February 26 School Board Vote on Providing Transportation for Rezoned Students

[Anonymous]

The school board will vote on February 26 on whether or not to provide transportation for students rezoned based on the recently approved boundary changes. Let's make sure the school board does the right thing and requires FCPS to provide transportation for those high school students that want to stay at their current school.

Contact Board Members here: https://www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/contact-us/school-board
Register to speak or submit a video testimony here (deadline : https://www.fcps.edu/school-board/community-participation
Attend February 26 Board Meeting - vote is early in the meeting - will likely be decided before 9:00 pm

[Anonymous]

The new staff recommendation is to only provide transportation to rising seniors - those most likely to be able to drive. That replaces Reid’s prior recommendation to deny transportation to all redistricted kids.

It’s classic FCPS behavior to come up with a “compromise” proposal that makes little sense.

[Anonymous]

That is because they simply cannot logistically do this. They do not have a fleet of spare buses for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new staff recommendation is to only provide transportation to rising seniors - those most likely to be able to drive. That replaces Reid’s prior recommendation to deny transportation to all redistricted kids.

It’s classic FCPS behavior to come up with a “compromise” proposal that makes little sense.

All staff involved with coming up with this idea should be fired, those positions not back filled, and money saved used to help provide transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is because they simply cannot logistically do this. They do not have a fleet of spare buses for this.

Not true! While a few extra buses may be needed in many cases they can pull in these students by extending routes of buses that remain in boundary. This response is focused on making sure student in high school don't have to move to a new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is because they simply cannot logistically do this. They do not have a fleet of spare buses for this.

I’m not convinced of that given the limited number of final changes. They can cut some of the useless staff positions in Gatehouse if they need to buy some more buses.

It’s yet another example of their making poor decisions and leaving families guessing as to their intentions. They are a sickening, deeply incompetent group of people.

[Anonymous]

Nope, nope, nope. Too much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, nope, nope. Too much money.

What is an acceptable amount? I would certainly prioritize this over so much of what FCPS spends money on that isn't teachers in the classroom and facilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, nope, nope. Too much money.

It’s not that much in the overall context of FCPS’s budget and providing transportation to all grandfathered kids is clearly the more equitable thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, nope, nope. Too much money.

Strongly agree. Transportation should not be provided. I also didn’t think grandfathering should be allowed except for rising 10-12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, nope, nope. Too much money.

Strongly agree. Transportation should not be provided. I also didn’t think grandfathering should be allowed except for rising 10-12th.

Glad you aren’t calling the shots.

[Anonymous]

So many entitled parents on this board. 11th and 12th graders can be grandfathered and drive themselves to school. 9th and 10th should go to their new school.

[Anonymous]

Transportation should not be provided to students who choose to stay at their school, unless they are rising junior or seniors. But then you may as well let the others on - there may not be that many. So now maybe it should be provided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many entitled parents on this board. 11th and 12th graders can be grandfathered and drive themselves to school. 9th and 10th should go to their new school.

It’s entitled to think all juniors and seniors who can drive actually have their own cars or access to a car to take to school. That’s the very definition of entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Transportation should not be provided to students who choose to stay at their school, unless they are rising junior or seniors. But then you may as well let the others on - there may not be that many. So now maybe it should be provided.

Let's hope that staff provides the school board with options if they don't want to provide transportation for everyone. It seems like at a minimum they should provide transportation for all rising 10th - 12th graders the next two years. The need will decrease each year so maybe those graduating in 2029 will not have bus transportation their senior year and those families will need to assess / anticipate what their situation will be at that time. My rising sophomore is one of the 474 students impacted by what we view as an unnecessary change (boundary move was not needed to address over or under crowding at schools involved and distances to each school are similar).

The next group I hope staffing includes cost for would be rising 6th and 8th graders as two years of middle school are hard enough let alone having to switch each year. If those kids end up feeding new high schools based on the change than I assume most families will go ahead and make the move in 8th grade so their child can get connected with their new cohort. Forced switching elementary schools in sixth grade is also harsh.

Ultimately these boundary changes are supposedly going to help achieve efficiencies and make FCPS better so let's give the students making the actual sacrifice a real option to stay at their current high school.