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Hillsborough Schools Address Bus Stop Concerns

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By MARILYN BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2008

Updated: 09/05/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - Parents have persuaded officials to change 85 bus stops, with 103 more under review, Hillsborough schools' transportation chief told school board members Thursday in a brief report on this year's bus chaos.

The board wants full "dissection" soon of what went wrong when the district expanded a new transportation plan to three more areas this year after it struggled when tried in just one area last year.

"Just hang in there - we're going to get your problems solved," board Chairwoman Jennifer Faliero told parents at back-to-back board meetings Thursday.

She said she has asked Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, who again took full responsibility for the failure, for a full review and time frame of the problems "so parents will gain their trust back."

Bus stops are still being reviewed and changed, said transportation chief John Franklin. Of 335 requests already reviewed, 85 were changed, he said, with 103 more to go.

"We've fallen short on high expectations," Franklin said. He is short 166 bus drivers, yet still has some drivers with just one school. Other buses remain crowded with drivers making extra runs.

Board members expressed strong support for Franklin and for the bus drivers whose routes were changed with little or no time to make practice runs. They also lauded Jack Davis, Franklin's boss, who suddenly retired effective today after 34 years working his way up from teacher to chief information and technology officer. He recently broke two vertebrae.

Davis will be replaced by David Steele, who takes over the job Monday. He also will keep his current job as general director of secondary education for up to 90 days, Elia said.

Steele holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education from the University of Florida, a Masters in Educational Administration from Harvard University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of South Florida. He started as a math teacher for the district in 1978 and worked his way up to principal of Plant City High and King High schools before being named to his current position in 2006.

Board members spent about 90 minutes hashing over bus problems and listening to six parents and union leaders on the subject.

"This bus system has put me in a quandary," Renee Olson, a teacher at Mann Middle School, said after the district stopped after-school bus service to many county parks and recreation centers. She can either pay $48 a week for her 10-year-old daughter to attend an after-school program at Maniscalco Elementary, pay $60 a month for private bus service if enough parents join her or send her daughter home where "she would be a latchkey child."

Board members made no decisions on new rules that cut bus service to many after-school programs, but said they will continue to talk about the issue. They were given a chart showing at least 25 more buses would be needed to serve 20 park programs cut from transportation this year.

Besides lack of drivers, the state pays only 65 to 68 percent of the cost of transportation, leaving at least $17 million the district had to pay.

The board agreed to add a request to their legislative priorities to consider laws to possibly provide bus transportation to families within a mile of school instead of two miles. They said they had little hope because of the economy and agree it could take years.

The effect from the district's late notification of new bus schedules and stops to parents, schools and bus drivers is still being felt.

Eliminating stops, placing them farther apart and cutting most courtesy busing to students living less than two miles from school was supposed to save money and get buses to school on time. Parents have been outraged at not getting through phones lines to get information or report new stops with dangerous walks.

In other action, the board also gave final approval to its 2008-09 budget of $3.134 billion, which is $7.9 million less than last year.

The board also approved new out-of-county travel guidelines created after a tally of board travel revealed that board member Susan Valdes spent $50,332 during her first term of office. There was no travel budget.

A committee of the board chairwoman, vice-chairwoman and board member Doretha Edgecomb now will meet with staff to hash out details and travel budget recommendations and then pre-approve non-budgeted, out-of-county travel requests. Edgecomb developed the new travel forms that will be used by board members.

The board also appointed Scott Weaver, principal of Mabry Elementary, to principal of Westchase Elementary, effective Monday. He replaces Joyce Wieland, recently appointed general director for Exceptional Student Education.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

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