Date: February 10, 2012
You've probably already heard that Wake County Public School System(WCPSS) is considering a proposal to change bus routes and schedules for the 2012-2013 school year in an effort to save $10 million by being more efficient.
Now, WCPSS is asking Wake County parents for their opinion of the proposed changes. Parents may review the proposed changes for their school, answer survey questions and leave comments and suggestions by clicking on the large "Transportation Survey" button on the WCPSS website's front page through 10 p.m. Feb. 16. You can take the survey here.
The survey results will then be shared with the Wake County Board of Education in advance of its Feb. 21 discussion of the issue. As board policy dictates, the school board must adopt bell schedules for next year by the end of March.
While we parents understand the need for the school system to cut transportation costs in light of school budget cuts and the rising cost of fuel, parts and maintenance, we are concerned about how these changes will affect our children. According to the transportation routing analysis, the bell schedule could change anywhere from a few minutes to more than 50 minutes. Starting school earlier or later impacts children's sleep habits and how well they function in class (research shows teens do better when they can sleep later in the morning). As for parents, bell changes can mean we have to make alternate arrangement for child care.
