Bus Schedules May Change
Thank goodness for our readers. I try to go through the Board agendas with a fine-tooth comb but I usually miss something. The miss this time is the introduction of Revisions to Transportation Service Standards for 2012013 item.
The issue is the district trying to reduce costs and this plan says it would save a little over $1M per year.
The Operations Committee of the Whole approved this measure. However,
Individual Board members have requested that the district consider later bell times for secondary
schools. Board members have asked staff to review the current bell times and any relevant research and propose any necessary changes to the Board. The Superintendent will review the staff’s recommendation(s) and report back to the Board prior to October 2012.
Background Info:
District transportation expenses have exceeded budget for each of the past three years. The trend
has continued for the current (2011 – 2012) school year. On December 15, 2011, the Operations
Committee was informed transportation expenditures were estimated to be $2.1M above budget.
On February 8, 2012, the Board was informed transportation expenditures were projected to be
$1.7M to $2.8M above budget. Several Directors then requested options for reducing
transportation costs.
While current year transportation expenses (excluding field trips and athletic event trips) are
projected to be over budget, staff identified three changes which will reduce transportation costs
by a minimum of $1,012,000 for next year (2012 – 2013). These changes are:
- Move 13 bus routes from tier two to tier one (affecting the start time of 2 to 6
schools);
- Implement standard school arrival and school departure times for each tier;
- Return to the 45 minute ride-time standard (from the 25 minute target).
Bus arrival / departure schedules were revised in February of 2012 to provide more flexibility in
serving schools with varying length of day as well as adding additional flexibility for first tier
elementary schedules. Variation in school schedules and the inability to fill buses (because of the
short ride-time target), however, divert educational resources from the classroom.
If Transportation has been over budget for the last three years, then yes, there's a problem.
They say the district can save some money by either extending ride times and standardizing school schedules OR by reducing transportation OR by cutting other programs. Quite the Sophie's choice there.
My confusion is that we were told that going to a Neighborhood Assignment plan would save money. What happened? That should be in this Action Report.
Also, where is the public engagement? There is a long timeline but it seems to be for transportation for 2013-2014.
Hilariously, one of the issues for the district if the standards are not revised is that during Open Enrollment they gave parents information based on current standards.
Worrying about what is or is not told to parents during Open Enrollment hasn't exactly been a strong suit with SPS. How many times have people complained about changes after Open Enrollment but now when the district wants to change something, it's a worry?
Research
This year district staff benchmarked the cost of transporting students with the three other
Washington districts that contract buses (attached). Our transportation cost per student
transported for the 2010 – 2011 school year was $1,650. This compares with $979 for Everett,
$1,058 for Tacoma; and $1,165 for Spokane.
Here's what the changes look like:
All Neighborhood Attendance Area Elementary and K-8 routes will be designed to operate with
travel times of2545 minutes or less when feasible. All other routes will be designed to operate
with travel times of 60 minutes or less where feasible.
The District shall use a three (3) tier bus routing system to reduce both the number of vehicles
used and educational resources. Arrival times for buses at schools and departure times from
school shall be limited as follows:
AM PM (arrival/departure)
First Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 7:10 2:05
Second Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 8:05 3:00
Second Tier - Elementary 8:25 3:00
Third Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 9:00 3:55
Third Tier - Elementary 9:20 3:55
The issue is the district trying to reduce costs and this plan says it would save a little over $1M per year.
The Operations Committee of the Whole approved this measure. However,
Individual Board members have requested that the district consider later bell times for secondary
schools. Board members have asked staff to review the current bell times and any relevant research and propose any necessary changes to the Board. The Superintendent will review the staff’s recommendation(s) and report back to the Board prior to October 2012.
Background Info:
District transportation expenses have exceeded budget for each of the past three years. The trend
has continued for the current (2011 – 2012) school year. On December 15, 2011, the Operations
Committee was informed transportation expenditures were estimated to be $2.1M above budget.
On February 8, 2012, the Board was informed transportation expenditures were projected to be
$1.7M to $2.8M above budget. Several Directors then requested options for reducing
transportation costs.
While current year transportation expenses (excluding field trips and athletic event trips) are
projected to be over budget, staff identified three changes which will reduce transportation costs
by a minimum of $1,012,000 for next year (2012 – 2013). These changes are:
- Move 13 bus routes from tier two to tier one (affecting the start time of 2 to 6
schools);
- Implement standard school arrival and school departure times for each tier;
- Return to the 45 minute ride-time standard (from the 25 minute target).
Bus arrival / departure schedules were revised in February of 2012 to provide more flexibility in
serving schools with varying length of day as well as adding additional flexibility for first tier
elementary schedules. Variation in school schedules and the inability to fill buses (because of the
short ride-time target), however, divert educational resources from the classroom.
If Transportation has been over budget for the last three years, then yes, there's a problem.
They say the district can save some money by either extending ride times and standardizing school schedules OR by reducing transportation OR by cutting other programs. Quite the Sophie's choice there.
My confusion is that we were told that going to a Neighborhood Assignment plan would save money. What happened? That should be in this Action Report.
