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Haysville to remove busing for students where sidewalks now exist; district to notify families
Summary
Transportation staff said new sidewalks in four neighborhoods mean some students who previously qualified for bus service will no longer be eligible; the district will send letters to affected families and maintain existing eligibility practices elsewhere.
Haysville district transportation officials told the board they will not provide busing next school year for students in four neighborhoods where new sidewalks now provide a safe walk to school, and the district will notify affected families in multiple mailings.
Justin Bloomer, transportation director, reviewed maps showing four areas where recent sidewalk construction created continuous pedestrian access. He told the board the areas are: 63rd & Seneca, Timber Creek/Newell Seneca, Peachwood Manor (off Broadway), and a South Broadway segment. Bloomer provided counts from the current student data: "Area number 1, 63rd Seneca, that would be 3 HMS students and 5 Freeman students," and similar small counts for the other areas.
Why it matters: under current district practice and state guidance, students living within 2.5 miles of their school generally are not eligible for district transportation unless other conditions (special transportation needs, unsafe walking path) apply. Bloomer said the new sidewalks change the unsafe-path determination for these limited clusters and that the transportation department recommends maintaining consistent eligibility rules across the district.
Communication and timing: Bloomer said the district will send letters to affected families based on 2024–25 data on a schedule the board heard as "tomorrow (June 10), July 1, and August 1" so families can make alternate plans. He advised school and community partners to coordinate after‑school (latchkey) enrollment timelines so families have childcare or transportation options if they lose busing.
Board discussion: trustees raised safety concerns for younger students walking major roads and asked staff to consider internal neighborhood routes and other mitigations. Board members also discussed legislative attention to the 2.5‑mile standard in the upcoming school finance rewrite and noted other districts have advocated changes to state rules.
Decision/direction: the administration recommended and the board accepted continuing current eligibility rules while removing transportation for students in the four sidewalked areas; staff will notify families and monitor any unexpected consequences.
