Busing 2026-27 FAQs

Why is the district making transportation changes?

The district is facing a more than $5 million budget shortfall for 2026–27, and transportation is one of our largest operational cost areas. To protect classroom learning, academic programs, and student support services, we must look carefully at non-classroom spending and improve efficiency where possible.

By restructuring transportation, we can reduce costs while continuing to provide safe and reliable service for students.

We recognize that transportation changes can affect family schedules and daily routines. These decisions are not made lightly. Our goal is to strengthen the long-term sustainability of our transportation system while keeping resources focused on students and classrooms.

The transfer model allows us to run fewer buses through a neighborhood and ensure buses are utilized more efficiently. In this model, buses will pick up students in one area (from both public and charter/private schools) and bring them to one of our schools for transfer.

This plan continues to evolve and change

As we continue to plan for next fall we are working to refine the model. The concept shared in February reflected an initial routing framework designed around maximizing system efficiency. As planning has progressed, we are working to keep the district's secondary students off of elementary bus routes. Our commitments remain clear:

• High school routes will operate within the same overall pick-up window as this year.
• Age-level groupings will remain consistent whenever possible.
• Student safety and supervision remain non-negotiable.

We will share additional details once the plan is finalized.

We know that improving sleep for our older students was an important goal last year—and it still is.

We are actively working to keep our district's secondary students off of elementary bus routes in our revised planning.

Because routes are being completely redesigned, some students will have different pick-up times than they had this year. For some families, pick-up times may be slightly earlier than this year. For others, they may be later. 

Buses will be covering fewer miles and traveling within smaller geographic areas. Stops will be closer together, and routes will generally be shorter—helping support more consistent and predictable pick-up times.

The district will continue following transportation guidelines and will build routes that are as efficient and reasonable as possible.

No. Each area of the district is being reviewed individually. Some neighborhoods are more densely populated and already operate on efficient routes, while others are more rural and require longer ride times. Because of these differences, we are not taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Not all students or neighborhoods will experience the same level of change. Final route decisions are still being carefully analyzed based on geography, student density, and overall efficiency.

Yes, in some areas buses may include mixed grade levels as well as students from public and charter/private schools. This model isn’t new or untested, however. Many districts across the state use mixed-age bus routes, and we’ve successfully done this for years with nearly 1,000 riders at St. Croix Prep Academy. 

What we consistently see is very positive. Bus drivers report very few issues, and more often we hear stories of older students sitting with younger riders, helping them find seats, talking with them, and looking out for them. 

We intentionally seat our youngest students at the front of the bus near the driver, have clear behavior expectations in place, use bus cameras, and work closely with school administrators if concerns arise.

The district's elementary students will continue to receive direct service to their school and will not need to transfer.

Some middle and high school students may transfer buses, depending on their neighborhood and final route design. 

Not all secondary students will be required to transfer. Routes are being finalized based on geography, student density, and overall efficiency, and details will be shared with families once confirmed.

All transfer sites are located at school buildings. Students will remain on their bus until all other buses arrive, and they will be supervised by the bus driver. School staff will also be on site to support students as they transfer from one bus to another.

Student safety and supervision remain a top priority.

A walk/no bus zone is the area around a school where busing is not provided.

• Elementary walk/no bus zone: ½ mile
  (This is less restrictive than the state’s 1-mile limit.)
• Secondary walk/no bus zone: 2 miles
  (This is set at the state’s maximum)

Distance is measured using the district’s routing software and is calculated from the student’s street address to school property. Walk/no bus zones are used in school districts across the state and are reviewed annually to incorporate safe walking routes, including sidewalks, trails, and walking paths within the designated distance.

In the event district staff identify hazardous roadways within a walk/no bus zone, transportation is provided. Hazard determinations are made by the district based on factors such as traffic volume and speed, road design, and other safety considerations. Not all busy or inconvenient roads meet the district’s hazard criteria.

For next year, the district reevaluated and updated our walk/no bus zones to ensure they align with transportation guidelines.

In previous years, some areas were measured using drive distance or drive time rather than actual walking routes. This review incorporated existing sidewalks, trails, and safe walking paths within ½ mile of elementary schools.

As a result, some students who previously received busing may now fall within the updated walk zone and will no longer qualify for transportation. In addition, for 2026–27 the district will no longer provide transportation for students who live outside district boundaries and open enroll into a charter or private school.

Families will be notified of any changes to their busing status prior to the end of the current school year.

Families are required to opt-in for transportation each year so the district can build routes based on actual ridership. This annual opt in process happens every spring and families will receive more information during the opt-in window.

Not all eligible students use bus service. When families opt-in, it allows us to:

• Design routes more accurately
• Reduce unused seats
• Improve route efficiency
• Maintain reliable service

Opting-in helps ensure we are planning transportation for the students who truly need it and allows us to use district resources responsibly.

Each student is allowed:

• One morning bus stop within the school’s transportation area
• One afternoon bus stop within the school’s transportation area

The stop may be at home or a daycare location, and it may be different for morning and afternoon. Stops may not vary by day of the week. This reduces duplicate stops, improves route accuracy, and helps buses run more efficiently.

The district will continue to work with families in joint custody situations when both addresses are within the school’s transportation boundary.

Centralized stops bring students from a neighborhood or geographic area to one common stop location. They reduce the number of stops a bus must make, which helps routes run more efficiently. Reducing stops also helps keep ride times reasonable and improves overall route reliability.

To maintain safe and efficient routes, buses do not enter most cul-de-sacs, dead-end roads, or small pocket neighborhoods with roads that are less than ½ mile in length. Instead, centralized stops are identified that meet district guidelines and allow buses to navigate safely.

We understand every family’s circumstances are different. Transportation eligibility and stop locations must be determined using district guidelines so they are consistent and fair for all students.

If you believe there is an error in your address, distance measurement, or a safety factor that meets district criteria, families may request a review by  submitting a help ticket online. After review, the district will provide a final determination.