Elmbrook board hears new bus, safety and budget analysis as start-time change remains undecided

The School District of Elmbrook Board of Education on July 14 received a detailed update on a years-long school start-time study and did not take action, instead asking for additional work sessions and analysis. The presentation summarized committee recommendations to move from the district’s existing three-tier bus schedule to a two-tier model that would pair middle- and high-school routes and shift elementary start times earlier; committee leaders said the change aims to align middle- and high-school bell times with research on adolescent sleep. The start-time update outlined four operational components: verification that route times would meet district targets (about 30 minutes for elementary routes and 40 minutes for middle and high school routes), a review with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department of potential no-transport (walk) zones for high school students, an assessment of driver staffing and turnover at the district’s bus terminal, and separate modeling for private and parochial school transportation. Chris (staff member) presented the findings and asked the board whether to pursue next steps, including budgeting and community communication. The discussion matters because altering…