Busing changes proposed to trim school budget

Terry Webster

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2001 | 11:17 a.m.

The Clark County School District -- in the midst of a budget crisis forcing cuts of $18 million this year -- has developed a plan to change the school day to save money on transportation.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia said the district is unlikely to turn to such desperate measures to pare its expenses before the end of the budget year, on June 30.

But transportation director Ron Despenza put together a proposal, obtained Monday by the Sun, to save millions of dollars that includes flexible starting times, shortening the instructional days at magnet schools and sending some middle and high school students to school on Citizen Area Transit buses.

By the end of the month the School Board is expected to decide where to make the cuts from the current $1.1 billion budget to offset arbitration-ordered salary increases and unexpected rises in fuel costs.

Garcia said Monday he didn't think any of the options on Despenza's list would be used.

But he added that of three main proposals to make up the deficit -- cutting $880,000 in elementary education or $715,000 in secondary education or increasing the number of high school students who do not receive busing -- the reduction in busing appears most likely.

"But obviously, we're not going to do it if we don't have to," Garcia said.

The busing proposal would provide transportation to high school students who live three miles from school, as opposed to the current two miles.

The additional proposals would severely cut into an already "lean" program, Despenza said.

Perhaps most drastic among them is a plan to provide flexible starting times for schools, with the potential of a 10 a.m. start and 4:11 p.m. finish for students at any grade level. Current start and finish times for elementary, middle and high schools fall between 7:05 a.m. and 3:21 p.m.

By staggering starting times, the district would be able to use fewer buses and drivers to transport students to school.

That idea is not entirely new.

"We've had a lot of interest in later start times for secondary schools," Walt Rulffes, the district's chief financial officer, said. "Some students are out there at 5 and 6 a.m. waiting for buses."

But school officials also said principals would be likely to oppose the plan.

Despenza's document also suggests:

The Clark County School Board took a breather from the district's looming budget cuts Monday for a ceremony to swear in newly elected member Denise Brodsky and incumbents Shirley Barber, Ruth Johnson and Mary Beth Scow.