Randolph County board declines to overturn March adoption of tiered bus plan after hour‑long debate

The Randolph County School System board spent more than an hour Tuesday discussing a proposed tiered bus schedule for the 2026–27 school year before voting on a motion to rescind the board’s March decision; the motion failed and the board directed staff to continue work on implementation for two zones while returning more detailed bell schedules.

Board members framed the debate around two competing goals: immediate budget savings and shorter ride times for students versus disruption to parents, teachers and after‑school programs. Board Member 2 told colleagues the district could receive roughly $716,000–$760,000 tied to improved transportation efficiency if the tiered model is implemented more broadly, and argued the plan would cut lengthy rides for some students and create full‑time positions from several combo posts. “If we can offer bus drivers pension and health care because they’re full‑time employed, that is a huge thing,” the board member said.

Superintendent (Speaker 3) defended staff work and warned the board that implementation will require careful routing and community engagement. He said staff had presented the plan previously (Jan. 12 and Feb. 9 were cited) and that budget drivers include state allotment changes tied to Day‑40 enrollment counts; he identified a set of reductions and offsets (figures discussed included $1,185,000 in a base budget adjustment, a $1,400,000 noted savings and several continuation costs) and said staff would work to plug remaining gaps if the board affirmed a direction. “My staff stand ready to make whatever the board decides to work,” he said.

Opponents on the board stressed community reaction and logistics. Board Member 1 said parents who pick up children — especially elementary caretakers — had raised strong objections on social media and in calls, and warned about the strain on teachers and principals if start times change and substitutes must be found. Several board members flagged the Southwest rural area as particularly challenging for tiering because long single‑student pickups can produce long drives for drivers that don't translate into long student ride times but complicate routing.

The board debated bell‑time options (examples discussed included elementary 07:25–02:20 and middle‑school 08:25–03:30) and operational constraints from routing that, staff said, require roughly an hour between tiers for trucks to rotate and return. Members repeatedly stressed they trust transportation staff — several praised named staff members for responsiveness — but also said the board must hold staff accountable if projected savings and routing efficiency do not materialize.

Toward the meeting’s middle, a motion was made to repeal the board’s March 16 adoption of the tiered plan. The motion was put to a raise‑hand/voice vote and did not carry; members later discussed recorded tallies verbally during the meeting. After the vote, several members said the board should give staff guidance — many signaled a preference for piloting a model with elementary schools scheduled first in the two target zones and for returning a proposed bell schedule and implementation plan for final approval later.

The session closed with the board agreeing to continue outreach and to ask transportation staff to present specific bell schedules and community engagement plans before any countywide expansion. The board then moved to the next item on the agenda.