Dist. 15 adds more buses as a quick fix

Palatine Township Elementary District 15 will spend up to $3,000 a day to temporarily solve some of its busing problems.

On Thursday, school board members voted unanimously to lease up to 10 buses from a private company to help bus routes that aren't getting students to and from school on time.

The new buses will focus on routes for Conyers Learning Academy in Rolling Meadows. There, buses are arriving between 10 and 30 minutes late after school.

The vote is deemed an emergency because officials say the current transportation system "endangers the health and safety" of students.

These additional buses are a quick fix until District 15 completes the competitive bid process for a more permanent solution to the district-wide busing issue, which includes long routes for many children. The bid process could take several weeks.

Changes to the bus system for Conyers will start Monday, officials say. The cost is $300 per day for each bus.

"This is definitely going to put a cramp in our budget," said school board President Tim Millar.

District officials talked this week about having St. Theresa and Immanuel Lutheran schools in Palatine move their schedules ahead by 20 minutes, so school would start earlier and end earlier. No decision has been made.

The district buses to those parochial schools and officials say moving the times could help with other bus problems. It's also being considered whether Conyers should begin its school day 20 minutes later.

Some parents at those three schools are opposed to the idea and showed up at Thursday's board meeting to voice their concerns. But any potential bell time changes won't be discussed until the District 15 board's regular meeting Nov. 14.