Also, where is the public engagement? There is a long timeline but it seems to be for transportation for 2013-2014.
Hilariously, one of the issues for the district if the standards are not revised is that during Open Enrollment they gave parents information based on current standards.
Worrying about what is or is not told to parents during Open Enrollment hasn't exactly been a strong suit with SPS. How many times have people complained about changes after Open Enrollment but now when the district wants to change something, it's a worry?
Research
This year district staff benchmarked the cost of transporting students with the three other
Washington districts that contract buses (attached). Our transportation cost per student
transported for the 2010 – 2011 school year was $1,650. This compares with $979 for Everett,
$1,058 for Tacoma; and $1,165 for Spokane.
Here's what the changes look like:
All Neighborhood Attendance Area Elementary and K-8 routes will be designed to operate with
travel times of
with travel times of 60 minutes or less where feasible.
The District shall use a three (3) tier bus routing system to reduce both the number of vehicles
used and educational resources. Arrival times for buses at schools and departure times from
school shall be limited as follows:
AM PM (arrival/departure)
First Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 7:10 2:05
Second Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 8:05 3:00
Second Tier - Elementary 8:25 3:00
Third Tier - HS/MS/K8/Options 9:00 3:55
Third Tier - Elementary 9:20 3:55
Comments
You see, the $2M overrun is on a (likely unrealistic) $4M "savings" expected from the community stops/changed standards/etc makeover. I am VERY tired of well-paid administrators copping out to the easy strawman "SpEd's to blame" argument.
Am I exaggerating? Take a look at the attachments to the board action. Under "savings" for PreK start times, some $$ transportation expert inserted "BIG". Okay, "BIG" is why you make the BIG bucks. Meanwhile, once someone bothered to actually apply that managerial magic they are paid for, they saw that the change in travel time standards, addition of yet another tier, and district bell time alignment had an actual measured impact.
Personally, it is already difficult for HS/MS/K-8 kids to get up, let alone to be at school by 7:10am. Lend me your crystal ball. My guess is a) there won't be a $4M savings; and b) my child will be fatigued and will struggle with homework and getting enough sleep.
Beth
-North End Mom
UGH!
Gee, that couldn't be part of the reason he was recently laid off, could it?
This is a move to get things back on track from the mess that Bishop made - NOT an attempt to screw things up more.
-in the know
One of the frustrating things here is that the board has heard about the proposed changes, but not (at least in committee) the details of which schools would be affected and how.
We out-source our transportation. There is an RFP and bids, and then a contract.
At that point, shouldn't our transportation costs be fixed? First Student, or whoever, has a contract to provide the bus service at an agreed price. How can the cost be radically different from that contracted price? How could it be $2 million different?
Another thing to delve into are the highlighted comparison districts in the SPS "survey" linked on the Board report. Salem-Kiezer, Portland, and San Francisco are among them.
What's interesting is when you go to Portland's actual website. Start times for 6-8s (and wow, they have a lot of K-8s) are mostly between 9:05 and 9:15. Not 7:00. Middle schools in San Franscisco? They also start later, around 9:00, much later than the early bell time posted on SPS's "survey." So their comparisons are questionable.
Argh.
n...
First - it isn't just the RFP bus contract - there are contracts with all 5 local cab companies, plus American Logistics. These are for specialized transport and/or mandated homeless kid transport. Not to mention flucutating fuel costs.
Reg ed transport is actually only a small part of the transport - think field trips, after school activities, Head Start, am/pm kindergarten, the Experimental Education Unit, specialized buses with wheelchair lifts for SPED and many more - extracurricular sports etc.
It's a massively complex system that isn't as predictable in it's usage as one might think at first glance.
in the know
What's up with their survey numbers? They really aren't representative of how districts are operating.
annoyed
Look at the chart attached to the SBAR. The lion's share of the $$$ are "token/pass" and "basic". Last I checked SpEd did not fall in those categories. There was an utter lack of initial effort to get at the true reason for the budget bust. Complexity or not, there are tools and ways to affix a $$ other than "BIG". Would that fly in the private sector? I think not.
1. I didnt say the lion's share didn't come from reg. ed transport - just that it isnt the only factor to cost overruns
2. 3 tier system actually uses MORE buses to work - there are actually MORE buses on the road right tnow han then under the previous incarnations of transport. Yes that's right - fewer students eligible to be transported, but in order to achieve the 25 minute route time, more buses were needed.
3. Every time an individual school has an early dismissal, again because of the tier system, upwards of 20 other routes are impacted and must be reworked. That costs money.
in the know
Education costs a lot of money. Why people don't recognize that fact is beyond me. It serves everyone and it is expensive.
n...
I also saw a bus letting a poor elementary school kid of at 4:47 today as I was driving my kid to her softball game. 4:47!! All I could think of was, that poor kid...wish I knew where he was being bussed from. No kid should be getting home from school at almost 5pm.
-Unbelievable
Put my K and 2ND GRADERS on a bus at 6:20 (no more guaranteed 25 minute rides, boy that lasted what? a year as a guarantee?)to get to a school at 7:10 for school at what? 7:20?!?!?! THIS IS COMPLETE BULLSHEEEEEEET.
