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D303 will standardize bus drop-off points, re-evaluate Norton Creek stops over summer
Summary
District transportation staff will re-evaluate route calculations and pick-up/drop-off points this summer after Norton Creek parents requested a review; the district said bus drop-off must be at the school's main entrance or designated bus area and that riders affected by changes will not lose service for next year.
St. Charles CUSD 303 transportation staff will audit school pickup and drop-off points over the summer and may adjust distance calculations used to determine eligibility after parents in the Norton Creek area requested a review, district staff told the board on June 9.
District staff explained the district uses a 1.5-mile standard: students living beyond 1.5 miles from their school are eligible for transportation. In prior calculations the district measured distances differently depending on the defined bus drop-off point; after consulting other districts and legal counsel, the district said it will standardize the drop-off point as the school's main entrance or an established bus loop where a bus can pull up.
"So that has to be that consistent point drop off. It doesn't sound like a lot, but in the big scheme, it could be a 0.1 to a 0.2, difference and and the being able to pick up or drop off students through the transportation process," Superintendent Doctor Horton said as staff explained the change in measurement.
Staff told the board families in Norton Creek were notified that they would have transportation next year while the district conducts the review this summer. The district said it will not notify families in July that they have lost service; any adjustments will be communicated with families early and will include a hazardous-routes review once school starts so traffic peaks are considered.
Board members asked whether the district would change physical bus loops; staff said the audit is focused on how distances are calculated in relation to the established, nearest main entrance or bus loop, not on relocating existing school drop-off infrastructure. Staff estimated a slight increase in ridership under the standardized approach but said any increase would be modest.
The district also said the review would be completed over the summer with final communications sent before the school year, and that families who are bus riders this year should expect to retain transportation for the 2025-26 school year while the district finalizes the audit.
The board did not take a formal vote on policy changes at the meeting; staff will proceed with the summer review and return to the board with findings and any recommended changes.
