The report emphasized just how far the district has to go before it has an efficient and reliable school transportation system.
A young boy looks out the window of a Boston Public Schools bus traveling down Dorchester Avenue on the first day of school in Boston. — compiled by experts from the Council of the Great City Schools, a national nonprofit organization — comes as part of Boston Public Schools’ compliance with the systemic improvement plan agreed between the city and state And it emphasized just how far the district has to go before it has an efficient and reliable school transportation system.
Some of the causes identified by the report are structural, or woven into the district’s very identity. The district has had to run buses not only to and from its own 125 schools, but also for 105 charter, parochial and private schools. Boston’s“That is not problematic in and of itself — it’s part of the policy of the district,” said Ray Hart, president of the Council of the Great City Schools, as he introduced the report before Boston’s school committee Wednesday evening. However, Hart added that the policy"directly impacts the efficiencies of transportation for students: on-time arrivals, missed stops average ride times.” Boston's school bus fleet serves 21,500 students, accommodating a complex puzzle of various school start times: 24 different morning bell times, 20 midday bell times and 29 different afternoon bell times, according to the report. The cost of the school district's bus transportation vendor contract has ballooned by $24 million since the 2018-19 fiscal year and is now $143 million, or 10% of the district's total budget in the current school year, the report adds.Superintendent Mary Skipper said she’s pleased with this year’s improvements in on-time bus arrivals to school, including a 91% success rate coming out of the holiday break and a 93% on-time rate in December.Skipper acknowledged the district has “a long way to go” before it resolves many of the issues identified in the report. She said she was determined to make necessary changes. “We have to get this right for children and families … we have to be able to safe and reliable transportation," she said. The remaining problems detailed in the report were more administrative: unclear or poor data collection on bus utilization rates, increased costs byBut even those problems could be difficult to correct quickly. The report’s authors recommend streamlining school start times into three “tiers,” and in coordination with charter and parochial schools. But they also pointed out that there would likely be resistance when it came to start times. The district’s last effort to reform start times, made in 2017,
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Boston joins third national 'No Kings' protestThousands of people are expected to crowd downtown Boston for the third 'No Kings' rally, according to organizers, joining what they expect will be millions of demonstrators fanning out across the country.
Read more »
No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers vs Boston College Baseball, Game Two ScorePregame LHP Max Stammel (2-1, 4.97 ERA, 25.1 IP, 12 BB, 22 SO) is on the mound this afternoon and here is how UVA is lining up today: 1. SS Eric Becker 2. CF A
Read more »
Boston College Football Spring Practice Notebook: Day 9The Eagles held their ninth spring practice inside Fish Field House on Saturday morning.
Read more »
Utah Royals cap 'exhausting' 3-match week with 1st win, 2-1 over Boston LegacyKSL BYU and college sports reporter
Read more »
Boston College Baseball Run Rules No. 9 Virginia 17-0, Captures Third ACC Series WinThe win marked the Eagles' ninth in a row.
Read more »
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Among Five Boston Celtics on Injury Report vs. CharlotteThere is a lengthy list for the Celtics, who are in a three-game in four-night stretch, and who might feel comfortable resting some guys with a little pad in the standings.
Read more »