DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — Dayton high school students who were going to have to find their own way to school will be back on the bus under a multipartner plan unveiled Thursday.

Dayton Public Schools, Montgomery County, Dayton and the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority would share the $2 million cost of restoring busing for 5,600 public and charter high school students starting Aug. 6.

Dayton Public Schools eliminated bus service for high school students after voters in May rejected a 15.17-mill property tax levy. Officials feared the cut would leave students unable to get to school or cause them to be tardy because they would have to rely on RTA's regular bus routes or private transportation.

Some people also were concerned that truant youths would congregate downtown, reviving the problem of unruly crowds at Third and Main streets.

In addition, Dayton Public Schools faced the loss of state funding if students did not come to school, said School Board President Yvonne Isaacs.

"This issue is important not only for the city of Dayton but for the region," said Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin.

The district uses yellow school buses to transport elementary and middle school children, but paid RTA to transport high school students, most of whom rode special limited service buses. Last year RTA ended its $600,000 annual subsidy of that service, citing its own financial issues.

When Dayton announced it would eliminate high school busing — part of $30 million in cuts that included 500 jobs — RTA was faced with removing 39 buses from service and cutting jobs because of the loss of student customers.

RTA will still cut $800,000 in costs — 13 buses and possibly some jobs — by placing about 2,000 students on regular RTA bus routes. But careful assignment of students should eliminate problems with getting them to and from school on time and students will not transfer buses downtown, said Mark Donaghy, RTA executive director.

The plan still needs approval by each partner's governing body and officials said they expect that to occur.

The collaborative agreement, reached during a flurry of negotiations that also included the Downtown Dayton Partnership, is for the 2007-08 school year and a new agreement would be needed to cover costs for the following school year.

School Superintendent Percy Mack said the arrangement comes as a great relief to him.

"This provides a better feeling for me knowing youngsters are going to get to school on time as well as get there safely," Mack said.

Who will pay the bill to bus Dayton high school students?

RTA: $200,000 reduction in cost of bus passes.

Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services: $500,000 for district social services, freeing school district dollars to be used for transportation.

Montgomery County: $350,000 subsidy

City of Dayton: $350,000 subsidy

Dayton Public Schools: $600,000 from a state subsidy the district would not receive if bus service was cut.