The new changes include earlier start times for elementary schools, starting at 7:50 am. Secondary schools estimated times will be between 8:30 and 8:40 am.
“That was their only motion at that time was to set the elementary start time at 7:50 am because everything works from there,” BPS Superintendent Dr. Jeff Fastnacht said. “That was the beginning of the change, and once we set that, we could begin to route all the rest of the kids and work through the process.”
The bussing problem is ultimately the reason for this change. The shortage of bus drivers has directly affected students, especially in elementary schools.
“We have not figured out bussing times, because we have not finished routing yet. We are close and that is supposed to be anytime now,” Fastnacht said.
Students were being picked up by buses two hours before school started.
“We have kids being picked up around 6:30 am maybe a little earlier than that time on some routes, which is very early considering when we start school,” Fastnacht said. “Our transportation group has assured us that we can pick up kids later even if we start school at 7:50 am.”
The school board was concerned about the shortage of bus drivers and figured a new schedule would help solve this issue.
“It boils down to not having bus drivers. 56 routes in the morning, every morning, every night,” Fastnacht said. “We are not able to get enough drivers to satisfy those so we end up delaying routes or not picking up kids or canceling routes, or running doubles, or one bus does two routes in the morning.”
The lack of bus drivers is being fixed through the downscaling of routes.
“We do not have to fill those positions anymore,” Fastnacht said. “We are going to have fewer bus routes than before and we are just going to retain what we have and as a result, we will be able to pay for them more.”
This change has been a two-year decision in the making. It has been a long process of figuring out how to cater best to the community’s needs.
“The school board made a decision over two years ago to do the study. They got results about a year ago,” Fastnacht said. “Then, they moved forward based on the recommendations and brought it to me and my team in January.”
Parents will be affected by this change because they will have to change their work schedules around their child’s needs. After-school care is being expanded holding more of a capacity so that way more parents can stay at work.
“We are affecting people’s after-school time for parents to pick up their kids,” Fastnacht said. “We are working with Boys and Girls Club, Bismarck Parks and Recreation, which provides after-school care to hold more of a capacity that way parents can work longer.”
The community has mixed feelings about this change. Lots of questions are being asked.
“I think we had nearly 1200 survey responses when we put the survey out to the public; it was mixed,” Fastnacht said. “Overall, there was more support than not; it wasn’t opposition or support but it was more questions. Many more people weren’t in either camp.”