about the two-tier busing proposal
Tough
time for the economy means
tough decisions ahead
Amid some controversy, two-tier
busing system considered
as cost-saving measure
As we are all aware, the current economic crisis is taking its toll across the country and the globe. New York state, reliant on the success of Wall Street, has been particularly hard-hit. In a recent letter to the state’s school superintendents, Governor Paterson has warned of reductions in state aid for next year, writing, “I acknowledge that your costs are rising, but I believe all levels of government must reduce spending. This year, I have reduced State agency spending by more than 10 percent. In this unprecedented fiscal crisis, school districts, like all levels of government, will have to take a similar approach and find ways to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their operations on behalf of taxpayers.” This presents a difficult challenge to school districts across the state – not willing to compromise the quality of education offered to students, yet having to slash spending at unprecedented levels.
Any time a school district or any other
organization is in tough financial times, the overall
atmosphere becomes heightened. It is always easier to work
in a time when growth and expansion as well as increased
revenues are available. This, unfortunately, is not the
current situation. With proposals at the state level to
reduce school aid and every family in our own community
faced with difficult economic decisions on a daily basis, it
is the responsibility of the school district to act
accordingly. While no one
ever wants to take actions that may impact on others’ lives,
the reality is that in some situations it is necessary. And
while there may be disagreements about exactly how to cut
spending, we all can agree that spending needs to be cut and
go on the hope that our school and community can come out of
the current economic conditions as viable and strong as
ever.
Recently, much discussion has centered on a proposal to move from a three-tier busing system to a two-tier system. Questions have been raised regarding what impact such a change might have on students, taxpayers and staff within the Warwick Valley Central School District. These questions were put to Superintendent Greenhall, and his answers have been formulated into the following Q and A format. While these are not answers to every potential question regarding this issue, the hope is it will offer a common understanding to build upon as the consideration of the proposal moves forward.
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Q: What is the actual proposal? A: “The proposal I put forth as
Superintendent,” said Dr. Greenhall, Q: Why is this proposal causing so much controversy? A: Anytime change is proposed, the first response is often an emotional reaction. When a change will impact on individuals’ income and/or benefits, then the level of reaction increases tremendously. This is the case with the two-tier busing proposal, which will result in an impact on the number of hours members of the transportation department will work and the health benefits some will no longer qualify for due to the reduction of hours. While the proposed scenario projects the reduction of one managerial position, no drivers will lose their jobs as a result of this proposal. Still, anytime proposed changes impact directly on individuals, there will be a reaction as there is with this proposal. Q: Why are we looking at this now? A: The issue of two-tier busing has been previously discussed in Warwick. In some cases the discussion was begun for economic reasons or due to concerns of the early starting time for high school students, and the number of empty seats on the high school buses. The starting time issue resurfaces each time new studies come out regarding the need for older students to get more rest and start school later. In the spring of 2006 the Board of Education requested the superintendent look into the possibility of two-tier busing. At that time, his recommendation was not to change to a two-tier from a three-tier system because of the student population size and need to purchase additional buses if the district went to a two-tier system. In August of 2008, newly elected Board President John Connolly stated in the Warwick Advertiser, “We are going to look at the bus runs again, maybe having two instead of three.” This direction from the Board began a renewed look at the potential of a two-tier system. The current situation in the school district makes it feasible to move to a two-tier busing system without having to purchase additional buses. Decreasing student enrollment for the past two years makes it possible for the Warwick drivers who currently drive the St. Stephen’s and John S. Burke routes to move to the middle school and high school bus runs, where more drivers and buses would be needed to accommodate all the high school and middle school students at once if combined in one bus run. Only the bus runs left open at St. Stephen’s and John S. Burke by this move would be contracted-out services/drivers. Q: What are the real demographics currently? Is this a permanent downward trend or simply a cyclical drop? What will happen when/if the numbers reverse upwards? A: The demographics within the Warwick Valley Central School District show the incoming Kindergarten numbers are lower than the numbers in the graduating classes. Last year the district reduced the number of elementary teachers by four, and this year’s projections show we can reduce staff by another four teachers. Student enrollment numbers are projected to continue to decrease in the future and are working their way through our entire K-12 system. Large-sized classes have graduated from Warwick in the past three years, but incoming classes entering our school system are smaller than the graduating classes. It is not