Parents voice frustrations as Bullitt County Public Schools faces transportation issues

Bully County parents are frustrated as the district deals with *** shortage of bus drivers. Jamie Mays spoke with some of them tonight, and Jamie, how is this issue impacting families there? Rick, they say when drivers are out, routes can get canceled, and that means they have to find *** way to get their children to and from school. I spoke to several parents who said this can be *** challenge. Ashley Stamper and Erica Newton say several days last year, 22nd of October, the 23rd, they received these early morning text messages. The bus drivers would not make it to work. She was out September 22nd, and the kids had only been in school for *** month. Bullock County Public Schools says they need more bus drivers. While they have full-time drivers for all routes to start the year, they need more substitutes. Families are res. for ensuring their kids get to school, and if *** route is canceled, absences will not be excused. Newton says when *** driver is out, she struggles to get her children to and from school and make it to work. It’s stressful. You feel like you’re failing as *** parent. My son failed school because we can’t get him there. I’m *** single parent. I work full time. I can’t pick him up from school. The superintendent says. Although they have raised average pay to $25.44 an hour. There aren’t enough people who want to drive *** bus, an issue Stamper says has impacted her family. It’s sad for the kids, really. They’re the ones that’s really getting punished the most. Last school year, she received about 30 texts saying her two children’s routes were canceled. You have so many kids that parents don’t even have vehicles. They’re not being able to make it to school. They can’t do their work at home. When they don’t make it to school and can’t do their work, they’re getting put behind. Bullett County Schools. Says they are providing support for elementary and middle school <a href="https://jiuniversity.com/dws-sees-student-housing-and-flex-living-as-top-investments-in-spain/” title=”DWS sees student housing and flex living as top investments in Spain”>students. When *** child’s bus is out, you can drop them off as early as 6:00 a.m. and stay for after school care until 6 p.m. at no cost. And for high school students, they can meet *** bus at specific locations in the morning for *** ride to school if buses don’t run. But parents say more solutions are needed. I don’t know if they need to pay more or they need to figure something out, but it’s ridiculous that we don’t have enough drivers. And the district says parents have up to 6 parent notes available to use per school year for excused absences when unexpected emergencies happen. Live in the newsroom, I’m Jamie Mays, WLKY News.
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Parents in Bullitt County say repeated school bus cancellations are making it difficult to get their children to class and, in some cases, causing students to fall behind.Ashley Stamper and Erica Newton said there were several days last year when they received early morning text messages saying their bus drivers would not be able to work. Bullitt County Public Schools said it has full-time drivers assigned to all routes at the start of the year, but the district still needs more substitute drivers. The district says families are responsible for student transportation and attendance. If a bus route is canceled, absences will not be excused.Newton said the situation has been especially hard on working parents.“It’s stressful. You feel like you’re failing as a parent,” she said. “My son failed school because we can’t get him there. I’m a single parent. I work full time. I can’t pick him up from school.”District leaders said they have raised average bus driver pay to $25.44 an hour, but the superintendent says there still are not enough people willing to take the job.Stamper said the shortage has also taken a toll on her family. Last school year, she said, she received about 30 text messages saying her two children’s routes were canceled.“It’s sad for the kids, really,” Stamper said. “They’re the ones that’s really getting punished the most.”She said some families do not have reliable transportation, leaving children unable to get to school or complete their work from home.“You have so many kids that parents don’t even have vehicles,” Stamper said. “They’re not being able to make it to school. They can’t do their work at home. When they don’t make it to school and can’t do their work, they getting put behind.”Bullitt County Schools said it is offering support for families when routes are canceled. Right at School is offering support. Elementary and middle school students can be dropped off as early as 6 a.m. and stay for after-school care until 6 p.m. at no cost when a child’s bus is unavailable. For high school students, BCPS will provide designated Community Stops. You can meet a bus at specific morning pickup locations for transportation to school if their regular buses are not running.
BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. —

Parents in Bullitt County say repeated school bus cancellations are making it difficult to get their children to class and, in some cases, causing students to fall behind

Ashley Stamper and Erica Newton said there were several days last year when they received early morning text messages saying their bus drivers would not be able to work

Bullitt County Public Schools said it has full-time drivers assigned to all routes at the start of the year, but the district still needs more substitute drivers. The district says families are responsible for student transportation and attendance. If a bus route is canceled, absences will not be excused

Newton said the situation has been especially hard on working parents

“It’s stressful. You feel like you’re failing as a parent,” she said. “My son failed school because we can’t get him there. I’m a single parent. I work full time. I can’t pick him up from school.”

District leaders said they have raised average bus driver pay to $25.44 an hour, but the superintendent says there still are not enough people willing to take the job

Stamper said the shortage has also taken a toll on her family. Last school year, she said, she received about 30 text messages saying her two children’s routes were canceled

“It’s sad for the kids, really,” Stamper said. “They’re the ones that’s really getting punished the most.”

She said some families do not have reliable transportation, leaving children unable to get to school or complete their work from home

“You have so many kids that parents don’t even have vehicles,” Stamper said. “They’re not being able to make it to school. They can’t do their work at home. When they don’t make it to school and can’t do their work, they getting put behind.”

Bullitt County Schools said it is offering support for families when routes are canceled. Right at School is offering support

Elementary and middle school students can be dropped off as early as 6 a.m. and stay for after-school care until 6 p.m. at no cost when a child’s bus is unavailable. For high school students, BCPS will provide designated Community Stops. You can meet a bus at specific morning pickup locations for transportation to school if their regular buses are not running

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