The Deptford Township School District plans to cut courtesy busing for students unless parents who live near schools opt to pay an annual $365 charge per student, the district’s superintendent wrote in a letter to parents Friday.
The district is also consolidating bus stops to cut costs, meaning longer walks to pick-up and drop-off locations for some students. The moves are expected to save the district $1.65 million this school year, Deptford’s school Superintendent Kevin Kanauss said.
“To optimize our resources and ensure the financial stability of our district, we have made the difficult decision to reduce the number of bus stops and the number of students who will be transported to and from each of our schools,” Kanauss said in the letter.
Free busing for K-8th grade students who live within 2 miles of their school, and for 9-12th grade students within 2.5 miles of schools is commonly referred as courtesy busing, since it is not required under state law. Cuts to free busing within those ranges have been proposed by other cash-strapped New Jersey districts.
For Deptford parents who opt to pay the $365 fee per student within the courtesy busing area, there’s a catch. If a student misses the bus three times and is present in school that day, Kanauss said they will lose their spot on the bus, and it will be given to someone on a waitlist.
Kanauss and school board President Joe McKenna did not immediately respond to questions Saturday.
Reactions to the superintendent’s letter posted on social media voiced concerns about students crossing busy streets such as Delsea Drive to get to schools. Others said that some parents were not able to drive their kids to and from school, and mentioned the lack of sidewalks in parts of the district.
A change.org petition organized by parents already had 187 signatures by Saturday morning.
It was unclear whether the district planned to expand the use of crossing guards in certain areas based on the consolidated busing routes just weeks before the school year begins. Messages left with Deptford’s chief of police with questions were not immediately returned Saturday.
It was also unclear Saturday whether Deptford Township schools received or plans to apply for Safe Routes to School funding that promotes building safe infrastructure and providing safety for students who walk or ride bikes to school through the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The state-run grant program is designed to assist with installation of safe walking paths to schools, including installation of sidewalks.
A social media post on Aug. 2 by the district advertised open positions including full-time bus driver positions at $26 per hour.
Depford’s district received an almost 14% increase in state aid for 2024-2025 due to increasing enrollments. School officials plan to share more details on the district’s new bus plan at the next board meeting on Aug. 20.
“Please know that I could not, in good conscience, continue maintaining the same practices that have pilfered our budget and transportation department in recent years,” Kanauss said in the letter. “I have made a concerted effort to work with new leadership in the transportation department, the board of education and my colleagues in administration to be mindful of the taxpayers’ contributions and to make this right.”
In the district’s annual budget presentation in April, administrators said transportation costs were expected to increase by 10% in the 2024-2025 budget from the previous year. Busing expenses for school districts have skyrocketed in past years as districts suffered through a scarcity of qualified bus drivers.
Students that require busing according to their Individualized Education Plan or 504 plan will still receive courtesy busing, the letter said. Students that are temporarily displaced will also receive busing, according to the letter.
Stories by Matthew Enuco
- Going to the Shore after the storm? Be careful at erosion-hit beaches, mayor says.
- 280 apartments evacuated after ceilings cave in, officials say
- N.J. declares state of emergency as heavy storms hit the state
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