known if this is a permanent downward trend or a cyclical drop because it is not possible to make accurate long-term forecasts due to the many variables that are not within our control. The district is working with the accurate short-term enrollment projections and making adjustments. One such adjustment is two-tier busing, something that could not be recommended when the superintendent was requested to look into it in the spring of 2006. As for what happens if the numbers reverse and go upwards, the district will have to start rehiring staff; and should the numbers climb to the level they were in 2006, then the district will revisit the need for a three-tier system of busing. Q: Are there disadvantages of moving to two-tier busing? A: The main disadvantage in moving to such a system is that there will be multiple buses going into developments at the same time. Currently, they are spread over two trips. Second, there will be a need for adjustments of staff during the loading and unloading of two schools at the same time to assure the proper supervision of students. The third disadvantage would be in the area of availability of drivers (driver absenteeism,) something the district currently has to work through on a regular basis. Q: Would a two-tier busing system mean restructuring current grades/schools? A: The change to a two-tier busing
system does not require any changes to the current There will be, however, a restructuring of the transportation system from three separate runs to two separate runs. Q: What about restructuring – where is this concept now? A: The concept and discussion of restructuring the schools and grades within the Warwick Valley Central School District have been placed on hold at this time. The district will monitor the demographic projections and actual attendance numbers for future considerations/discussions. Any such changes would take a minimum of two years of meetings, input and evaluation before it could be instituted, so the earliest any restructuring could be considered at this point would be in 2011-12. Q: How does a two-tier system of busing impact elementary students? A: There is no impact on the elementary students or their bus runs other than possibly an adjustment of the starting and ending times of the elementary schools. Such an adjustment might occur as the district tries to limit driver layover time between the secondary runs and elementary runs. Q: Will two-tier busing cause overcrowding on buses for the middle school and high school students? A: No, the same formula currently used to compute the scheduling of buses and the number of students on a bus will be used under the two-tier system. By contracting out the transportation of the St. Stephen’s and Burke students, the district will reassign the buses and drivers currently used for these schools back to district runs. These additional buses, plus the smaller student population at the secondary level, will allow the district to move to a two-tier system without overcrowding bus runs. Q: Is there enough space for
additional buses to load/unload students A: The “lining up” of buses to load and unload students can easily be adjusted without compromising the safety of students. Q: Will my 6th grader be safe riding with high school students? Do other schools mix grade levels like this? A: The middle school and high school students currently ride buses together on the afternoon runs at 2:40 and 3:40 p.m. without issues of student safety. In many school districts in the state, students from Kindergarten through the twelfth grade are transported together without incident. Having other siblings from families ride together often adds additional bonuses in safety since all ride to and from school at the same time, thereby affording younger family members additional chaperoning and guidance. There will be no safety issues with 6th graders riding with high school students. Q: What will two-tier busing do to
the traffic flow in the morning A: There will be additional buses coming and going to the middle school/high school at the same times. Traffic flow of buses wil not be the problem. Traffic flow of automobiles for the high school and middle school will be kept separated and if necessary controlled by police officers. Q: Some parents will choose to drive their 6th graders to school rather than have them ride the bus with older students. Has this traffic potential/issue been considered? A: Having younger students ride on buses with older students is not a problem across our state or nation. However, if parents feel that they must transport their children to school, then that is their choice just as it is currently. The district will make use of its human resources to make sure that the flow of traffic on campus is orderly and safe. The district must plan a seat for every student; and while efforts are made to ensure that overcrowding doesn’t occur, transporting of students by parents will lessen the number of students on buses. Q: How will St. Stephen’s/Burke students be impacted by contracting out their transportation? A: The only difference for these schools will be that the drivers will not be staff from the Warwick Valley Central School District, and the buses will not be district owned. The contracted drivers must go through the same certification/training process as district drivers, and the buses have to meet the same standards as district buses. Q: Is it true that elementary and/or secondary students will be riding the buses for a longer amount of time? A: No. The elementary bus runs are not affected by going to a two-tier system other than a potential adjustment to school starting and ending times. At the secondary level, the addition of the buses and drivers currently used to handle the St. Stephen’s and Burke runs will allow the district to keep the secondary run times at a comparable time to what is currently in place. Q: How will time changes impact
