Natchitoches Parish board rejects staggered-start plan after hours of public concern
Summary
After hours of public comment and a lengthy board debate about bus reliability, instructional minutes and special-needs schedules, the Natchitoches Parish School Board voted down a proposal to stagger start times for several schools for 2026–27.
The Natchitoches Parish School Board on Dec. 9 rejected a proposal to stagger school start times after a night of testimony from parents, principals and community members who said transportation and program concerns were not resolved.
Supporters of the trial said backing school start times later in the morning would reduce extremely early bus pickups for students who live far from campus. The motion — offered by Mr. Benfield and seconded by Mr. Harris — would have adjusted start times for a subset of schools beginning in the 2026–27 school year and included a trial period with the option to revert if logistics failed.
Principal Diana Curtis of Provencal Elementary and Junior High and several other principals told the board that their schools had only 75‑minute instructional blocks and that the proposal would reduce certain class blocks by about five minutes each. "What we're doing now is working. We are succeeding," Curtis said, urging more study of bus routes and schedules before changing instructional time.
Parents including Kelly May described family hardships tied to an earlier pickup schedule: May said her two young, special‑needs children now catch a special‑needs bus at about 6:05 a.m. and that pushing start times earlier would require waking them at 4 a.m., interfering with therapy schedules and routines.
Board members dug into logistics and equity questions. Several members — including Mr. Frady and Mr. Nicholson — said they were unwilling to reduce instructional minutes and disrupt schools that had recently adjusted calendars or moved campuses. Others argued the board should try a change for a limited period and re-evaluate if it did not work.
After roll-call voting, the motion failed 4–7. Supporters said they will continue pursuing bus-route improvements and that any future changes should come with concrete route plans and assurances about special‑education transportation.
The board did not set a new vote date; several members urged staff to return with more detailed route and timing analyses if the matter returns to the agenda.
