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District to run bus-route audits as possible state rule changes could limit required transports
Summary
Staff presented a list of schools the district may declare impractical to transport and said timed bus-route audits will begin to verify 30-minute/30-mile limits; the presentation cited potential guidance in a Transportation Committee discussion of House Bill 96, which is not law.
District staff told the board on June 16 they will begin timed audits to determine whether several out-of-district schools are "impractical to transport" under Ohio standards.
The superintendent explained that state guidance and Ohio Revised Code criteria require districts to consider time and distance, the number of pupils to be transported and the cost of transportation when declaring a school impractical to transport. Staff said there are roughly eight schools under review and that, to document impracticality, the district will place drivers on buses at 8:00 a.m., record route times with stopwatches and invite administrators or parents from the other schools to follow the bus or observe the run.
Staff warned the board that a Transportation Committee working on guidance (referred to in meeting materials as House Bill 96) may introduce additional district responsibilities if it becomes law. "Now nothing has been passed yet. Nothing is law yet," the superintendent said, but staff indicated the district is preparing now in case the guidelines change.
During the presentation staff noted potential cost impacts, saying the district pays per-student costs for transporting students where it is obligated; the superintendent referred to historical per-student payments (rough estimates given during discussion) and emphasized that removing some schools from the transport list could yield savings. Staff said updates and a list of students affected will be presented to the board as audits proceed.
