6/24/22 *EDITORS NOTE: During the June 23, 2022 Board meeting, trustees amended the recommendation, approving the following start times:

  • Elementary – 7:30 am to 2:45 pm (shifts 10 min earlier)
  • HIGH School – 8:15 am to 3:35 pm (shifts 25 min earlier)
  • MIDDLE School – 9:05 am to 4:20 pm (shifts 55 min later)

We recognize that meeting the transportation needs of our students was a significant challenge our #1LISD community experienced this school year. Driver and monitor shortages, increased traffic in our area, and an increase in ridership numbers caused multiple routes to arrive at their campuses 15-30 minutes late. 

We have heard your concerns and continue to take action to improve. In 2018, a committee was formed to research and discuss all options to improve transportation and determine if there were enough minutes in the school day to meet learning requirements. Based on the committee’s work, a few changes were implemented in the Fall of 2020 which included:

  • Adjusting the school start and end times
  • Increasing the amount of time between each level’s start time
  • Adjusting order of school times to elementary school first, middle school second, high school last 

The committee did review adding 45 minutes between each level, and believed it would provide additional relief to transportation, but they did not feel that the summer of 2020 was an appropriate time to recommend that change. With the new constraints that the transportation department has experienced over the past two years, now is a more appropriate time to implement the recommendation to move to 45 minutes between each level.  A few of the measures, which are mentioned below, were implemented this year.

Hop, Skip, Drive (contracted service)

  • Implemented in December to assist in transporting students from far distances or very low ridership on certain routes
  • Currently 60 students utilize this service

Smart Tag

  • Six pilot campuses
  • Drivers are testing the system daily to become familiar 
  • District wide roll-out August 2022

Learn more about Smart Tag on our transportation site

Two outside companies audited our transportation department during the 2021–22 school year and recommended the following:

  • Adjust bell times with a minimum of 45-55 minutes between each level
  • Restructure bus routes which will result in more efficient and effective routes and a cost savings for the district of approximately $1 million annually

In addition to these changes, to accommodate the recommendations provided in the transportation audits, and fully implement the recommendations and work from the 2018–2020 committee, the following adjustment has been proposed to the 2022–23 bell schedule.  

2022-2023 Bell Schedule:

  • Elementary – 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
  • Middle School – 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • High School – 9:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Current Bell Schedule:

  • Elementary – 7:40 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.
  • Middle School – 8:10 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.
  • High School – 8:40 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

While we recognize that the proposed changes will impact each family differently, we feel that these adjustments benefit the district as a whole. Those benefits include: minimizing traffic congestion, reducing expenditures through efficient routing, and most importantly aiding us in getting our students to school in a more timely manner.  

As we look to make these adjustments for next year, we value and appreciate any comments, suggestions, or concerns you may have regarding this plan. Please utilize ThoughtExchange to share your thoughts. This form will be open until May 18, 2022. Thank you so much for your partnership in this process!