students attending C-Tech or A: All issues are/will be considered when the starting and ending times are established so that there will be no impact on programs/activities. Q: What are the advantages for students at the secondary level to have a single-tier bus schedule? A: In addition to a later starting time for the high school students, having the middle school and high school on a common schedule will open up opportunities for collaboration of middle school and high school staff and students with interdisciplinary scheduling. Having common start and ending times will offer the potential of cross-curriculum involvement and open up the possibility of advanced middle school students taking part in high school courses/programs. It will also more easily allow for programs from the high school to be shared with the middle school. As for extracurricular activities, it allows staff involved with extracurriculars to finish at a common time, so high school students would no longer have to wait an hour for advisors or coaches from the middle school to complete their work day. The most obvious advantage will be the later starting time for high school students. Q: Has the value of having local residents transporting our students been considered/ thought of? A: Yes, the value of having local residents transport students in district has always been understood. Nobody wants to lose any current drivers. While it is true that hours worked will decrease by going to a two tiers, the drivers’ jobs have not been eliminated, nor has their value to our transportation department or district been lessened. Q: How will the district save money on a two-tier busing system? Will there be additional costs for buses? A: The savings for the district comes in three areas: fuel/maintenance, fewer hours of work and reduction in benefits for drivers. The reduction in fuel by running two bus runs instead of three would reduce the mileage by an estimated 190,260 miles per year. Contracting the St. Stephen’s and Burke runs would reduce another 121,160 miles per year. Assuming a loss of state aid, this reduction in miles would save the district approximately $90,830 to $106,091, based on a per-gallon cost of $3.50 to $4.09. Should the cost of fuel increase or decrease or our state aid ratio change, then the savings would subsequently increase or decrease. The reduction of one bus run will reduce the work hours of drivers and monitors which translates to a net payroll savings of approximately $322,888. In addition, the district would see a net reduction in benefit costs of approximately $232,000. The overall projected net savings in fuel, payroll and benefits would exceed $660,000 and could reach $800,000 depending on the number of family and individual health plans that are lost. These figures do not include additional savings that would accrue as a result of reduced mileage for parts, maintenance, bus replacements or paying for health benefits in retirement. There will be additional costs to the district for contracted services for St. Stephen’s and John S. Burke. Increased costs (after state aid) are estimated at $280,000, thereby reducing the overall savings of going to a two-tier system to approximately $380,000 to $520,000 per year. Q: You mention that there will be a savings in benefits to the district by reducing the number of bus runs. How many hours do our bus drivers need to work to receive benefits? A: Some drivers receive health insurance for working 4 hours a day, as they were grandfathered in under negotiations in the past. Those not grandfathered in must work 6 hours per day to qualify for health benefits. Employees who qualify for these benefits also receive the benefits in retirement at district expense (these savings are not reflected in any district projections of savings). Q: If current drivers’ hours are cut, who will decide how and which drivers are affected? A: Bus drivers bid on “trips” (hours they work), and the bidding for these runs is based on seniority in the district. Thus, those drivers working the longest in the district will have the ability to select first, and the last hired will select last. Q: I read in the newspaper that the district is taking advantage of a “contractual loophole” to reduce drivers’ benefits. Is this true? A: The district is not using a loophole to reduce benefits. The negotiated labor agreement with the CSEA (Civil Service Employee Association) bargaining unit defines the number of hours individuals must work to receive health, dental and vision benefits. The two-tier busing system will reduce the number of work hours for some drivers. Those who work less than the required number of hours will not receive benefits. Q: Won’t some drivers quit if they no longer have health benefits, and will those drivers be hard to replace? Will any current drivers be fired because of the two-tier system? A: The move to a two-tier system is not being done to eliminate jobs, but the district does understand that the reduction in benefits, regretfully, may lead to drivers leaving the district. Should this happen, it is regrettable, but hopefully, replacements can be found. In the current economy, the district is seeing a rise in the number of applicants looking for positions; and while bus drivers have to meet numerous qualifications before being certified, it is the hope that departures will be filled. The Warwick Valley Central School District is not contracting out its transportation as is being done elsewhere in Orange County, nor is it eliminating jobs. Hopefully individuals seeing the advantage of being part of a district like Warwick will seek employment here if it is necessary for the district to seek replacements. Q: Is the district’s real goal to contract out all transportation services? A: No, it is not. Repeatedly, it has been stated that it is the desire of the district to maintain its fleet and staff