THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE:
[When parents became aware of the bus route decision in the fall of 2012, all Hell broke loose! It became obvious to everyone that the superintendent and his complicit board members had screwed up. Not much thought had been given to the matter of cutting bus service, and that was very apparent, so the District administrators had to come in and try to fix things. In areas with vocal parents, bus service was returned. In other areas, the kids were just left to walk to school in the street. So much for the "safety of the children!"]
Some Katy ISD bus routes revised after parent protests
By Helen Eriksen
Published 2:42 pm, Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Katy ISD continues to evaluate and reinstate bus routes following an outpouring of complaints from parents that the cuts reduced student safety by subjecting them to dangerous walking conditions and would cause traffic nightmares in already heavily congested areas.
The district initially cut 52 routes, but district spokesman Steve Stanford said this week some routes were added back for students who must cross hazardous roadways to get to school. Those include crossing Clay Road to get to McDonald Junior High and the Grand Parkway to get to Cinco Ranch Junior and Cinco Ranch High schools.
More Information
Job fair
What: Katy ISD will hold a job fair for bus drivers
When: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday
Where: Morton Ranch High School, 21000 Franz Road
Details: 281-396-2700
Parents like Traci and Doug Bazzy, whose children's walk would entail crossing the Grand Parkway and passing a busy Cinco Ranch retail center, are breathing a sigh of relief after learning their bus service has been reinstated, but that is not the case for everyone.
"My daughter will have to walk more than 45 minutes to get to school crossing busy streets and a bayou," said Mina Patel, who lives in Seven Meadows. "It just does not seem that administrators in KISD thought about putting so many children at risk just to save a few bucks."
More changes possible
There could be more changes, Stanford said. Routes have been added back for students who have a greater than two-mile turn-by-turn walking distance, south of West Memorial Junior High and for students north of Cinco Ranch High School, who would walk more than a two-mile distance, he said.
He said the district drew a radius through the school property line outward in a half mile or one-mile circle. That's why certain factors, such as cul de sacs or geographic obstacles, can make the actual turn-by-turn walking distance longer than a mile or half-mile, Stanford said.
The district's adjustments follow weeks of complaints from angry parents, some of whom plan to protest at the Aug. 28 board meeting, to be held 6:30 p.m. in the Education Support Complex at 6301 S. Stadium Lane.
Recent route change
The district recently announced that beginning Aug. 27, students living within a half mile of their elementary school and a mile of their junior high or high school would need to walk. The decision left 6,600 of the 32,000 pupils who depend on daily transportation without rides.
Previously, students living three-tenths of a mile from their schools were eligible for bus rides.
District officials say they made the cuts due to a severe shortage of drivers. The criticism prompted Katy Superintendent Alton Frailey to send out a message to the community last week saying school officials care about the students and do not want to put them in danger.
"I know there are petitions circulating asking for restoration of bus service to last year's levels," Frailey said. "If given the opportunity, I would sign each one of them. But unfortunately, none of those signatures will add a single driver and change the fundamental facts of this situation. That does not mean, however, we are doing nothing and simply accepting things the way they are today."
A KISD job fair will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday at Morton Ranch High School, 21000 Franz Road, for those interested in driving a school bus. Call 281-396-2700.
Some parents have taken to electronic media to address the cuts while others have turned to Craigslist to advertise for rides. A Facebook page called Katy ISD Parents for Safety - Bring Back our Buses at www.facebook.com/KatyISDConcernedParents had about 700 likes as of Tuesday.
Safety boosted
Stanford said the district is taking steps to boost safety and will continue to evaluate which routes are hazardous. Routes with walking paths and controlled intersections were determined safe, he said.
"The district will not sacrifice student safety," Stanford said. "We want students to get to school safely. If the area has a well-worn path in grass or dirt that is routinely used for pedestrian passage, it is not considered a hazardous route."
The district is launching a safety awareness campaign to remind drivers to watch out for children and that more crossing guards and patrols will be on duty, Stanford said.
Additionally, if circumstances exist that would temporarily force students to walk through unsafe areas, such as construction zones, bus service could be restored temporarily, he said.
While the district expects to save about $400,000 with the cuts, officials say they are not eliminating bus service to save money.
"If we could attract and retain drivers we would not be doing this," Stanford said. "Even with the reduced routes, we are still struggling to find drivers."
Recruitment and retention problems have plagued the district creating heavier workloads for transportation workers, which is made worse by the high turnover rate plus the time needed for training and licensing to put a driver on the street, Stanford said. The beginning hourly rate of about $13 per hour for drivers is comparable with other local districts and the average daily shift is six hours, he said
"It's not a full-time job, and about three-fourths of the drivers are temporary workers who are looking for permanent full-time positions," Stanford said.
The district has mailed 36,000 postcards and posted information on its website including a hotline number (281-396-6008) to inform parents and respond to concerns.
Bus routes are available athttp://busroutes.katyisd.org/edulog/webquery.