Posted on Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 10:27 a.m.
How would a cut in school bus services affect your family?
By Cindy Heflin
A budget proposal presented Wednesday night would eliminate busing for Ann Arbor high school students.
The plan is part of the district's effort to close a $15.6 million hole in the Ann Arbor Public Schools budget for next year.
In proposing to eliminate bus service for high school students, district officials said only about a third of those who could take the bus actually ride it. Do your students ride the bus? How would a cut in school bus service affect your family? Take our poll.
Comments
Tex Treeder
Fri, Apr 22, 2011 : 5:09 p.m.
How about getting rid of bus service for high school and then moving the hours to something more realistic. The only reason high school starts so ridiculously early is so that the buses can be used for high school, then middle school and then elementary school. No buses would allow for starting the school day when it's more appropriate. How many high school students would benefit from starting at 9 instead of 7:30? So they finish later, at 4 pm instead of at 2. That makes more sense to me.
DonBee
Fri, Apr 22, 2011 : 1:44 a.m.
While most people will hate this idea, cutting varsity sports would save far more than cutting busing and impact far fewer students. But, Ann Arbor is a sport's crazy town, so we will continue to spend over $3,000,000 a year on sports. Then there is reducing the cost of administration of the district to state average for large schools, that would only offer the district a savings of $4,000,000. No, my family will figure out how to get our children to school without buses, but we may re-think our commitment to AAPS. Michigan Virtual High School is looking pretty interesting - no commute required. Maybe that is the green answer.
Fat Bill
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.
KJMCLark has the right idea. Bump the parking fees, and require a signup to ride the bus. Routes can be adjusted accordingly. Most school districts in the county factor low high school ridership into the routing system.
KJMClark
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 7:39 p.m.
Can't choose any of the options. Our kids *would* be taking the bus - my daughter starts at Skyline next year. Unfortunately, because of Skyline's lousy location, there's only one AATA option, taking the bus downtown then transferring up Maple. Likewise, while my wife and I bike to work, that's not an option because of Skyline's lousy location. That leaves us with figuring out some other option. But she's too young to even get a learner's permit, much less drive herself. And she's planning to be in band and maybe a sport, so carpooling will be difficult. Here's a better idea: charge for parking. As oil prices rise, we need to be moving *toward* transit, not away from it. If the district needs to deal with a deficit, the first freebee to go should be the free/subsidized parking. They can always subsidize it for students who need to drive and whose families are low income.
Michelle
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 5:45 p.m.
It wouldn't be so bad if the AATA came anywhere near us. My husband and I both work and driving both my girls to school will be almost impossible. Guess the older one is gonna have to get her license and jack up the fuel bill. Wow. Hope that superintendent is enjoying the salary.
SuperiorMother
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
"In proposing to eliminate bus service for high school students, district officials said only about a third of those who could take the bus actually ride it." So, why not find out who *does* ride/plan to ride the bus next year, and schedule routes accordingly? If only a third of the kids in a particular neighborhood would ride the bus next year, cut the route there by 2/3. If all the kids in another neighborhood say they do/would ride the bus, keep service the same.
jcj
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 4:04 p.m.
"In proposing to eliminate bus service for high school students, district officials said only about a third of those who could take the bus actually ride it." So this would "only" affect about 1700 or 1800 students? There are programs in this system that are kept going for the benefit of a lot less students! While the huge salary and perks of the new superintendent is thrown in our face.
jcj
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.
The number I cited would be less because not all of the 1/3 of the total number of high school students is eligible to ride the bus. But there are still programs kept for a lot less students!
Beth
Thu, Apr 21, 2011 : 2:54 p.m.
I can drive my kids, but AATA doesn't run anywhere within a few miles of our neighborhood and so wouldn't be an option for us. The same is true for many other neighborhoods in outlying areas of the district.