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Students urge Lawrence City Council to restore school bus service to Abbott Lawrence Academy
Summary
Students and a school committee member told the Lawrence City Council that moving Abbott Lawrence Academy to a different campus will effectively bar many South Lawrence students from attending unless the city or district provides school buses. They cited survey results and safety concerns about relying on public transit.
Luz Diaz, a student at Abbott Lawrence Academy, told the Lawrence City Council on June 18 that nearly half of the academy’s students would not be able to attend if school buses are not provided when the school moves to a new campus. “Our survey showed that an overwhelming 46.9% of our students would only attend ALA if buses were provided,” Diaz said during the meeting’s public participation period.
The plea followed similar testimony from Liz Ramirez, a rising senior at Abbott Lawrence Academy, who described repeated incidents of harassment on public buses and said many students and parents do not consider public transit a safe or reliable way for minors to get to school. “When public transit becomes the only option, it’s no longer a personal choice to take the bus, but rather a forced risk,” Ramirez said.
Why it matters: Abbott Lawrence Academy (ALA) is relocating to the former Lawrence High School building. Councilors, school officials and public commenters said the move could increase travel times and make access difficult for students living in the southern part of the city unless dedicated school transportation is arranged. Students and a school committee member said district-provided buses, or changes to public-transit service timed to school hours, are needed for equitable access.
School committee member Jonathan Guzman and district staff described budget and staffing pressures that complicate expanding district-provided routes. Guzman said the district’s budget draft showed limited transportation funding for ALA — “ALA is only getting $10,000 from transportation, and that is not acceptable,” he said — and that wider budget cuts and uncertainty over state and federal support constrained options.
District and council officials said they are continuing talks with the school administration and the public-transit operator to find short-term and longer-term solutions. Lawrence Public Schools staff told the council they have arranged bussing for students who need to travel between campuses for classes and extracurriculars and are exploring GPS-on-bus options and route changes that could reduce reliance on general-public routes. The district also said grants and after-school transportation arrangements might help, but there was no final commitment to dedicated school buses for all South Lawrence students.
What was asked of the council: Students and community speakers asked the council to prioritize funding for school buses, adopt policies to protect students using public transit, or press the district to guarantee transportation when ALA relocates.
What comes next: Councilors asked the superintendent and school administration to keep the council informed as negotiations proceed and to return with options and cost estimates so the council can consider whether the city will fund additional routes or supports.
