Miami Valley school districts have cut busing for more than 3,500 local students in the last couple of years in response to state and federal budget cuts, some directly related to transportation, and multiple failed levies.

The changes have saved a combined $2.5 million for area districts, but have pushed much of that burden onto parents and the local community.

“If I have to make a choice between cutting transportation and cutting classroom teachers, there’s no contest – that’s why we’re here,” said John Kronour, Tipp City superintendent.

Tipp City, Beavercreek, Huber Heights, Xenia and Vandalia-Butler – each of which had and/or will have levies on the ballot this year – decreased the number of kids they bus to school in the last 18 months.

Many of their former bus riders are now walking, carpooling or being dropped off and picked up by family members. Some parents see this change as a potential safety concern, while many see it as a daily inconvenience and added expense.

“It’s been hard; we would never be able to manage this if I worked full time,” said Andrea Pfaffenbichler, a mother of three Beavercreek students whose husband works from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We live probably five miles from the high school. I spend a lot of time in my car.”

This reduction in local busing also reflects a statewide trend. The Ohio Department of Education reported that 928,098 Ohio students were bused in 2010, compared to 839,140 in 2012.

State law, state cuts

Ohio law mandates that public school districts provide transportation for students in kindergarten through eighth grade who live more than two miles from their school. Additional services to students who live closer or who attend high schools are optional.

Special education students in need of transportation also are bused by the public districts, as are students who attend local nonpublic schools, community schools, STEM schools and joint vocational schools.

The majority of Ohio districts and almost all Dayton-area districts provide more than the minimum amount of busing. However, prior to the $1.8 billion in funding for public schools that was cut via Ohio’s biennial budget in 2011, the state discontinued funding assistance that helped districts purchase new school buses.

“That funding flow was 36 million in 2002, decreased to 13 million by 2009, and was stopped in 2010,” said John Charlton, ODE spokesman. “At the same time, the average price of a new school bus went from $50,000 in 2005 to nearly $90,000 in 2012.”

Ohio also received $1 million less from the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Routes to Schools program in 2012 as compared to the year before.

These funding losses, compounded in some cases by multiple levy failures by individual districts, have led to fewer services for area students.

“In that first wave of red, you’re always looking to not directly impact the classroom,” said William Kirby, who recently retired as Huber Heights superintendent and was hired last month to lead Valley View Local Schools. “But, when levies do fail, it often means bigger classes, loss of programs, professional development, busing, (etc.)”

The levy factor

Busing cuts often are made in response to levy failures, as districts scramble to recoup funds, and can be used as an attempt to incentivize voters to pass future levies.

“I think (busing) is one of those areas that the public tends to pay attention to because it impacts families directly,”Kirby said. “Athletics is another one.”

Huber Heights has a levy on the Nov. 6 ballot, but new Superintendent Sue Gunnell said the district will not be able to reinstate busing regardless of the election results.

The Montgomery County district cut busing to Wayne High School students and reduced it for those at Weisenborn Junior High School as of this school year.

“In fact, we continue to look at further reductions in order to extend the time period of needing to seek additional operating money,” she said. “The last time voters approved a levy for new operating money (in Huber Heights) was May 2005.”

Vandalia-Butler had levies fail in November 2011 and August and is back on the ballot this November. The district cut busing to state minimum standards and reduced the number of bus routes, route times and employees who are eligible for full-time benefits.

According to district spokeswoman Bethany Reiff, the changes will save the district $663,000 compared to last year. If their levy passes, Vandalia-Butler officials said the district may reinstate elementary school busing to its former levels. That decision is still under discussion.

Superintendent Bill McGlothlin said Beavercreek will resume busing all students who live more than a half-mile from their schools if the district’s levy passes in November. The Greene County district eliminated high school busing and reduced it for middle-school students after two failed operating levies, the latest in November 2011.

The district has not passed a new-money levy in 10 years.

Busing also has been restricted in Tipp City, where a levy failed in the August special election.

“I don’t know how we can continue to provide every service that we’ve provided with our budget cuts and taxpayers saying they’re not going to pass levies,” Kronour said. “We can’t provide services without the dollars.”

Cuts, efficiencies, savings

According to the ODE, it costs about $789 per year on average to transport a student to school in Ohio. Therefore, reductions in transportation can mean a significant savings to local districts.

Centerville and Springboro were ahead of the local curve in busing alterations. Springboro cut busing to high school students in 2008, after five consecutive levies for new operating money failed.

Springboro reinstated busing in January after balancing its budget through widespread personnel cuts and, according to then-school board member Scott Anderson, to address the hardship it had created for families.

The reinstated busing will cost the Warren County district about $200,000 this year, according to operations director Jeffrey Madden.

Centerville Associate Superintendent Bob Yux said, in 2009, efficiencies were implemented and his district’s walk zone increased from a half-mile to a mile for students in second grade and above.

Yux said the changes were made in anticipation of the state funding cuts to transportation and in response to a levy failure in 2008. Fewer Centerville students are being bused this school year as compared to 2008, and the district is saving more than $110,000 per year due to these changes.

Xenia Community City Schools instituted a minor policy change – no longer busing for open-enrollment students – that was overshadowed by the outsourcing of its transportation department this summer. Both moves will save the district a reported $600,000 for this school year.

Lebanon and Dayton school districts each created efficiencies via routes or capacity within their busing structures.

Lebanon City Schools is the only district in the area to increase the amount of students it buses and save money via efficiencies, which include rerouting and extending bus stops.

The Warren County district is saving $210,000 annually and busing 1,226 more students than it did two years ago.

“I think it’s important to provide busing as long as it’s financially feasible for a school district,” Superintendent Mark North said. “And as long as you’re not jeopardizing that child’s safety.”

Safety first

Local school districts have provisions built into their busing policies that address individual situations that could put a student in harm’s way while walking to school.

For example, Piqua City Schools provides busing to students outside a one-mile radius, “with consideration to sidewalk accessibility.”

At Northmont City Schools, “The district may provide transportation for students living less than one mile, if they live in an area too hazardous for walking,” according to Brandon Knecht, director of business services.

None of the local districts that have changed their busing policies in the last couple of years have reported any safety issues as a result of busing policy changes or the increase in students walking to school.

But some parents believe the changes introduce unnecessary dangers for their children.

Stephanie Frantz of Huber Heights said her son was bused last year but this year, due to that district’s policy changes, the 14-year-old has to walk down Ohio 202 to get to Weisenborn.

“My concern is that these children have to walk along these roads in the dark,” said Frantz, adding her job and that of her fiance prohibit driving her son to and from school most days. “Kids jaywalk on 202, since there’s only one crosswalk. When they get out of school, it’s total chaos.”

Gunnell said she understands parents’ concerns, but added that busing changes were made with consideration to student age and ability to walk to school.

She added that Huber Heights tried to address areas where it was providing services in excess of the state minimum.

“When we looked at where can we make cuts, we saw that the state requirement for transportation was the two-mile walk zone,” the superintendent said. “The reductions in transportation are part of $8 million dollars in reductions thus far in the district.”