to transport district students. Currently the district runs what can best be described as a hybrid system in transportation − using district drivers for district transportation but contracting out services for special students/schools when contracting is more cost efficient than requiring the district to purchase an additional bus and hire an additional driver or when we do not have enough staff to meet peak time demands. The proposal to move to a two-tier system is simply an extension of current practice. Q: With private bus contractors, who is responsible for liability insurance, gasoline expenses, field trip expenses and athletic bus expenses? A: A contract is bid upon by the private contractor, and all expenses to meet this contract are the responsibility of the busing company. In the area of field trips and athletic trips, the district has contracted and will continue to contract this out on an as-needed basis. Currently the district has had to contract numerous field trips and athletic trips because of the inability of the district to handle the trips either due to driver unavailability due to absenteeism or more trips being scheduled than can currently be handled with our staff. In these cases of specific event contracts, the cost of the contract (not fuel/insurance) is the district’s responsibility. Q: Will two-tier busing mean a reduction in the number of buses bought each year? A: Over time this will probably occur, but in the immediate future it will not, as the district is on a replacement plan based not only on total mileage but also the age of the bus itself. This is done so to maximize the trade-in value of the buses and also limit the district’s liability for repairs since buses traded in regularly are under warranty while in the district’s possession, thereby reducing maintenance costs. While mileage will be reduced, the age of buses will not. Over time this can be reviewed to see how it might benefit the district. Q: Are the savings of going to a two-tier system, using some privatized bus runs, a guarantee? A: Districts that remain hybrid like Warwick have consistently shown savings in reducing hours, mileage and benefits. In districts where the entire fleet is turned over to private companies the issue of savings comes into question. Once a district rids itself of its bus fleet, bus garage and staff, it is at the mercy of the private companies; and under this scenario, costs can rise more than under the scenario in Warwick. Warwick is not making such a move. Q: There must be other areas in which the district could save money. Why transportation only? A: Two-tier busing is only one of many areas being considered for savings. As mentioned, the district has already begun reductions in teaching staff, which saved $300,000 in the 2008-09 school year and will reduce salary by an additional $300,000 for the 2009-10 school year. Retirements and departures are being carefully evaluated to determine whether or not is necessary to fill the position. All recently negotiated contracts have resulted in cost savings in the area of health benefits. The search for other areas for savings is an ongoing effort on the part of the school district. Q: When will the Board of Education make a decision on this issue? A: The Board was asked to finalize a decision regarding a two-tier bus system at the January 2009 Board of Education meeting. Right now, this is a target date and the decision will not/has not been made already. If the January target date is postponed, the public will be informed of the new date. Q: When will the change to the two-tier system be slated to begin? A: The Board of Education has two options to consider. The first is to keep things the same and reconsider two-tier busing when the demographics are such that it can be done without taking drivers back from the St. Stephen’s or Burke runs. This would most likely occur in about three years. The second option would be to begin the two-tier system in the fall of 2009. Each year that the decision is delayed would eliminate not only the savings projected but also could lead to long-term costs for health insurance for drivers in retirement. Q: Why doesn’t the Board of Education put this issue out to a referendum like it did for the Greenwood Lake issue? A: The Board of Education put the Greenwood Lake referendum to the public because it was a major change in how the Warwick Valley Central School District did business. The adjustment of a bus schedule and/or change in starting/ending times for the school day doesn’t reach the magnitude to warrant the costs of a separate referendum. At a time when the district is looking everywhere to save money, an expenditure of close to $14,000 ($13,772.34) for a public referendum that, unlike an aidable capital project vote, is fully the cost responsibility of the taxpayers, seems to be inconsistent. Q: Is this a rash decision that we may come to regret? A: The decision and process leading to the decision have been far from rash, but rather a logical, thought-out process which is an attempt by the district to balance the needs of the district with the tax burden to our residents. Change is never easy − and especially change that has a negative impact on some individuals. Still the benefit to the majority needs to be considered over individual needs, and this has been a large part of this process. In better economic times maybe issues for cost savings could be overlooked, but in these times they cannot and will not be. As mentioned earlier, if there is a turnaround in the demographics, the district may have to return to levels of the past. Keeping our department and not contracting the total transportation program out is very similar to keeping our classrooms while staff decreases – in both cases we address current situations without harming our ability to make choices in the future.
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