Newton schools has nearly doubled the amount of students on buses

Newton has almost double the amount of students riding school buses this year, according to information shared by the superintendent during the Aug. 26 school board meeting. Of the 1,384 students receiving transportation from the district this year, about 3 percent are coming from and going to child care centers.

Students in Newton who are eligible for and are requesting transportation this year are spread out over 15 regular bus routes, three special needs buses and five special needs suburbans. During the 2023-2024 school year, a total of 755 students were eligible and received transportation.

Superintendent Tom Messinger said some students do still need to be taken out of the system who have requested transportation but are not utilizing it, which could ultimately affect the total for the 2024-2025 school year. The transportation of students in child care centers, he added, varies from morning to afternoon.

For instance, about 45 students are regularly picked up for school at Newton Early Learning Academy, Peck Child Development Center, YMCA and the care centers at Emerson Hough Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Elementary. But about 55 students ride a bus back to their child care centers.

Much of the data was shared by Messinger was in response to the conversations from the previous school board meeting. Parents of children in specific child care centers worried they would not be receiving any transportation services to school. Here are the numbers of child care students receiving transportation:

• NELA has nine kids in the morning and nine in the afternoon.

• Peck has three kids in the morning and six in the afternoon.

• YMCA has 27 kids in the morning and 32 in the afternoon.

• Emerson Hough-YMCA has four kids in the morning and four in the afternoon.

• Thomas Jefferson-YMCA has two kids in the morning and four in the afternoon.

QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Still, Messinger mentioned the district still wants to take a comprehensive look at transportation with the Newton school board.

“The question facing us right now is whether our current board policy and regulation are doing what they intended to do in the implementation of them,” Messinger said during a transportation update at the board meeting. “Changing the policy does take two readings in front of the school board.”

If school board members were to make changes to the transportation eligibility policy, the first reading does not have to be the final language. Messinger said the topic is best held at the board table rather than by a policy committee in order to make sure all aspects of the issue are discussed.

To Messinger, there are two key questions that need asked. Do we change our policy to include other child care centers besides the YMCA? Messinger said changing the policy to be more inclusive could also indirectly exclude other child care providers, including those who have a home daycare.

Messinger said the one-mile radius requirement is also of concern. Should the radius be provided to all child care providers? And, if so, what kind of information is needed in order to make that happen? Messinger said a number of “what-ifs” need to be taken into account.

“What if someone has their child in a daycare two days a week or three days a week, for example, and then want the child to ride from home?” Messinger said. “Part of the reason I gave you the numbers to start with on this is because our buses are near capacity, if not at capacity.”

Which means riding a school bus to and from a child care facility and from the home — like in Messinger’s example — could be considered two different routes and pose some problems. It is not going to be a simple solution. Messinger said a work session is needed to truly cover the topic in-depth.

Messinger wants to include the transportation supervisor and the building principals for feedback. Transportation has changed significantly for Newton schools. For instance, Messinger said Emerson Hough has more buses going there now than in the past.

“If we were to run a single wave of buses at Emerson Hough, we do not have spots in the transportation lineup or in the bus lineup to be there without blocking traffic,” Messinger said. “In our first wave we had about four buses … And those four buses take up the entire bus lane on the north side of the building.”

Messinger added that if the district is going to make a change then it’s going to be one that lasts. But the change has to be reasonable and efficient.

“Transportation is one of those policies that really relies on a routine,” he said. “Once we get that set we want to make sure we’re able to stay with it throughout the school year. We’ll keep the current system in place … They (the child care centers) are scheduled in to our routes.”

WHAT STARTED THIS CONVERSATION?

Shortly before school started, it was believed transportation services would not be available to Newton students enrolled in child care services at Peck Child Development Center and Newton Early Learning Academy. Pushback from parents forced the district find a solution and rethink its policies moving forward.

At that time, Messinger said in recognition of the situation families are in, transportation will be allowed at Peck and NELA during the 2024-2025 school year, but with one exception. Students at Peck who are enrolled at the nearby Emerson Hough Elementary will have to find other means to get to school.

Hilary Foster, a Newton resident, spoke on behalf of herself and other Cardinal families that were going to be affected by the initial lack of transportation during open forum at the Aug. 12 school board meeting. Families were “blindsided” by the decision, she said, and they demanded answers.

Specifically, Foster questioned if decisions were made outside of school board meetings. She spoke again at the Aug. 26 meeting and emphasized although it is important to move forward there are still families who have to rely on relatives or friends to help out with transporting their children.

“Finding help is great for some but easier said than done for others,” Foster said. “Some don’t have a family member or friend or neighbor to lean on. Some parents don’t have the job security or an understanding employer that allows them to be able to go to Emerson to pick up their child during inclement weather.”

Foster said Peck purchased a van over the weekend to transport students in case of inclement weather. She argued that cost will be passed on to families.

“Costs that some will be unable to afford. And what affect does that purchase have on Peck’s future plans and funding to expand?” Foster said. “How will your decision affect that? How will your decision affect the NELA families and the rest of the community? I urge you all to think beyond this year.”