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USD 437 updates transportation plan, extends bus fee deadline to Aug. 1 and prioritizes safe routes
Summary
District staff told the board they have extended the payment deadline for transportation fees to Aug. 1, are routing students who opted in, and are prioritizing lighted crosswalks and sidewalks as part of a Safe Routes to School effort.
District staff updated the USD 437 Board of Education on transportation communications, recruitment for bus drivers and crossing guards, and Safe Routes to School planning. They said they have extended the transportation payment deadline to Aug. 1 and are routing students who have confirmed they will use district transportation.
A district staff member described the outreach: the district mailed notices, sent multiple emails and text messages and used a robo-dial voice service. After the July 8 board meeting, staff called families who had not responded; since then staff “shifted from that process of communication to now the people, the families that have said, yes. We are going to, participate in transportation,” a staff member said.
The district reported recruitment traction: Chelsea said five applicants for bus driver positions are “in on the path to being hired,” and principals are helping recruit para and crossing guard candidates. Staff said principals are talking with current staff about adding short crossing-guard shifts and that HR will continue to support hiring.
Safe Routes work includes installing internal sidewalks at Indian Hills and Farley, coordinating permits with city and county where crossings fall in municipal limits, and placing bases and posts for RRFB (rectangular rapid-flashing beacon) lighted crosswalk units. Rich, who is coordinating engineering and permitting, said the contractor recommended by county and city is in place and that the county agreed to add sidewalks near Pauline South. He said the district prioritized RRFB lighted crosswalks and that bases for some Auburn locations are already in place.
On capacity, staff estimated routing will be finalized close to the Aug. 1 payment cutoff. One staff speaker said roughly 55% of the affected cohort had said yes to transportation; last year the district transported about 4,300 students daily and staff estimated “probably somewhere around 3,500” daily this year.
Why it matters: routing and staffing determine how many students can safely access district buses and whether additional crossing guards or traffic controls are needed at arrival and dismissal. The district said student safety will drive decisions about how many crossing guards to deploy and whether to scale staffing up or down as the year progresses.
Ending: Staff said routing and stops should be finalized shortly after Aug. 1 and that they will continue recruitment and infrastructure work before school begins.
