Several parents voiced their displeasure with proposed changes to the student transportation policy as the Garden City Board of Education moved another step closer to revision by unanimously approving the second reading at its June 17th meeting. The revision will become official in July after three readings.

The school board approved the first reading of the revision at its meeting last month without any opposition. However, at Tuesday evening’s meeting, a small group of parents whose children will lose their bus service if the policy is revised, complained about the change. The revision will affect the transportation status of 118 students.

“This is a difficult thing that we are not looking at lightly,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Feirsen. “We recognize the challenges that it will pose to parents....Believe me, the Board and administration would like to continue things as they are.”

However, the superintendent has repeatedly said that the policy change is necessary because the current policy is not consistent with New York State law at the primary and elementary school levels. School district counsel Bonnie L. Gorham supported Dr. Feirsen’s assertions, saying the board is now legally required to correct the error once it was discovered.

The superintendent first sensed there was a problem after receiving numerous requests from parents for re-evaluation of their child’s transportation status. District counsel was instructed by administration to research the policy. After they found an issue existed, the Board of Education directed the administration to study the topic and make recommendations.

A 13-member transportation study committee was formed in January, comprised of representatives from the four Village property owners’ associations, as well as the superintendent, assistant superintendent for business and finance, Inspector Kenneth Jackson from the Garden City Police Dept., the principals of Hemlock, Stewart and Homestead and St. Joseph’s Schools, and the district’s transportation supervisor and assistant transportation supervisor. Robert Mangan, the Village’s director of Public Works, also assisted the committee.

Dr. Feirsen said that the committee studied all possible options. If the district decided to lower the mileage limit to allow the affected students to retain their transportation, the total number of estimated students needing to be bused would rise to 300 since all primary and elementary school students living within the same mileage limits would be eligible.

Six additional full-size buses, at a cost of $133,000 each, would need to be purchased, totaling $798,000. Additional drivers would need to be hired, at a cost of $35,000 each for a total recurring cost of $210,000. Additional space would also need to be acquired since the current bus garage would not be able to house the new buses.

Gorham said any resident can submit a petition asking that voters be permitted to vote on changing the transportation mileage limits for the entire district. The petition must include the anticipated cost of such a change. The resident would need to have the petition signed by at least 25 other residents, or five percent of the number of residents who voted in the last school election, whatever is greater. The school board would then review the petition. If it meets all of the technical requirements, the proposition would be voted on by residents at the annual budget vote in May.

Steven Santel, who lives on Pell Terrace, said he is concerned that his property value will now go down because busing will no longer be available from his home to the local primary school.

School Board President Colleen Foley tried to reassure Santel that this should not be a concern. “This is one of the most liberal bus policies in the state, so I think our property values are going to be maintained,” she said.

Policy #8400 stipulates that transportation should be provided for students in kindergarten through grade five who live more than one-half mile from their respective elementary or primary school; for students in grades six through eight who live more than three-quarters of a mile from the middle school; and for students in grades nine through twelve who live more than one-and-one-half mile away from the high school.

The distance is measured by the nearest available route from home to school. The district’s thresholds are lower than what state law requires. Any resident who believes they should be receiving transportation based upon this route should contact the district’s transportation office at 478-1900.

The policy provision that conflicts with state law reads that “in addition to distance, [transportation] consideration shall be given to elementary school students if the route to school would require them to cross a street with a volume of traffic in excess of 500 vehicles per hour at arrival or dismissal times.” New York State regulations indicate that mileage must be the determining factor for eligibility for transportation.

Therefore, Dr. Feirsen asked the transportation department to revise routes to end the busing of students who live less than one-half mile from Hemlock, Homestead and Stewart Schools, with the exception of the areas he proposed should be designated as Child Safety Zones.

Families affected by the change have received letters from the school district. Garden City PTA Co-President Liz Menges said she believes some families are still confused and a new letter should be mailed.

Students who receive transportation through an Individual Education Program would not be affected.

Some parents who will lose their transportation argued that the route to their local school is hazardous. At prior board meetings, Dr. Feirsen has recognized that many students are required to cross or walk in high-traffic areas, but has said that the danger level unfortunately does not rise to the level that the state recognizes.

The Child Safety Transportation Act of 1992 provides the one exception to the mileage-only criterion. School districts do not have to follow a mileage-only criterion if the area in question is designated a Child Safety Zone due to extremely hazardous conditions. Points are assigned to various types of hazards, which fall into three types: highways without sidewalks or adequate shoulders, highway intersections and highway-railroad grade crossings. Alternate routes to school must be considered before a Child Safety Zone is designated.

Residents who believe a traffic hazard exists in their neighborhood should address the issue at a meeting of the Village’s Traffic Commission, which meets on the third Thursday of every month in the Village Hall boardroom at 7 p.m., except in July and August. The commission is responsible for traffic control operations and devices.

Dr. Feirsen and School Board President Colleen Foley asked parents for their continued cooperation by driving carefully and exercising good judgment. The superintendent said schools are not designed to handle the amount of traffic experienced today as fewer students actually walk. “We certainly ask parents to help, and not to make the situation worse...If we all work together, we could certainly help reduce the issues that exist.”