Students say bus cuts left peers missing school; district plans meeting with contractor

A Marlborough High School junior told the school committee that transportation cuts this year have left some students missing class and falling behind.

"Her bus is late almost every day and multiple mornings has been an hour late and multiple mornings it has not even shown up," Maggie Moresy, the junior SSE representative, said of a peer who relies on bus 1. Moresy said some students who lost busing now face 40‑minute, hilly walks to school and that inconsistent drivers and overcrowded routes (bus 1 and bus 20 were cited) have reduced class time and risk increased chronic absenteeism.

The student presentation prompted an immediate administrative response. Superintendent Defalco said the district will show a clip of the testimony to NRT — the transportation contractor — and has scheduled a meeting with NRT and its legal team the following morning. "I am going to show that clip to NRT tomorrow morning. We have a meeting with them and their legal team at 8:30," Defalco said, adding the clip is public record.

Defalco framed the student reports in the context of district attendance data: the district reported steady enrollment of 4,389 students and daily attendance averages near 95% at the elementary level but said Marlborough High School’s daily attendance is about 92.8%. She stressed that "attendance is critically important" and said the district will continue to update the committee and the community.

Committee members and staff did not announce a policy change at the meeting. Officials described follow-up steps that include raising the student-reported issues with NRT, reviewing routes and driver assignments, and continuing to report attendance trends to the committee. The school committee did not vote on transportation at the meeting.

The district plans to monitor the contractor meeting and return to the committee with updates on any operational changes or remedies arising from the discussion with NRT.