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Lee County School Board’s proposed proximity plan could improve middle school transportation

Reporter: Tiffany Rizzo Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
Transportation
a bus driver en route to a school. Credit: WINK

Public school transportation has been tumultuous for parents and students alike; however, there is a proposal to help bring back some consistency.

Zoning changes were enacted last year for elementary school students, which was met with positive feedback. Now, the school district intends to change zones for middle schoolers.

The idea is to have fewer routes for bus drivers and less wait time for students to and from school.

The Lee County School Board drafted a middle school proximity map with nine zones that will hopefully improve transportation times for drivers and students.

The school district will restructure the driving routes by shrinking them, which will help solve the chronic bus driver shortage.

Transportation
A drafted overview of the proximity map proposed by the Lee County School District. Credit: The Lee County School District

This will reduce options for parents, as they will have a shorter selection of designated bus routes to choose from, but the option to select which school to send their children will still be available.

Incoming 6th-grade and new middle school students in the district, as well as rising middle school students living outside their current school’s proximity zone needing transportation, will be affected by the upcoming changes.

If a child is outside the new zone, school transportation will not be provided. Parents will either have to move their children to a school in their zone or drive them daily.

The proximity plan is set to be in effect for the 2024-25 school year.

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