Columbus City Schools (CCS) has announced a significant shift in its transportation policy, informing approximately 1,380 students attending charter and non-public schools within the district that they will no longer receive bus services this year. This decision, while ensuring sufficient busing for Columbus City Schools’ own students, stems from the enforcement of an Ohio law concerning transportation distances and ongoing logistical challenges.
The district cited the Ohio Revised Code, which stipulates that public schools are not obligated to provide transportation for students if their commute exceeds 30 minutes. While Columbus City Schools has historically not strictly adhered to this rule, letters sent to affected families explained that “ongoing challenges have forced CCS to enforce this rule.” These challenges include the complexities of planning efficient bus routes across a large and geographically diverse district, further complicated by new road construction projects and evolving traffic patterns. Effectively, the need to optimize resources and manage existing constraints has led to this policy change impacting external school transportation.
To determine student eligibility for transportation, Columbus City Schools utilized Google Maps to assess over 21,200 potential routes between students’ homes and their designated non-public or charter schools, comparing these to the nearest Columbus City public school. Furthermore, the district conducted physical test runs of selected routes, confirming the accuracy of Google Maps’ estimations. According to the district, these tests consistently showed travel times meeting or exceeding the 30-minute threshold, justifying the cessation of bus services for the identified students. One communication to parents emphasized, “In every instance of the sampling, the actual time traveled was either equal to or exceeded the high-end range that the Google map provided.”
Families who believe their children have been incorrectly deemed ineligible for busing have the option to contest this decision. The district has advised parents to request an official route timing from the Ohio Department of Education. It is crucial to note that any requested timing must accurately reflect the commute during typical school travel times. The deadline for submitting these requests is September 3rd.
This transportation policy adjustment comes as Columbus City Schools reports a positive development in staffing for its own school routes. With 446 drivers currently eligible to drive out of a total staff of 470, and an additional 29 drivers in training, the district appears to have resolved previous bus driver shortages that have plagued many districts nationwide. This improved staffing level ensures that the 470 bus routes serving Columbus City Schools’ students are adequately covered as the school year commences.
In conclusion, while Columbus City Schools has successfully addressed its internal student transportation needs, the enforcement of the 30-minute rule has resulted in significant changes for families relying on district busing for charter and non-public school students. These families must now explore alternative transportation arrangements or contest their ineligibility by the specified deadline.
