Broward reviews magnet busing, seeks efficiencies; staff to pilot hub routing and smaller vehicles for ESE routes

Broward County School transportation leaders on May 20 told the School Board that magnet programs and county‑wide choice have materially increased routes, mileage and cost, and presented a set of efficiency ideas — including hub routing and smaller vehicles for special‑education transports — for board consideration.

Staff reviewed sample routes that illustrate wide cost variation. For example, a small cross‑county magnet cluster showed per‑student costs in the thousands of dollars when long drives and one‑off routes are required. The district told trustees it is pursuing a Nova‑complex “hub” pilot to consolidate pick‑ups and reduce routes and that it is studying using smaller, lower‑cost vehicles for some ESE trips.

Why it matters: Transportation is one of the district’s largest operating expenses. The district receives a state transportation reimbursement (roughly $500–$2,000 per student depending on weighted status), but staff said the district’s actual per‑student cost for ESE routes can exceed $9,000 because of specialized equipment, attendant pay and higher service time.

Key points

- Hub pilot and routing changes: The Nova hub concept would centralize pick‑ups for nearby schools and reduce the number of buses in service. Staff estimated a per‑bus in‑service cost at about $71,000 (salary, fringe, fuel and maintenance), meaning removal of 21 buses would represent a sizable recurring saving if routes can be reconfigured without compromising access.

- Special‑education (ESE) costs and vehicle mix: Directors said the district’s ESE transportation footprint is roughly $47 million and that average cost per ESE rider is materially higher than general education riders. Staff said they will explore smaller, more efficient vehicles, permitted under state rules, to lower costs for appropriate ESE routes.

- Reimbursement and fiscal tradeoffs: Staff noted state weighted reimbursement supplements regular transportation funding, but not enough to offset high ESE routing costs. The board asked staff to return with more precise savings estimates, the equity impacts of any change and how changes will be communicated to families.

Staff commitments and next steps

District transportation staff committed to: provide a more granular cost comparison for the Nova hub pilot; model savings from smaller‑vehicle ESE routing; and show the timing and impacts on the FY26 budget. Staff also agreed to clarify how registered but non‑riding students affect routing and state reimbursement calculations, and to bring policy options on seat reallocation.

Ending

Board members welcomed the pilot concepts but asked staff for clearer financial detail before any district‑wide changes. Staff said some changes will require one to two years to implement and will be staged to protect student access and safety.