PAPILLION, Neb. (KMTV)– A Papillion mother is calling on PLCS to expand student transportation options after two students were struck by cars while walking to school in January.
- A Papillion mom is urging the school district to expand bus routes after two students were struck by cars walking to school in January.
- Under current policy, students must live more than 2 miles from an elementary school or 4 miles from a junior high or high school to qualify for busing.
- The district says adding bus routes would cost $1.5 million and determined it would not benefit enough students to be viable
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A Papillion mother is calling on PLCS to expand student transportation options after two students were struck by cars while walking to school in January.
Stefanie Barton is a mom to four middle school students in the Papillion La Vista School District. Each day, she drives them to school — or they have to walk.
"This is student safety and our kids not getting hit by cars," Barton said.
Under the district's current policy, only students who live farther than 2 miles from an elementary school or 4 miles from a junior high or high school are eligible for busing. Barton says that policy forces children to cross busy streets like Cornhusker, 72nd and Giles.
She took her concerns to the Papillion La Vista Community Schools board before speaking with me.
"It doesn't change when a kid goes from 6th grade to 7th grade that they are more safe walking on these busy streets and intersections," Barton said.
Barton says transportation to school is hard for military families new to the area, or families where both parents work. She says 4 miles is not a walkable distance for students every day.
"A lot of time they talk about attendance and they need students in the seats for them to learn and this is a barrier to students if they can't get there, if they can't get there safely," Barton said.
Christopher Villarreal, spokesperson for Papillion La Vista Community Schools, told me the district conducted a transportation evaluation two years ago. It found that adding additional bus routes would cost the district $1.5 million and would not benefit enough students to be considered viable.
"At what point is it students lives or budget line item number," Barton said.
Villarreal says the district will review Barton's public comments from the board meeting to determine if any changes to busing are warranted.
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