Bus schedules, security and start times: What to know for JCPS' first day of school (2024)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Nearly 100,000 students are set for the first day of school at Jefferson County Public Schools on Thursday.

JCPS leaders said Monday they've worked countless hours the past few months on the transportation plan, including using an internal routing team. And while they expect the first day to be bumpy, they believe the changes will be positive.

The district is starting the year with 561 bus drivers and 510 bus routes, according to JCPS spokesperson Carolyn Callahan.

Here are some frequently asked questions to prepare for the first day of school:

What bus will students being riding this year?

Bus Teller will allow parents to see the bus stop and time assigned to their child.JCPS encourages families to check the portal daily, as location or times may change.Click here: Bus Teller Portal Link.

The bus teller portal is expected to help parents see when bus stops and pickup times are assigned to their child.

JCPS spokesperson Mark Hebert recommended for parents to double check Bus Teller Thursday morning as they head to the bus stop, as there have been some changes to bus times in the last 48 hours.

How can parents track their child's school bus?

JCPS said its bus tracking app EduLog will be available for parents to track their student's buses this year.

The app, —called Edulog Parent Portal Lite — shows the location of each JCPS bus is in real time.Parents can create a free account and then search for Jefferson County Public Schools. To download it ,click here.

What time does class start and end at schools?

Jefferson County Board of Education approved 2024-25 start times at a meeting in May. There are three different start times this year, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:10 p.m., 8:40 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., and 9:40 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Here is the latest list of start times for each school released by JCPS.

JCPS said with around 500 bus drives spread over three start times, the district will come closer to covering all the routes and getting more students to school and home on time.

Who should you call for bus riding questions?

JCPS opened its hotline two weeks earlier this year to help families with questions or concerns.To access the hotline, dial 502-485-RIDE (7433).

The hotline will be open five days a week, taking calls from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., though hours may be adjusted depending on call volume. The hotline will remain open several days into the school year.

Bus drivers encourage parents to make sure students know their addresses, names and cell phone numbers.

"I would encourage them to to get their children used to walking to and from the bus stop so they're familiar with the area, so when we drop them off, they're not like 'I don't know where I am,'" said JCPS bus driver Rickey Readus. "They're familiar with their territory, that goes a long way."

What is JCPS doing for security inside of schools?

JCPS installed weapons detection systems in middle and high schools called Evolv Technology. The systems use artificial intelligence to detect weapons — either whole weapons or components — on anyone who walks through it.

Everyone entering a school will walk through an open-air kiosk. Children can walk through the sensors without removing their concealed belongings or separate themselves from personal items. A trained staff member monitors the system.

Signs are up at each school and staff will remind students to remove any BLUE items prior to walking through the devices. BLUE stands for Binders, Laptops (chromebooks), Umbrellas, and Eyeglass cases. These are items that must be placed on the pass around table.

Please remind your student of these best practices to help the lines move smoothly in the mornings:

• Select clear and plastic school supplies over covered/concealed and metallic when applicable.
• Use three-ring binders with plastic spines/rings (non-metal).
• Utilize plastic (versus metallic) BPA-free water/coffee bottles.
• Use hard plastic eyeglass cases (versus metal).
• Students should “pack-light” and limit the number of items in bags or other equipment.
• Keep superfluous metallic items home (game consoles, beauty products, USB drives).
• Laptops and umbrellas will be passed around the technology via a staffed table.

To watch a video on how the Evolv system works, click here.

Will school be postponed due to a civil rights lawsuit?

The lawsuit was filed June 20by Mary Bledsaw and Taryn Bell,who said their kids, who are set to attend Male High School, Central High School and Whitney Young Elementary School in August, may now have to enroll in less desirable neighborhood schools due to a lack of bus service.

The lawsuit claims the district's bus plan, passed in April, has a disproportionately negative effect on students of color and violates their civil rights.Pollio said if the judge sides with the families in that lawsuit, it would change things but he believes parents have nothing to worry about.

A ruling from a judge will take a couple of weeks, so JCPS said — while school will start on time — it's preparing backup options if an injunction is ruled and the entire bus system must be reworked.

