District proposes school‑site shuttle pilot to broaden transport access to choice programs

The district presented a shuttle pilot to help families access choice schools without expecting parents to provide all transportation. Lanetta Mills, executive director of transportation, said the pilot will stage two buses at each pilot school (Charles Ellis and Garrison K‑8) so parents can drop students at a district site and have students transported to the choice schools; buses would arrive 10 minutes before departure and students would remain on board if parents are late at afternoon pickup.

Mills said the district adjusted the original concept after parent feedback emphasizing safety: shuttle pick‑up/drop‑off locations will be district school sites rather than leased retail lots so campus security and quick emergency response are available. The pilot aims to use existing staff and buses, with a target average of about 25 riders per bus and a planned cost target below $700 per participating student for the pilot period.

Board members pressed operational details: driver shortages, whether the district can reassign staff without affecting regular routes, contingency plans when parents are late, monitoring for safety incidents, and whether the pilot should include middle or high schools. Administration recommended a short data‑driven sprint: launch in August, collect operational and satisfaction metrics through December, and decide in January whether to expand.

Next steps: staff will simulate routes, finalize site logistics, train drivers/monitors, publish routes and maps to families, and begin registration in the summer. Results and a recommendation to expand (or not) are planned after the winter data collection period.