CYPRESS, Texas – KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with parents who have concerns after they learned their students will not be eligible to ride the bus for the 2024-2025 school year.
Anahita Delos showed KPRC 2 her daughter’s commute to Goodson Middle School. The full-time working mom said she will now have to take time off from work to make sure her daughter gets to school safety, now that she can no longer take the bus. She said it is a 6-minute drive, but walking is not an option with the map showing it would take roughly 38 minutes.
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“As you see, this is a very narrow road. And they have to walk here, or they have to bike here. And there is no way that I can let my daughter do that. There is no safe pass here,” Delos said.
Delos said the lack of sidewalks and drivers speeding by is also a concern for her.
“I’m just worried about cars hitting my daughter,” she added.
Cy-Fair ISD sent KPRC 2 the Following statement about the bus changes:
“There is minimal state reimbursement for providing transportation services to students living within two miles of a campus. With an initially projected $138 million budget deficit for 2024-2025, reducing transportation services was necessary to prevent further reductions in staff at the campus level,” a CFISD spokesperson said.
According to the CFISD 2024-2025 transportation plan:
- An elementary student will be transported who lives one or more miles from the student’s campus of regular attendance.
- A middle or high school student will be transported who lives two or more miles from the student’s campus of regular attendance.
Some parents worry about heavier car line traffic with more parents driving students to school.
“I hope that, you know, they can hear us and understand that they’re not just they’re saving money in their own pockets and putting children at risk,” parent Amanda Ruvalcaba said.
“Our kids’ safety is the main priority,” Delos added.
CFISD said there are some exceptions to the new policy:
The following criteria (approved by the CFISD Board of Trustees on Monday, June 17) will be used to define hazardous traffic conditions, and transportation will be provided for:
Elementary students within one mile if:
- Crossing a tollway, state highway, and/or farm-to-market road.
- Crossing a moderate to heavily traveled thoroughfare without protected crossing (i.e., traffic light or stop sign);
- Walking along a moderate to heavily traveled thoroughfare without a safe walking path; and/or
- Crossing a railroad track.
Middle school and high school students within two miles if:
- Crossing a tollway; state highway, and/or farm-to-market road.
- Crossing a four-lane or more, heavily traveled thoroughfare without protected crossing (i.e., traffic light or stop sign); and or
- Crossing a railroad track.
- Crossing a six-lane roadway with a speed limit of over 45 mph; and
- Crossing a tollway, state highway and/or farm-market road.
For more information, parents can see the transportation plan here.