Natchitoches Parish School Board weighs staggered start times to shorten long bus routes

The Natchitoches Parish School Board considered a plan to stagger school start and end times aimed at shortening long bus routes, reducing very early pickups and improving overall transportation reliability.

Dr. Eloy, superintendent, presented two options for the 2026–27 school year. He said the proposal’s principal goal is “to adjust school start and in times to improve student well-being, transportation efficiency, and overall service to families.” Option 1 would shift several parish-wide schools about 30–45 minutes later while leaving city schools with more compact, earlier schedules; Option 2 would require larger changes to master schedules and reduce up to 20 minutes of core instructional time at some schools.

Transportation director Mr. Baptiste told the board the district has three current driver vacancies and has hired three drivers this month; two are in training. He described new service upgrades — AI-assisted cameras on new buses that flag abnormal behavior and live-view capability — and said a one-day bus pass is under consideration to handle short-term address changes. Baptiste said staggered starts would reduce the number of students assigned to each bus and shorten routes, which could help recruitment and retention of drivers.

Board members and staff discussed impacts on families with children at multiple schools and on university employees who use lab-school services. Miss Martin, academic team staff, said Northwestern State University officials indicated Option 1 appeared feasible for NSU employees and students, but she recommended targeted outreach before a final decision. Dr. Eloy and Miss Martin emphasized that drop-off windows could begin up to 30 minutes before a school’s start time to help parents with work schedules.

Staff told the board a clear decision is needed soon so the district can shape and issue the transportation request for proposals (RFP). A late vote would compress vendor timelines for securing buses and drivers; several board members and staff urged deciding no later than November to allow the RFP and contract timelines to proceed.

The board asked staff to: conduct faculty meetings at each school so principals can gather staff input, organize at least one public town hall (Natchitoches Central was suggested as a likely venue), and return with a refined presentation that emphasizes Option 1 and clarifies bus pickup times. No vote was taken at the meeting.

Board members noted the change is not a calendar modification (holidays and breaks would remain unchanged) and acknowledged some families and staff will be adversely affected by any schedule change. Several members said the district’s transportation problems have persisted for years and that modest, carefully communicated changes are worth pursuing to reduce long rides and early pickups.