Waunakee policy committee pauses final transport changes pending Lamers routing analysis and 4K applications

The Waunakee Community School District policy committee paused action on substantive transportation-policy changes on Jan. 16 and asked staff to return with vendor routing data and state 4K-application results before making final decisions.

Staff told the committee an outside hazardous-transportation review connected to construction of Heritage Elementary has materially changed eligibility scenarios; those changes are slated to take effect Sept. 1, 2026. "At that time ... many students will no longer be eligible for transportation effective September 1," staff said, explaining the decision to delay action until the district can present the full picture.

Lamers, the district's transportation vendor, will run a data "sandbox" at corporate headquarters to model the 2026–27 routing and estimate how many routes would be needed under different policy options (including moving to a uniform one-mile eligibility across all grades or scaling back hazardous-transportation coverage). Staff said the sandbox will show route counts and potential cost impacts and that results will be shared with the board ahead of any vote.

The committee discussed operational concerns that include: the instructional time lost when elementary students leave classrooms roughly 10 minutes early for cross-school shuttles; the complexity added to principals who must manage visiting students and multiple incoming buses; and the limits of available bus-driver and route capacity. Staff noted historical alternatives (during COVID the district operated separate north/south routes for St. John's) and said changes would require notice and coordination with partner schools such as St. John's and Madison Country Day School.

A parallel concern is the state 'Get Kids Ready' 4K program, which allows nontraditional community sites to apply for funding by Feb. 1. Staff warned that parents might enroll in both the district 4K and outside sites, and the district would only be able to count students for funding if it provides transport that enables the dual enrollment. "The only way to make it work is our provided busing," staff said, outlining a scenario in which the district would set up mid-day routes to private sites so families can use both options without cost barriers.

Board members asked staff to calculate how removing the 10-minute shuttle time would affect district instructional minutes for kindergarten through fourth grade and whether the district would remain compliant with DPI requirements. Staff agreed to prepare comparisons to DPI units and to bring data from Lamers and Get Kids Ready application results to a follow-up meeting. The committee requested a 90-minute session and discussed scheduling that session in early February (to allow time for vendor results and the Feb. 1 4K application deadline) or in March if more time is required.

What happens next: Staff will return with Lamers routing results and a summary of state 4K applications; the committee will reconvene to consider concrete route and policy options before any full-board vote.