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Ridgewood superintendent assures Glenn School-area families busing will continue while district weighs cutting courtesy routes
Summary
Facing steep health-care and budget pressures, the Ridgewood Public School District said it may reduce some courtesy busing as a cost-saving option but confirmed that residents on the east side of Route 17 (Glenn School area) will continue to receive K–12 service; the district also proposed a paid subscription option for families who would otherwise lose service.
Dr. Schwarz, a district official, told the Ridgewood Board of Education and residents that the district is confronting a “very, very tight” budget season and is evaluating multiple cost-saving measures, including a proposal to reduce courtesy busing that has prompted strong public concern.
The superintendent said health-insurance and other rising costs have left little cushion in the budget and that the board is considering reductions in positions, new revenue strategies and changes to courtesy-busing policies. He emphasized the board’s intent to avoid automatically shifting all costs to taxpayers while noting some options — including a board-authorized levy increase under a health-insurance waiver or a ballot question — are under discussion.
Most immediately, Dr. Schwarz confirmed the district will continue to provide busing for residents on the east side of Route 17 in the Glenn School neighborhood for all grade levels. “We are gonna be able to provide to continue continue to provide service for all residents at all schools,” he said, and added the district will memorialize that assurance by revising the student-transportation regulation for clarity.
Residents asked for specifics. Evan Faulk, of the Glenn School neighborhood, said he and neighbors were worried they might lose service; Dr. Schwarz replied that properties on the east side of Route 17 will remain eligible for busing through high school and invited residents to submit maps so the district can review routes case by case.
The district also signaled a subscription model under consideration that would allow families who are not eligible under current courtesy definitions to buy continued busing service. Dr. Schwarz said the board would prioritize families who would otherwise lose service and that the subscription program would start small and be scaled if demand requires it. He cautioned, however, that the district is facing driver and fleet constraints and that adding new routes immediately may be difficult.
Board members and staff said the transportation regulation itself is ambiguous in parts and will be revised; until then, the district is budgeting to continue service to the Glenn School area. Dr. Schwarz also noted that placing a separate ballot question to fund courtesy busing could be a path forward but that crafting a clear question will require work because historical criteria for courtesy busing have been unevenly applied.
The full budget will be discussed at the board’s next meeting, and board members moved into a closed executive session later in the meeting to discuss personnel matters.
