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DAC recommends keeping current school start times after logistics review
Summary
The District Advisory Council reported on Safe Routes projects and transportation logistics related to potential start‑time changes and voted unanimously to keep existing start times, citing bus routing, earlier elementary pickup times and budget impacts of adding buses.
The District Advisory Council (DAC) briefed the board on March 10 about recent work on Safe Routes to School, sidewalk projects and a transportation analysis of potential school start‑time changes.
DAC chair Demerius Barrios summarized projects completed at Sable Palm, Kate Sullivan and Pine View and discussed a proposed Buck Lake Road sidewalk extension to serve Buck Lake Elementary. Barrios said the Safe Routes program is managed through the Florida Department of Transportation and includes both infrastructure and educational elements.
The DAC also reviewed implications of state and legislative changes affecting start times. Barrios said that swapping elementary and high‑school start times emerged as the only feasible option under the logistical constraints examined, but members raised concerns that such a swap could require elementary buses to begin pickups as early as 5:45–6:25 a.m., introducing safety and supervision concerns for younger students.
Transportation staff explained that adjusting start times would affect bus quantity and driver needs and could increase costs. DAC members noted impacts on extracurricular activities and the challenges for families with children at different grade levels. After deliberation, the DAC and associated council representatives voted unanimously to keep existing start times for Leon County Schools moving forward and to provide a written recommendation to the board.
Board members acknowledged the DAC's work and asked staff to bring back more detailed analyses at an April workshop so the board can consider capacity, ongoing development and referendum timing. No board policy change was made at the March 10 meeting; the DAC report was informational and procedural guidance for board planning.
