WHITEHALL, Pa. – The Whitehall-Coplay School District Board of Directors received feedback Monday night on a recently approved school busing policy for some charter school students.

This comes after the board voted 8-1 last month to pass a policy that removes school bus service for resident charter school students, age 12 and older, replacing that service with LANTA bus passes. That policy was not on the agenda at Monday night’s meeting. However, charter school staff and parents turned out to the meeting to express their concerns and ask the board to reconsider during public comment.

The plan calls for each charter school student to receive a bus pass. Some students will be required to obtain a transfer to a different bus. The bus passes also allow the school district to review bus ridership. The plan is set to start for the 2026-27 school year.

Parents with students at charter schools who rely on Whitehall-Coplay School District busing spoke out Monday night.

“We deserve to understand how this decision was made, what safety factors were considered, and whether there are better alternatives that protect both students and taxpayers’ dollars,” said one parent.

“While the decision to supply LANTA passes to charter school students works to assist the school fiscally, the decision fails to protect the safety of the students,” one woman, whose child would be impacted by the move, said.

“It’s not safe for them to go on a public bus; they’re going to be riding it with everybody else,” said another parent.

“A middle school student should not be expected to leave early, make transfers, wait at public stops, cross busy roads and return home much later than a normal school bus route,” one woman said.

“While some ideas look great on paper, their execution reveals the true complexity of bringing them to life and often falls disastrously short,” said resident Guy Pascarella.

“Using the LANTA trip planner, I’ve determined that there is no bus route in the mornings that will get my daughter to her school on time,” another parent said. “There are only two potential routes that get her close to school, and both rely on her walking 2 miles across hazardous roads such as MacArthur Road or Lehigh Street.”

The policy is a cost-cutting move for the district, but local charter school leaders and parents say the policy needs to be reworked or even reversed.

“We just want to make everybody aware of exactly what they have decided to approve and just make sure that they understand the hardship for some of our families,” said Susan Mauser, CEO of Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School.

Superintendent Schiffert did not comment on the policy at Monday night’s meeting.

At the district’s June 8 committee meeting, he said, “We’ve been working with LANTA to partner and look at stops within Whitehall Township and looking at the process of getting students to their respective buildings.”

Administrator pay raises

The board approved pay increases for two administrators.

Schiffert and Assistant Superintendent Renee Sallit each received 3% contractual salary increases for the 2026-27 school year under the bill.

Policy changes

The board approved on first reading changes involving teachers’ daily lesson plans.

The amendments include requiring teachers to have lesson plans “…readily available according to district expectations.”

Another change would require teachers “…to be thoroughly prepared for each daily lesson. If a teacher utilizes long-term planning, such as a unit of work, the overarching plan must be broken down to clearly outline the specific instruction for each daily lesson.”

Lunch prices

Directors approved revised a la carte prices for the 2026-27 school year. Under the plan, the cost of elementary and secondary school entrée without sides will be $3.25. A complete adult meal will be $5.25, which includes an entrée, two sides, and either milk or an 8-ounce water.

The changes impact drinks, fruits and vegetables, baked good, snacks, yogurt, fruit cups and breakfast.