USD 437 board hears subcommittee recommendations to limit free bus service under 2.5 miles and proposes $300 elementary fee

Michael White, a member of the USD 437 Board of Education and member of the district transportation subcommittee, presented the committee's findings Monday and urged community feedback before the board adopts any policy change.

The subcommittee's primary recommendation, as presented by White, would preserve legally required service for students who live more than 2.5 miles from school, and change service for students who live within 2.5 miles. Under the recommendation, elementary students living under 2.5 miles could access bus service for a $300 fee; secondary students (middle and high school) would not be provided district bus service if they live under 2.5 miles. White said that the recommendation is not final and that the board is seeking public input before any adoption.

Why it matters: The district faces a shortage of drivers that the subcommittee said is forcing the use of maintenance and other staff to cover routes, increasing overtime and reducing maintenance capacity. The committee said the shortage is common statewide and nationwide and that the district runs about 40 regular and 15 special-education routes with roughly 4,000 daily riders (about 70% of Auburn Washburn students). The district receives state reimbursement of about $550 per student for those living over 2.5 miles, White said.

Key recommendations and data

- Mileage eligibility: Maintain state-required service for students living more than 2.5 miles from school; evaluate limiting district service for students under 2.5 miles. - Fee: A recommended $300 annual fee for elementary students living under 2.5 miles; no district-provided service for secondary students under 2.5 miles in the proposal as presented. - Stops and routing: Move toward neighborhood or “corner” stops (fewer stops, prioritized for the youngest riders) to shorten route times and improve efficiency. - Drop-off windows: Adjust drop-off times so middle schoolers could be dropped off by 7:15 a.m. and elementary students by 8:15 a.m., pending administrative scheduling. - Walk/bike safety: Commissioned walkability and “Safe Streets to School” studies and potential crosswalk/crossguard additions; the district hired traffic engineering firm WSP, which Rich Jones said should deliver a report after mid-May to guide infrastructure changes.

Staffing and cost context

Rich Jones, the district’s executive director of operations (who oversees transportation), told the board the district currently employs 58 drivers, with additional dual-role employees who help out. Jones said maintenance staff, warehouse staff and office personnel sometimes cover routes, and that reliance on non-driver staff reduces time available for their primary duties. Brett Bauer, executive director of business services, noted that if 75% of eligible families paid a $300 fee, the district would collect about $128,000, and those funds would be directed back into transportation (driver pay, cross-guard pay, sidewalk/crosswalk infrastructure or related needs), assuming the fee level and uptake. Jones and Bauer also told the board that surrounding employers and districts pay more for CDL drivers (the subcommittee cited examples of local employer rates of about $24–$25 per hour), which complicates recruitment.

Public comment: safety and equity concerns

Parents and residents who addressed the board urged caution and further study. Jamie Stafford, a parent at Farley Elementary, said, “Safety is my primary concern,” and warned some children could face long walks on routes that lack sidewalks or crosswalks and pass high-traffic corridors. Stafford urged the district to complete walkability assessments and coordinate with public safety and infrastructure partners before restricting service.

Other speakers raised related concerns: Matt Calvin, a Timber Ridge resident, told the board that driver pay and resource allocation should be prioritized (“Give it to the bus drivers”), and several parents described narrow roads, high-speed traffic and limited sidewalks in neighborhoods such as Sherwood Park and Indian Hills as barriers to asking younger students to walk or bike to school. Multiple commenters suggested phased approaches, consolidated neighborhood stops, increased crossguards and exploring afternoon-only or one-way options for families that can provide only one trip.

Board process and next steps

Board President Brian Smith and Superintendent Scott McWilliams confirmed the board will continue gathering feedback. The board approved a special board meeting on April 30 to consider transportation policy; if the board declines to finalize the policy by then, the meeting can be canceled. White said he hopes a recommendation could be ready in May but reiterated that nothing is final.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda: motion passed 7–0. - Approve business by consent, including payment of bills in the amount of $6,202,768.25: motion passed 7–0. - Approve special Board of Education meeting on 04/30/2025 to consider transportation policy (if needed): motion passed 7–0. - Accept resignation of a professional employee named in executive session: motion passed 6–1 (the motion and vote occurred after an executive session; the employee name was not read into the public record).

What the board did not decide

No final change to district transportation policy was adopted Monday. The board’s subcommittee presented options and asked the community to respond; board members said they want more detail — including the WSP traffic study, updated route modeling and additional public input — before making a final decision.

Next public milestones

- WSP traffic/walkability report: expected after mid-May (per Rich Jones). - Potential special board meeting: April 30 (board approved the meeting date; agenda to focus on transportation if held).

The district encouraged community members to submit written feedback and said board members are available to meet individually about the proposal.