. The board also noted it will review driver compensation and recruitment practices as part of implementation.

Implementation details the board specified include: families must sign up by July so routes can be designed; middle‑ and high‑school drop‑off times will be moved earlier (noted in the recommendation as 7:15 a.m. for secondary); priority pickup points will include licensed daycare locations and neighborhood centralized stops; out‑of‑district students must designate a district location and were given opt‑in fee amounts in the recommendation; and cross guards will be provided where feasible. The board explained students eligible for free and reduced meals and students covered by an IEP requiring transportation will continue to receive free service.

The board approved the recommendation after public comment and discussion and adjourned the special meeting following the vote.