The state Department of Education will have to reduce its student transportation budget by about $5.5 million for the coming school year, but cannot yet say how many students will lose bus service.
At a Board of Education meeting Tuesday, department officials initially recommended eliminating service for about 4,000 students statewide to help deal with a budget deficit.
In response, the board voted to divert an additional $1.5 million in federal funds so fewer students will lose service.
Whatever the number, it will be far lower than the more than 20,000 projected just a few months ago.
Facing a $17 million shortfall for student transportation at the end of the legislative session, the department had warned of deep service cuts.
Instead, the department plans to cover about $11.5 million of the deficit by restricting funds for other school programs and with more federal dollars.
Education officials said they did not yet know which programs or initiatives will be affected.
Board Chairman Don Horner acknowledged that moving money from other programs will be painful.
"We have a finite supply of money," he said.
But he said getting students to campuses is a big concern, and added that while reducing bus service will still be painful, the situation is not as bad as was originally projected.
"I know nobody at this table wants to cut one single route, but the challenge is we’re $17 million short," he said.
About 39,000 general education students catch a school bus. In addition, free curb-to-curb service is required for about 4,000 special-education students; they will not be affected by cuts.
Department officials said that low-income students who now ride for free will receive city bus passes.
Board member Jim Williams cast the lone vote against the motion Tuesday to reduce the student transportation budget by about $5.5 million. He said the department should not be cutting any bus routes, except those that have only a handful of riders.
"If you can’t get the kids to school, you can’t teach them," he said.
