East Stroudsburg board to study small bell-time change after 2,400-response survey
January 27, 2026 | East Stroudsburg Area SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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The East Stroudsburg Area School District board directed administrators Jan. 26 to run simulations and further study a small change to school start times intended to improve bus-route efficiency, after district staff presented community survey results and bell-time options.
Superintendent Dr. Vertalli framed the study and the options under consideration, saying the district received "over 2,400 responses to the survey," with roughly 62% of respondents preferring to keep the current schedule. Staff presented three alternatives: a micro change (secondary start 5 minutes earlier; elementary start 10 minutes later), a macro swap putting elementary first, and a three-tier bus schedule to separate elementary, intermediate and high-school runs.
The micro change attracted support on efficiency grounds. Board members noted the district’s current imbalance — about 73 morning routes versus 112 afternoon routes — and said the micro move could reduce PM runs to about 91, which would lower driver load and improve resiliency when drivers are absent. "That would at least, help our PM routes to be more effective," a board member said during the discussion.
Opponents and questioners cautioned that absenteeism, routing strategy and parent pickup practices also affect punctuality. One board member argued that route-management problems and staffing shortages, not start times, may be the root cause. The superintendent responded that prior vendor analysis recommended time changes rather than route redesigns and that drivers report they routinely fill in across route types.
Board members asked staff to test the micro-move scenario with the district’s routing software and return findings in March; Dr. Vertalli said staff will "run simulated information and then come back to you probably in March and say, 'Here is what we have found.'" The board did not change start times tonight; it voted to explore the micro option further and review simulation results before any decision.
Next steps: a feasibility work session is scheduled for Feb. 9 focused on the broader feasibility study, and the board will review simulation findings and an update at its March meeting before considering any formal policy change.
Superintendent Dr. Vertalli framed the study and the options under consideration, saying the district received "over 2,400 responses to the survey," with roughly 62% of respondents preferring to keep the current schedule. Staff presented three alternatives: a micro change (secondary start 5 minutes earlier; elementary start 10 minutes later), a macro swap putting elementary first, and a three-tier bus schedule to separate elementary, intermediate and high-school runs.
The micro change attracted support on efficiency grounds. Board members noted the district’s current imbalance — about 73 morning routes versus 112 afternoon routes — and said the micro move could reduce PM runs to about 91, which would lower driver load and improve resiliency when drivers are absent. "That would at least, help our PM routes to be more effective," a board member said during the discussion.
Opponents and questioners cautioned that absenteeism, routing strategy and parent pickup practices also affect punctuality. One board member argued that route-management problems and staffing shortages, not start times, may be the root cause. The superintendent responded that prior vendor analysis recommended time changes rather than route redesigns and that drivers report they routinely fill in across route types.
Board members asked staff to test the micro-move scenario with the district’s routing software and return findings in March; Dr. Vertalli said staff will "run simulated information and then come back to you probably in March and say, 'Here is what we have found.'" The board did not change start times tonight; it voted to explore the micro option further and review simulation results before any decision.
Next steps: a feasibility work session is scheduled for Feb. 9 focused on the broader feasibility study, and the board will review simulation findings and an update at its March meeting before considering any formal policy change.
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