Anonymous wrote:The alternative bus uses have been dicussed to exhaustion. The likelihood of it being revisited is not highly.

I can't understand the fact that DCPS has a bus fleet of yellow busses but has a private bus company on a 1 million dollar retainer.

But wait, I thought privatization was always the best solution to any problem.

Why pay a government employee a decent wage to drive a bus when you can hire a private company to mark up the cost 1000% and underpay the driver?

Anonymous wrote:DC sponsored school buses are ONLY used for special education students. There are no exceptions. Sometimes DCPS schools and the Charters pay for transportation out of their individual budgets. DCPS does pay for charter buses for swing schools, but that comes out of their budget. OSSE funds the larger amount for special education students. DC spends $95MM to transport 3500 special education students. Crazy, I know.

Crazy--but note that every bus is staffed by at least two adults, a driver and an aide (the aide is responsible for getting disabled students on/off the bus safely). It's possible that in some cases, more than one aide is needed on a given bus.

The alternative bus uses have been dicussed to exhaustion. The likelihood of it being revisited is not highly.

I can't understand the fact that DCPS has a bus fleet of yellow busses but has a private bus company on a 1 million dollar retainer.

There's a huge school bus that takes up four parking spots in front of Mann every afternoon. There are four or so kids who take it.

Based on the previous posts, I image that they are OOB kids whose neighborhood schools are failing.

Plus, it seems like kids from Bolling AF base get bussed in (or, maybe their neighborhood school is "failing")

According to a poster on the Stoddert thread, kids of parents stationed at Bolling AFB are bussed to Stoddert.

What if DCPS used vans to transport special ed kids instead of giant, gas-sucking school buses? Wouldn't that save an f-ton of money? I doubt if any of those buses are ever full.

OP here, thank you all for your comments. Such a great site!

I do think that certain high schools have designated Metrobus lines.

If your neighborhood school is a failing school, then I think you are eligible to choose a designated "accepting school" in another neighborhood and you will get bussed to it. Plus, it seems like kids from Bolling AF base get bussed in (or, maybe their neighborhood school is "failing")

DC sponsored school buses are ONLY used for special education students. There are no exceptions. Sometimes DCPS schools and the Charters pay for transportation out of their individual budgets. DCPS does pay for charter buses for swing schools, but that comes out of their budget. OSSE funds the larger amount for special education students. DC spends $95MM to transport 3500 special education students. Crazy, I know.

I know of at least one charter that has parent-sponsored "busses" (chartered vans).

Some privates have bus routes within the city. Some special needs kids are also transported by school buses.

A city bus passes through Mt. Pleasant to take kids to Deal Middle School.

Yes, generally it's up to you to get your kid to school, regardless of whether it is just down the street or on the other side of town.

DC's tradition is to have neighborhood schools. So, walking is probably the most common way to get to them. With the popularity of public charter schools, families are generally on their own to find a way to school. Actual yellow DCPS school buses are pretty rare and, I believe, only used for special ed students. But, I could be wrong about that. WMATA has special bus routes for some schools. But, yes, you should plan to have your elementary school children dropped off yourself or by someone you trust.

I am new in the area. Are kids transported by school buses in DC? When I look at the "getting to school" part under school profiles, it lists various buses (public transportation). Really?? Even for elementary kids? Or I'm forced to drop them off myself?