Have bus drivers been practicing routes ahead of the first day?

JCPS Chief Operations Officer Rob Fulksaid the early test runs for drivers have gone well, and drivers will continue testing their routes through Wednesday. On those test runs, the last drop off was around 6:20 p.m., and improvement from the average of 7 p.m. last year, district leader said. However, they expect a later drop off time for the last student on the first day of school, likely around 7:30 p.m.

One of the biggest changes to the route this year is JCPS internal routing team tried to keep drivers closer to their compounds. And around 65% of routes are mirrored, meaning it reflects in the morning and afternoon.

How will JCPS address behavior issues on the bus?

Student behavior is one of the biggest pieces of feedback JCPS received from bus drivers. To address the issue, JCPS will assign culture and climate staff to each bus compound. They'll spend part of the day at the compound and receive referrals from bus drivers.

Staff will also communicate with drivers the status of the referrals. Requests for six- to 10-day bus suspensions must be reviewed by a principal and assistant superintendent. A principal can also request to an assistant superintendent for 11- to 20-day bus suspensions.

JCPS also worked with bus drivers to explain why administrators make choices and certain consequences.Violations that occur on the bus or on the way to school can result in suspension of bus privileges, in-school consequences, suspension from school or placement in an alternative school. J

Bus drivers are also asking parents to have conservations with their children about riding the school bus.

"The biggest thing is prepare your child for riding the bus, knowing how to behave,"Readus said. "If their behavior is good, it definitely helps us bus drivers to make sure that they are safe, and enjoy their ride."

JCPS buses are equipped with video cameras, which may be used to documents incidents and inappropriate behavior.

What time will schools open for car-riding students ahead of the school's start time?

JCPS said schools typically open its doors to students about 40 minutes before classes start. Parents can check with a school to see what time it plans to open for students.

Will JCPS provide after-school care for students?

JCPS partners with YMCA Child Enrichment Program (CEP) to provide before and after school care for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The program focuses on literacy, arts, recreation, academic support and more. Breakfast is served to children in the before-school program and afternoon snacks are also provided.

To learn more about the CEP program, sites and to register, click here.

What is JCPS doing to address the nationwide bus driver shortage?

For the last several years, JCPS has struggled to recruit enough bus drivers, resulting in buses running delayed, some up to several hours. JCPS said it has 561 bus drivers to start the school year and 510 routes to cover.

In an effort to address a bus driver shortage, the districtreached an agreementwith Transit Authority of River City that transitioned some of their drivers, who were at risk of losing their jobs because of the agency's financial state and decision to scale back routes, to the school district. JCPS anticipates 70 drivers from TARC will be available to drive for JCPS, but Pollio said Monday that only 14 of those drivers are slated to begin the year driving for the district.

JCPS is waiting for a finalized number as drivers work toward a school bus certification. Once the number is finalized, JCPS will bring a proposal to the board on Aug. 20.

"If we have 70, we can add back some routes, so they're in the process of getting that testing, it will be done by the end of the month," Pollio said. "But we also couldn't bring a plan to our board not knowing how many bus drivers were going to pass that."

People interested in becoming a bus driver can learn more about the position and apply by clicking here.

What is a transportation stipend?

JCPS parents could be eligible for stipends to cover the cost of transporting their child to and from school each day. If a student is enrolled in a magnet, traditional or Academies of Louisville school program outside of their resides area and will no longer receive JCPS transportation, they are eligible to receive a stipend.

JCPS said the stipends will be $5 per day for most parents and guardians, while it's $10 per day for parents and guardians whose students qualify for free and reduced lunch. JCPS planned to send sign-up instructions to qualifying parents in early August.

JCPS Bus Coverage:

• JCPS ready for school start Thursday, but expected ruling from judge could complicate bus plan
• JCPS testifies school year could be delayed until November if TRO granted in civil rights lawsuit
• JCPS 'learned a lot' from last year as it works to avoid repeat of first day transportation mess
• JCPS to consider restoring routes for some schools after first day of school

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.