Multi Tiered Bussing

1. Multi Tiered Bussing Park Hill School District Board of Education Meeting January 26, 2012

2. Timeline • 2009-2010 - Budget Reduction Committee (BRCC) formed • 2010 - Transportation sub committee identified a multi tier bussing system as potential savings of $400,000 or more • February 2, 2011 – Board placed the multi tier concept in the “yellow” category to be studied at a later time • Summer/Fall 2011 - Board of Education ask administration to study the concept and suggest a scenario • October, 2011 – Committee formed • November 1, 2011 – First committee meeting • Other meetings – Nov. 14, Dec. 3 and Jan. 4

3. Committee • Jim Rich – Director of Operations (Committee Chair) • All 16 Principals • 16 Parent Representatives (1 from each school) • Dr. Mark Miles – Deputy Superintendent • Dr. Paul Kelly – Assistant Superintendant • Nicole Kirby – Communications Director • Ronda McCullick – Food Service Director • Lisa McLaughlin – Child Care Program Specialist • Leon Cauble - First Student Branch Manager

4. Committee Goal • The goal of the Multi Tiered Bussing Committee is to create and present viable options should the district elect to change from two-tiered bus routing.

5. Start/ End Times12 comparative Kansas City Districts Earliest Start Latest Dismissal # of start times • Blue Springs 7:10 4:05 6 • Center 7:30 3:454 • Fort Osage 7:30 3:55 4 • Grandview 7:35 3:55 4 • Hickman Mills 7:20 4:15 6 • Independence 7:25 3:45 6 • Lee’s Summit 7:30 4:00 7 • Liberty 7:20 4:10 5 • N. Kansas City 7:15 4:00 6 • Park Hill 7:30 3:30 4 • Platte County 7:30 3:45 4 • Raytown 7:18 4:10 4

6. Summary Data12 comparative Kansas City Districts • Earliest start time – 7:10 a.m. (Blue springs Freshman center) • Latest end time – 4:15 (Hickman Mills elementary school) • Average high school start/end time – 7:30 – 2:25 • Average Middle School start/end time – 7:45 – 2:50 • Average Elementary start/end time – 8:53 – 3:45

7. Committee Criteria • Criteria in order of importance created by the committee • No negative educational impact on students • Positive bus stop safety • Later start time for elementary students; dismissal no later than 4:00 • Amount of savings • Day care concerns

8. Scenarios • Five scenarios created for committee review • Weighted criteria used to select best scenario

9. Scenario 1 Start End • Park Hill High 7:15 2:23 • Park Hill South 7:15 2:23 • Plaza Middle 7:25 2:20 • Lakeview Middle 8:25 3:30 • Congress Middle 8:25 3:30 • 3 Elementary Schools 8:35 3:20 • 7 Elementary Schools 9:25 4:10 • Estimated Savings = $417,000

10. Scenario 2 Start End • Park Hill High 7:15 2:23 • Park Hill South 7:15 2:23 • Congress Middle 7:15 2:20 • Lakeview Middle 7:15 2:20 • Plaza Middle 8:25 3:20 • 4 Elementary Schools 8:35 3:20 • 6 Elementary Schools 9:25 4:10 • Estimated Savings = $256,906

11. Committee Comments • Earlier start times goes against research regarding biorhythms • Earlier start times and later end times would have more kids at bus stops in the dark more often • Greater potential for late buses if a bus is late on the first route • Makes it easier for First Student to send another bus for third tier when bus runs late on first or second tier • Later elementary start could cause more elementary kids to put themselves on the bus with no parents or older siblings home

12. Committee Comments • High schools start only fifteen minutes earlier; everyone starts less than an hour earlier • Could possibly impact elementary professional development • Could possibly impact coaches that teach elementary or middle school and coach high school • This will quite possibly affect every family with school age children in Park Hill • Suggestion was made to have same length of day for all grade levels • currently: HS – 7:08, MS – 7:05, PMS – 6:55, ES – 6:45

13. Committee Comments • Potentially three changes for Park Hill families: tiered bus system, pure feeder system, redistricting • Later dismissal might suit some parents • Could possibly impact teacher sharing between schools and may reduce savings • Does this take into account NCLB school choice schools? • In scenario 2, having Plaza start later than other middle schools could be problematic

14. Committee Comments • Late afternoon dismissal times could cause problems for staff • Teenagers having a lot of free time in the morning is not a good scenario (supported by research) • Savings for proposal is not enough to justify disruption • After-school staff collaboration among elementary schools could be difficult • Elementary students could arrive for Adventure Club at 6:30 for a 9:25 start time at later schools

15. Committee Comments • Minimal benefit for athletics and working high school students; may be better for middle school students • Instructional downtime for elementary students between 3:30 and 4:10 • Middle school intramurals may not work, which would be a program cut for these children • Alienates the elementary schools that start later than all others • If we do not make this change will we have to make cuts in other areas

16. Committee Comments • Scenario 2 will cause us to have varying ages at bus stops at the same time • Buses could run in afternoon rush-hour traffic • Cost for parents may go up because more parents may have to use Adventure Club or other day care • May cause more absenteeism because doctor appointments can not be made after school • How can you argue with saving money • May create field trip scheduling issues

17. Multi Tiered Bussing Park Hill School District Board of Education Meeting January 26, 2012