Jefferson County Public Schools made national news last year when district leaders canceled classes for six to seven days, following a transportation system breakdown.
This year, the leaders say they're confident in a far smoother start to the year, but many community members still have questions about changes being made .
For information on bus stops, start times and magnet student stipends, read on.
Is JCPS ready for its first day? Let us know your questions and concerns here
Should I expect delays on the first day of school?
Unfortunately, yes. The start of the school year for JCPS busing always come with some hiccups. Drivers start learning their routes before the start of the year, but adding students into the mix can lead to unexpected delays. District leaders assume there will be late buses in the morning and afternoon.
Once the dust settles, all students should be dropped off by 6:30 p.m.
How do I find my child's bus stop?
Families can find their students' bus stops through the Bus Teller platform, available at JCPSFirstDay.com .
Anyone with questions or concerns about transportation can call the district's busing hotline, which opened two weeks sooner than usual.
The hotline is at 502-485-RIDE and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. It will stay open for several days after the first day of school on Aug. 8.
JCPS calendar: Important dates to know for the 2024-2025 school year
What happens if I missed the deadline to request a bus stop?
For the first time, the district has implemented a "freeze period" for the three weeks leading up to school, during which new bus stop requests might not be honored. The move is intended to let drivers navigate their routes on the first day without any surprise additions.
The cut off day for new requests was July 22. JCPS' routing team will resume adding stops on Friday, Aug. 9.
Will magnet parents be paid to take their kids to school?
If your student lost busing this year because they are in a magnet or a non-resides Academies of Louisville program, you likely qualify for a daily stipend to transport them to and from school.
Families who qualify for SNAP assistance can earn $10 a day, while most other families will receive $5 a day. If more than one of your children attend the same qualifying school, you will only get one daily payment. But if you have children in different qualifying schools, you will receive multiple payments.
Sign up sheets for the stipend will be available at open houses, and an online form will be posted Aug. 26. Payments won't start until the second week of September, with all August payments set to be completed the week of Sept. 23.
The stipend is considered taxable income, so it may impact benefits.
When will busing be restored for some magnet students?
A partnership between TARC and JCPS is expected to restore some magnet transportation but not until at least September, according to JCPS transportation leaders.
It's still unclear when magnet families will know if their students will regain service. The Jefferson County Board of Education could hold a special meeting on magnet busing before school starts, but one has not yet been scheduled.
Superintendent Marty Pollio said the district will prioritize restoring busing for students who qualify for free-or-reduced lunch attending Male, Manual and Butler high schools, as well as all students at Johnson Traditional Middle, Coleridge-Taylor Montessori and Young Elementary.
Why couldn't magnet schools pick their own start times?
While the vast majority of magnet schools lost busing under this year's transportation plan, some students in those schools — including those with specific disabilities and those considered homeless — are federally required to receive busing.
The district could not allow magnet schools to pick their own start times, since some buses will still need to run to those schools.
Will JCPS start times change again?
Possibly. When board members approved start times for this year, many parents and educators were still unsatisfied with the new plan — particularly due to the high number of elementary schools starting at 9:40 a.m.
As a compromise, the board requested district leaders present another plan by December that should address concerns while still achieving efficiency in the transportation plan.
Rob Fulk, JCPS' chief operations officers, told The Courier Journal his team will be bringing forward another plan well before December.
Have more questions about JCPS transportation? Let us know here.
Contact Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Everything to know about JCPS bus transportation for the 2024-25 school year
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