Ongoing transportation struggles at D158 could impact the next school year
HUNTLEY – District 158’s Board of Education (BOE) held a meeting April 15 in which D158 Superintendent Scott Rowe provided a few data points into how the district is faring after students in the secondary level were allowed to return to full time in-person learning following spring break.
However, the district faced a challenge when it came to remote secondary students wanting to return to in-person learning. Specifically, the issue applied to students that did not have their own means of transportation.
“For the last couple of weeks, we welcomed back our secondary students full time to now all of our students K through 12 have the option of attending full time, five days a week. We still face some of the same transportation challenges. However, our efforts continue. You’ll begin to see additional levels of recruitment around town with some visuals of buses parked in some common areas and just trying to attract anyone that we have the openings. We’re excited about that,” Rowe said.
Rowe presented the BOE some statistics to demonstrate the scale of in-person learning for students at each grade level. The data showed that approximately 63% of students at D158 are now in-person learning. Rowe expressed some surprise at the numbers for Huntley High School, which shows that only about 40% of students are in-person learning. This was the lowest percentage compared to the other grade levels in the district.
When questioned why the numbers are so low at the high school level, Rowe reiterated that D158 did not have the available transportation for remote students requesting to return to in-person learning.
“Our elementary numbers, I believe all but four of our elementary families have been able to have been accommodated to this point with transportation, but our secondary has been different, because when they opted in to remain remote in December as we laid out what our progression was going to be, we just don’t have the space on our buses at this moment. But that number would go up if we were able [to provide transportation],” Rowe said. “If you remember from last month when I presented, I want to say there was about 50% of the remaining students that were remote, were wanting to come back. So, we do have 175, 180 [secondary] families that are wanting to return and waiting for transportation opportunities to open up.”
Rowe did make it a point to include that secondary students that could provide their own transportation, were welcome to come back to in-person learning.
He continued on by telling the BOE that he would have more formal updates into how the next school year would look like, at some point next month. However, the issue with transportation would still have to be addressed as summer approaches.
“One of the things I think is important to understand is that when the 50 people per bus is lifted it does not solve all of our problems. I think it’s really important that we all understand that. It will solve some, and we’re going to be able to accommodate more people when that is lifted, but we are still short bus drivers,” Rowe stated.
In addition to the district having school buses parked throughout the community with signs advertising open positions for bus drivers, they have also been reaching out to CDL training facilities and academies to attract drivers there. D158 has been actively advertising their need for drivers on social media as well.
“Once you obtain your CDL, we will pay for and take you through the entire process to obtain your bus driver certification to then drive for us. So, the recruitment continues, but we do need more drivers before we are going to be able to accomplish 100% full return in August,” Rowe said.
On a final note, Rowe announced that D158 was doing strategic planning to build online courses to offer students in an a la carte fashion. He added that the district’s vision for these courses did not resemble the current remote learning model.
“Our development of online courses to be offered at the secondary level like our high school level, is beginning and we’re going to begin seeing next year, some of the online courses that we begin developing will serve as some of the courses that students are able to take if they need to be remote. The internal conversations are to what extent is remote offered. Obviously, we all value the choice that we were able to offer families and currently, the state has shifted their guidelines that remote is afforded for those with a medical need,” Rowe said.
“Now we have continued to offer remote for our families. Anyone who wants it the remainder of this year in particular with our transportation struggle and our internal conversations that will come out more to fruition when I present maybe next month, is what exactly our plan is going to be for offering remote beyond medical.”
While D158 is still working out what that transition period will look like for the future of online courses offered at the district, Rowe stated that he would be able to provide further details on that when he gives his next update. Rowe assured he will be delivering a more concrete presentation that will help families plan for next year.
