Bus routes face possible cuts
The Board discussed preliminary proposals and listened to community feedback during a workshop Monday, Nov. 2.
According to School Board minutes, its members made it clear, however, that no decisions were made on Nov. 2, and Knox County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk said a formal vote on school bus changes would not be expected until 2027.
District leaders presented preliminary proposals in October to cut more than 75 school bus routes to save about $2.7 million a year in order to close a $4 million budget gap.
The proposals include:
• Reducing routes by having exisiting buses serving double runs to multiple schools.
• Changing school start and end times, in which half of the elementary schools would start at 7:30 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m. and the other half would start at 8:30 a.m. Eleven middle and high schools would start at 9:30 a.m. while others would start at 4:30 p.m.
• Making broader cuts, such as closing four elementary schools: Gap Creek, Maynard, Corryton and South Knoxville; central office cuts and cutting technology spending.
During the workshop, a number of parents and other residents expressed their concerns about the proposals, particularly about altered schedules and school closures in regard to childcare, work hours and student sleep schedules.
