Board approves hybrid transportation plan for families impacted by Blanton Elementary closure

Trustees on April 9 approved a modified transportation plan to support families affected by the upcoming closure of Blanton Elementary. Administration outlined three options: (1) provide only transportation that meets the district's two-mile eligibility, (2) establish hub stops to ferry families to new campuses, or (3) run neighborhood routes that pick up students closer to home.

Doctor Hill said roughly 50 students would qualify for transportation to Swift under the two-mile standard while about 370 other rezoned students would not be eligible under current rules. Staff recommended option 2 (hub model) as the most efficient and comparable to academy transportation; trustees debated whether a hub-centric approach would leave some families farther from a stop. Trustee Mike, Trustee Fowler and others argued that the district's closure decision creates an obligation to make transportation accessible; trustees ultimately amended the recommendation and approved option 2 with a hybrid blend: at least one hub will be Blanton Elementary and district staff may run neighborhood routes for parts of the attendance zone where hubs would not be practical.

Why it matters: the decision attempts to balance operational efficiency with family access after a campus closing; staff said the financial impact would be limited primarily to additional fuel and routing adjustments, and they will conduct a one-year review of ridership, attendance effects and family feedback.

Outcome: board approved the hybrid plan unanimously and directed staff to implement the modified hub approach and report results after one year.