Faced with a "dire financial situation," Chicago Public Schools has decided to consolidate 450 school bus stops by more than half for thousands of students in the city.
Officials expect the bus stop changes to impact more than 6,600 kids, but the changes will only affect students who attend magnet or selective enrollment schools. About 90,000 students are enrolled in Chicago magnet and selective enrollment school, according to CPS.
The change means bus stops will be an average of 0.6 miles away and as far as 1.5 miles away from students' homes. Previously, magnet students who used the district’s busing reported to their local attendance school for pick-up.
The announcement to “consolidate magnet school bus routes” comes as CPS faces a financial crisis.
“The decision to consolidate magnet school bus routes is the result of the dire financial situation facing CPS,” CPS said in a statement. “As always, student safety is our top priority, and we are currently working with principals to finalize transportation stops and routes. We will provide further information when these are final, and will continue to work with schools to make sure students can arrive to and depart from school safely.”
The move comes just after CPS announced bell schedule changes for several schools to help cut transportation costs.
The district expects to save $11.5 million in “transportation efficiencies” and said the new bus routes, stops and times are still being finalized.
