If you have been following my facebook statuses for the past nine months you probably noticed a reoccurring status about school buses in our district. I have gotten a lot of questions about this, so I thought I would clear the air.

My journey all started in July 2014 when we started looking into kindergarten options. I am a product of the Texas public school system, rode a bus, and I would like to think I turned out pretty well. I am also a HORRIBLE teacher to my own children so public schools seemed logical. I remember when we moved from Dallas to Houston my mother had to work hard to get the bus to our section of the neighborhood, but as a child I thought it must have been a mere phone call. I assumed only a call would be required here too....but no. Good thing I kept a diary of all my efforts to get this resolved because eventually the State Board of Education asked for a detailed timeline. Boy did they get one---it was three pages!

A little background

Our neighborhood does not attend a school that is geographically closest to it.
The school is situated directly ON a very busy road; since there is no bus transportation parents (and the principal) tell me children should be dropped off 30-40 minutes before school. They literally walk around the school until school begins, good use of time, no?. Remember, this is DURING RUSH HOUR PEOPLE...down a MAJOR ROAD that parents are backed up on. Its only four lanes total, two in each direction and one of the four is completely BACKED UP! Not to mention, there is very little room for any cars on school property to line up. Actually there is NONE.
Parents arrive an hour early who have younger students to avoid the back up on the road.
You are probably wondering why we cannot car pool? We can, however I have three car seat kids and I only have room for two more car seats. Where would I fit more than one other kid despite owning a large vehicle. I could car pool ONLY if it was two other kids who do not need car seats, what are the odds?
It is a title one school....which I LOVE LOVE LOVE because we have AMAZING resources that will ultimately help gifted students like Addison. I have met with the principal already---it is going to be great.....BUT there are some serious injustices going on with respect to how boundaries are drawn and transportation policy implementation.
I started investigating all this BEFORE she was even a student and before we decided for or against home school; I am not JUST concerned about her.
There is something called a "Learning Community" here. The short version of how it impacts my transportation issue is.......kids outside of our district can open enroll to any school within the LC (two counties near us). IF the kids get into their requested school and they help the socioeconomic status, the district IS REQUIRED to provide transportation. There are buses with a handful of kids driving halfway across the city PAST MY HOUSE because they are in the LC open enroll program.

Brief timeline:
08/2014: Called the district and was given the run around about who to talk to since I did not have a student already enrolled there (shame on me for thinking of my neighbors who already face this)
08/2014: Submitted some photos and a short description of the situation to ask the district to review the area
08/2014-1/2015: I call an assistant superintendent every 2 weeks to follow up on the status. Finally, they respond that they do not recommend transportation services, but perhaps I should present to the Board of Directors.
2/2015: Present to the board of directors during the public comments portion of the agenda and handed out packets of information which included a one page summary of the issue and supporting maps and photos.
2/2015: Superintendent emails me and thanks for me for the presentation and puts me in touch with the Assistant Superintendent who oversees Buildings and Grounds (which includes transportation).
3/2015: Received a letter from Asst Super stating the transportation subcommittee did not recommend transportation.
*****4/2015: I ask the Asst. Super to define what "cross a major thoroughfare" (see policy below) in their transportation policy meant. He said "highway 370 is the barometer with one exception across 96th st". After the conversation I researched to find THREE more roads were used as exceptions.
4/2015: I ask the subcommittee to reevaluate my request based on my precedent findings. They STILL denied my request, changing their definition of a major road for the third time. I asked my next steps and was told this was the end of the road.

Current Status: On Thursday April 23, 2015 I submitted a VERY detailed document including photos and maps to the State Board of Education member for my district. The commissioner of education was expecting the information and he is reviewing it along with his legal counsel now.

Here is the executive summary I submitted. The detailed version gives the specific street names and details of the routes and explanations of the precedents.

Executive Summary

Concern

The Papillion La-Vista school district implements its transportation policies inconsistently ultimately requiring some elementary students to walk through unsafe conditions. Through the course of nine months the school district has been asked to review the transportation services to G. Stanley Hall Elementary school ultimately denying transportation services three times despite the unsafe conditions and unequal implementations of its policies. Additionally, members of The District have refused to physically walk with prospective elementary students from Stockman’s Hollow along the routes they expect.

Current Policy

Papillion-La Vista school district provides transportation for students living in excess of four miles from the school; exceptions maybe made to this policy for elementary students who are required to cross a major thoroughfare.

Considerations

· Dangerous intersections and incomplete sidewalks: All three possible routes from Stockman’s Hollow to G. Stanley Hall contain unsafe conditions for children as young as five and during snow season.

1) Route 1 requires students to negotiate an intersection which does not have a four way stop thus requiring students to anticipate traffic off a major road. Next, students must walk along side a major road which does not have completed sidewalks.

2) Route 2 requires students to walk through a retail development without clear stop signs at all the entrances and exits along the access roads, again without completed sidewalks along a portion of the route.

3) Route 3 requires students to weave through under construction apartment complex which does not have speed bumps, stop signs or completed sidewalks. After going through the apartments, students must walk along a road without sidewalks before they reach another subdivision that adjoins with the school.

· Elementary school boundaries need revision: Boundary revisions which send children to schools most geographically close to them could eliminate the need for transportation services to Stockman’s Hollow.

· Precedent: Throughout the nine months The District reviewed the transportation concerns for Stockman’s Hollow G Stanley Hall students, the definition of “major thoroughfare” was inconsistent. The first definition The District provided for “major thoroughfare” was “highway 370 with 96^th street as the one exception”. Portal, Hickory Hill and Tara Heights Elementary are all provided transportation but do not cross any of the aforementioned roads.

Recommendations

· Revise policy 5701 to clearly define a “major thoroughfare” by utilizing metrics and fairly implement.

· Add transportation services for Stockman’s Hollow G. Stanley Hall Elementary students who are required to traverse areas with unsafe conditions including crossing major/busy roads OR revise elementary school boundaries

Conclusion and Timeline

After nine months working with The District, following proper protocol, it is apparent transportation policies are inconsistently implemented and student transportation safety is not a concern.

I also have some passionate opinions on the matter which just further fuel this entire thing.

Can you imagine a five year old walking down a road without a sidewalk when we get snow from November to April?!!? What happens when they plow?! Are they crazy? I bet if a board member had a kid expected to do this, the issue would magically disappear. humph.
It is NOT a "privilege" to be "able to" personally drive my children to PUBLIC SCHOOL everyday. Sorry. It just isn't. If Matthew and I both worked, we would have to pay for before and after school care even after the kids were old enough to get on the bus alone because the trek is just too dangerous.
Arriving an hour early to pick up for fun is...well...not fun. If parents choose to do that because they do not want their little one to risk being among the last to be picked up from their class, that is their choice. But its completely unacceptable to expect parents to sit in a car for an hour with other young children waiting for pick up....particularly when it is sub zero outside and snow plows are plowing 100 mph past you.
I am NOT a fan of the LC situation. YES I understand the intent, however those of us opting to attend our "home" school suffer because there are not transportation dollars to go around. The amount spent on JUST the LC transportation is greater than the transportation costs for the REST OF THE DISTRICT! I even TRIED to open enroll and was denied....but I did not help the socioeconomic status so I would not have gotten transportation anyways. SIGH, doomed no matter what!