PAPILLION, Neb. (KMTV) – The Papillion La Vista Community School Board began formal discussions Monday night about providing families with more busing options to safely transport students who do not live on existing routes.
- Parents in the Papillion La Vista School District are demanding more transportation options after two middle school students were struck by cars on their way to school.
- The school board is discussing a drafted policy to provide busing for middle schoolers who live within four miles of their school, an area not covered by current routes.
- The proposed "parent pay" option could cost families nearly $1,700 a year, leading parents to urge the board to find a more affordable solution.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Parents in the Papillion La Vista School District are asking for more busing options for middle school students after two children were struck by cars on their way to school.
The Papillion La Vista Community School Board began formal discussions Monday night about providing families with more busing options to safely transport students who do not live on existing routes.
Currently, the district does not bus middle school students to school if they live less than four miles away.
According to information shared at the meeting, a drafted policy includes busing for middle school students south of Highway 370 who live inside of four miles of their school, and students north of Highway 370 within two to four miles of their school.
However, parents would have to pay $1.692 a year for the service.
Stefanie Barton, a Papillion La Vista Community Schools parent, said she is hopeful but wants to see the final plan.
"I’m so glad they are doing numbers and discussion, and I want to see action along with that discussion," Barton said.
Parents said they hope the school board listens to concerns and creates a busing proposal that is feasible for all families.
"It’s incredibly frustrating. I feel like we are just moving from paying for child care to paying for transportation," Robin Duer, a Papillion La Vista Community Schools parent, said.
"I want to see a viable solution, and if it is a parent pay option one that’s affordable for all families," Barton said.
Next steps include finalizing costs and reviewing the district's current bus contract.
Christopher Villarreal, a spokesperson for the district, said 36 to 48 students per middle school would need to sign up for the parent pay option for it to make sense to develop the infrastructure.
Andrew Bell, director of human resources for Papillion La Vista Community Schools, said the district will send out a survey in early May to learn how many parents would be interested and their willingness to pay for busing.
