Buses Will No Longer Pick Up Marion County Students

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

For decades Marion County schoolchildren living in the Jump Off community near Sewanee could ride the bus to Franklin County schools, but that practice is being eliminated for the 2014–15 school year. In the midst of financial struggles, Franklin County School System leaders have ended busing for students who live just outside the county.

Chris McDonough, Sewanee’s representative on the Franklin County Board of Education, said he is sad about the change.

“Some of those students may happen to be from Marion County, but they think of themselves as being part of the larger community,” he said. “My understanding is that we need space for Franklin County students on the bus. At the end of the day, the bus is funded by Franklin County tax dollars for Franklin County students.”

Those students can still attend Franklin County Schools, but transportation will not be provided for them.

No one from Jump Off spoke at Monday’s Board of Education meeting, but a group of families in the Huntland area passionately challenged the board to reverse a bus decision there. Beginning in August, a bus will no longer carry 13 Huntland-area students to Broadview Elementary, South Middle or Franklin County High School. Students can attend those schools, but now must find a ride.

“My kids don’t want to change schools,” said Derek Crawford, a Huntland father of three. “My little girl’s pretty mad about it, as a matter of fact.”

Some parents said they could not provide rides, and students will lose out because Huntland School does not offer the same programs. School leaders said eliminating out-of-county pickups and streamlining routes saves the system money and also frees up bus space.

“Out in north Franklin County, I have a bad overcrowding problem,” said Ellis Counts, director of transportation for the school system. He said at times bus drivers in north Franklin County have come close to parking and waiting for a relief bus because of overcrowding. Board chairman Kevin Caroland said school leaders will revisit the Huntland bus change at the July 14 board meeting.

In other business at Monday’s board meeting:

— Rebecca Sharber, director of schools, said eight candidates have applied to be the new principal of South Middle School. Sandra Stewart retired at the end of the school year. The deadline for applications is June 13, and she expects to hire someone soon.

— Board members continued discussion of the 2014–15 school system budget, which is pending consideration by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. If it clears the county’s finance committee, the earliest that commissioners will consider the school budget is in July. The budget includes a 7-cent property tax hike for schools. Caroland said county mayor Richard Stewart conducted a straw poll, and most commissioners said they will not support a property tax hike. If commissioners reject the budget, the school board will be forced to make deeper cuts and submit a new budget.