THIS IS UNSAFE. Last year the Board SAID they didn't want kids walkin on the streets early because of darkness/rain. Global warming change the weather and dawn patterns?
How can this even be up for a vote? They've fired? the Transportation Guy right? Has the staff whoever that is even talked to a single parent? I don't even want a study because it is so clearly beyond the incompetance before me. Just show me A SINGLE PARENT that was approached with this stupid idea of a 7:10 bus arrival.
DO NOT TELL ME FOR A MINUTE this is to save us $$$$$$$$$$$. That's what you said last year when you upended our family at the last minute with scheduling. YOU COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO SEE IF THE STUPID 3-TIER SYSTEM WORKED. (AND IT DIDN'T.) NOW YOU WANT MY LITTLE KIDS UP AT 5:30 to CATCH A BUS THAT ISN'T EVEN ON TIME THIS YEAR? THE SAME BUS THAT DIDN'T SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY?
And THEN you expect these kids to LEARN?!? (#$*..all they'll want is breakfast and a (@#*U@# nap.
This is YOUR problem SPS administration plus board or whoever. YOURS. DO NOT FIX YOUR INCOMPENTENCE ON THE BACK OF LITTLE KIDS.
Everytime I think SPS can't get worse, it does. OUTRAGEOUS. JUST OUTRAGEOUS. I bet 9 out of 10 affected parents have NO IDEA this is on the table. @)(#*@(#*(#&$#&$
Let me repeat that: (@#*@)(#(&@#&#
SPITTING MAD
This whole proposal is light on detail and shoddy in is introduction. It needs rejection or tabling.
Savvy Voter
Tier I is absolutely outragous.
Maybe it's just time for the district to realize that cost saving measures don't work because this IS what it costs to transport students.
About the 5pm drop off yesterday, many busses were late due to rioting in downtown.
Curious if this isn't linked somehow with the effort to start hs and middle schools later and elementarys earlier, given the natural sleep, wake, readiness cycles in kids. That is to say that most younger kides rise earlier and most ms and hs kids are later risers. Hence adjusting the start times may make sense from that perspective only.
Totally understand the frustration over lack of engagement, notice etc. I'm just trying to take a step back to see whether, aside from the potential disruption to my individual family, what the benefits could be to all students.
--ok mom
SPITTING MAD
Despite what the tiers/arrival times in the proposed Action report state, Joan Dingfield just confirmed "with Transportation" that ALL HS & MS will be in Tier I which means busses will arrive at 7:10am (and most likely school will start at 7:30 am)!!!
This is a HUGE change from the current average 8:00am start times!! We are going back to what research says is the wrong direction for teens and sleep requirements without properly notifying schools and families first for input.
Contact your Board members if you think this is absurd!!
(By the way, in the Action report it says that by agreement, Denny & Sealth will start 30 minutes different/staggard starting times, but all MS & HS are listed under Tier I currently. How can this be?).
So sleep patterns clearly are not part of this proposal.
What would be smart is two tiers:
K-5s at dropped 7:45 (younger kids better in the morning.) MS, HS dropped at 8:30.
Decision would have to be made about K-8s, proabably the 7:45 drop since the schoool is mostly younder students.
What can we do?
Signed, Really?
No one can afford to be complacent on this issue. You might be happy with your start time now, but you could be a Tier 1 school in the fall.
Did we save anything by adopting the 3 tiered system we have now?
We usually do dropoffs at school, but every 3-4 weeks it works out better to take the bus. I guess we could give up the bus rides, but my daughter says the bus is usually full by the time it gets to school.
The proposed 1st tier times should be completely out of the question.
FHP
If cost containment is what drives service, then you have to look at losing some bus service or face very early/late bus pickup/drop off and school start/end times. Something's gonna have to give. With all the construction in Seattle, travel time is up everywhere.
There might be some cost saving in re- examine certain underutilized routes later in school year and consolidating that, but affected people will squawk. If we standardize HS, MS, K-8, and ES start times, would that help? and would it help enough to make it a 2 tier system, not 3?
Just don't think there's an easy solution here. Any ideas?
-lost
I have to add that some transportation/start time panic has happened every single year that my kids have been in SPS. Seriously.
- southpaw
lost
Beth
SPITTING MAD
If memory serves me, some of the transportation changes were in response to the new state funding structure which is somehow related to the miles traveled and increases in efficiency. Districts were supposed to consider changes in bell times to maximize efficiency. Of course, those changes need to be balanced with what is best academically and safety wise, and that is where the staff analysis seems to fall short.
js
It's not ready.
schoolboard@seattleschools.org
Currently at a Tier 3 Elementary, the start time is late as it is for working parents and then it impacts after school activities as the kids get out so late (and factoring in the bus ride).
Pushing the start/end times even later is absolutely ludicrous and infuriating. Frankly, I can't afford before and after care for my kids and I'm fortunate to have an understanding boss but that can't be the case for most parents.
The early times are pretty crazy, too.
How do I voice my concerns about this possible change?
Frustrated with Tier 3
Cindy
www.gofastek.com
janice
farra
edupdf.org