FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Officials with Fort Wayne Community Schools issued a press release detailing some of the new changes that will be coming along with the district's revamped transportation system.
The district is reducing it's transportation budget by $2.5 million annually, beginning with the 2015-16 school year. School officials say the reduction is necessary because property tax caps have limited their transportation budget. In order to reduce expenses, FWCS will follow the No Transportation Zone (NTZ) policy, which limits transportation to students living outside a 1-mile radius for elementary school, a 1.5-mile radius for middle school and a 2-mile radius for high school.
Fort Wayne Community Schools also announced Thursday, that the district will no longer pick up or drop off school kids from their daycare centers. However, the YMCA is working with the district to expand before and after school child care options for parents as bus transportation will only transport students to and from their primary home address. Currently, FWCS has 9 sites that offer before and after school care through the YMCA, but they're hoping to expand the programs to 19 sites.
“We understand these reductions will require families to make changes in their child-care arrangements,” Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said. “We examined this aspect of transportation from every angle trying to find a way to make it work within our budget. The reality is property taxes are not keeping pace with the cost of such generous transportation and reductions must be made. We appreciate the YMCA working with us on expanding the locations with child-care offered,” Dr. Robinson said. “We hope this arrangement will provide parents with the child-care they need.”
FWCS also will no longer transport students who choose to attend a school other than their geographically assigned school. Transportation will continue for magnet schools and high school Programs of Study for students living outside the established NTZ as the boundaries for those programs are the same as the FWCS district boundaries.
