While the numbers have improved since last year, more than 2,500 bus riders are still getting to school late.
“We have a lot more work to do moving forward,” Safety, Security, & Fleet Operations Chief Dave Newlan said at the Lee County School Board’s meeting on Oct. 7.
Last year, 83% of students arrived to school on time meaning 7,990 students per day arrived late.
In the afternoon, numbers rose significantly — 18,800 students per day were picked up late for their bus ride home, with only 60% of students picked up from their school on time.
Those numbers improved in the first 30 days of school this year with on-time arrival times increasing by 20%, however 2,565 students per day are still tardy. On-time dismissals increased from last year to this year by 19%, meaning 9,019 student per day leave school late.
Newlan said arrival and dismissal is a collaboration with external partners including the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department, Department of Transportation and volunteer units to help buses arrive on the ramp on time and leave campus despite traffic.
One of the challenges is high school choice.
Newlan said one example is South Fort Myers High School, which has 39 buses alone, with one bus transporting one student, and another transporting only three students.
On time arrival means that high school students arrive at school at 6:30 a.m. for a 7 a.m. bell time, K-8 schools arrive at school by 7 a.m. for a 7:30 bell time, elementary school students arrive by 8:10 a.m. for the 8:40 bell time, and middle school students arrive at school by 9:15 a.m. for the 9:45 a.m. bell time.
Transportation and Logistical Services Executive Director Jarrad McKinney said the start time impact went from 71% on time arrival to 91% and the afternoon went from 60% to 79%.
The earliest pick up is at 3:43 a.m. with an average bus route of an hour and a half.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ken Savage said the student who is at the bus stop at 3:43 a.m. chose to attend Dunbar High School from where he lives in Bonita Springs.
“How much choice are you willing to transport for? High school is the only one that hasn’t gone through the revision process,” he said.
High schools were not subject to proximity policies implemented over the last couple of years and the number of high school students being transported has increased this year.
“The distance they have to cover makes it impossible to put more students on the route,” he said.
Vice Chair Jada Langford-Fleming asked if there was an opportunity to partner with LeeTran — a hybrid situation with public transportation that would be willing to help at that hour.
Newlan said they are also working with the office of School Choice, so they can identify students that could enroll in a school closer to home.
There has been improvement.
The tier one high school and K-8 school a.m. data for Sept. 15-19 was 98%, compared to 94% a month prior, the tier two for elementary was 93% compared to 79% a month prior and 97% for middle school from 85% a month prior.
McKinney said they are continuing to address persistent late buses by utilizing a team approach for elementary school. For middle school they increased their bus operators.
The tier one high school and K-8 school p.m. data for the same time period was 99%, the same as the month prior, for elementary school 77% compared to 71% a month prior and 65% for middle school compared to 69%.
Chief Academic Officer Nathan Shaker shared how the Safe Start Initiative has had a positive impact in the classroom.
The first academic payoff is for high school students.
He said the change in time has allowed an opportunity to add two minutes per period at the high school. That equates to 14 minutes per day, 180 days in a school year and 2,520 minutes per year, or 42 hours of instruction a year.
“We have already had an extra day and a half,” Shaker said of instruction.
That two minutes per period adds up to an additional 24 days of instructional time over four years.
At the elementary school level, with more students arriving on time, they can participate more in their 90-minute reading block at the beginning of the day.
“It’s the essential part of student achievement,” Shaker said.
It’s the same scenario at the middle school level, as math and English Language Arts is also scheduled for the morning. He said with the percentages of on-time students, they are looking at strong instructional impact.
The district is looking at different software programs to become more efficient.
Newlan said they are also reviewing the homeless student transportation program — maybe private transportation.
“We are looking at all options to increase and improve efficiency and best interest of the child,” he said.
The district is also introducing a sign up for transportation to route students who need transportation versus qualify. Newlan said bus drivers are stopping at bus stops with no one there.
The district is also is adding 10 substitute driver positions per transportation site, as well as increasing compensation from $15 to $19 an hour for substitute drivers.
The full-time driver positions are also increasing from 555 to 580 to increase route coverage and reduce delays.
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