Many urban Indiana school districts are going to great measures to balance their transportation budgets, but Marshall County schools appear to be weathering funding cuts. Schools are attributing decreases in funding to changes in assessed value of property and the overall tax rate that is used to calculate the dollars included in the state’s contributions. The property-tax cap (circuit breaker) limits the amount of tax that can be collected. Transportation funds are distributed on a budget formula for each school district.
Ft. Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) Board voted unanimously on January 26, to reduce the number of students that will be bused next year by some 4,000-6,000 . Currently they bus 21,000 daily. Drastic measures include changing the starting and ending times of schools to a three-tiered schedule for the 2015-2016 so a limited number of buses can run more routes.
The plan could cut transportation costs by $2.5 million, in which $1.5 million will be from enforcing a No Transportation Zones (NTZ). High school students who live within 2 miles of their school will not be provided with school transportation. The radius for elementary-aged students is 1 mile and for middle school students, 1.5 miles. In the case of the Transportation Budget, the amount that would have been collected had the tax caps not taken place is about $9 million. They are operating on a $21,139,000 Transportation Budget.
Jenny Banks, Director of Communications, Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, explained funding saying, “School transportation can be funded through a variety of funds, including the Transportation Fund, General Fund or Bus Replacement Fund. Through these funds, transportation may be funded through a number of revenues streams, including but not limited to property tax revenue, excise taxes, and local option income taxes.” “On an annual basis, school corporations will make decisions as to how to fund their transportation and bus replacement funds.” Banks added.
The bus replacement fund levy is configured on the basis of locally adopted twelve-year replacement plan. Schools can use money from their General Funds to offset costs of transportation and vice-versus. When the maximum levy for each school’s Bus Replacement Fund was set in 2011, the DLGF did consider the number of busses needed by each school corporation.
The Transportation Fund was established in 1979 by the General Assembly as a separate fund with taxing authority. The Transportation Fund of schools must bear all of the costs of pupil transportation, except bus replacement. Schools may appeal the amount received if the Transportation Budget increases by at least 10 percent for such things as increased fuel expense over the previous year; a significant increase in school enrollment or miles traveled compared to the previous year for both regular and special education students; increased operation costs due to compliance with a court ordered desegregation plan; or increased miles driven due to a building closure.
Mitch Mawhorter, superintendent of Union-North United School Corporation, said, “We were able to cut transportation costs almost in half over last year.” “We will easily be out of the “red” after next year.” he said. He credits the corporations’ treasurer and transportation director with helping to cut costs. Their Transportation Budget was set at $960,210. He said, “It has been really tough.” He indicated they cut some bus routes and began using more corporation bus drivers. The corporation does use bus drivers who contract for routes. ”Everyone in the corporation understands that we are on a mission.” He said. Whenever possible, they use smaller buses to transport students to off property activities and sports events and have a coach drive the bus.
The Plymouth Schools, headed up by Superintendent Daniel Tyree, have been proactive by making changes to keep their transportation needs running smoothly. They do enforce the NTZ rule of only providing bus transportation to students who live outside of a one-mile radius from the school where they are enrolled. During severe weather when temperatures drop to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, or a wind chill factor of -19 degrees below zero or less, they have pickup spots throughout the city. Tyree said, “We have found a number of other ways to cut expenses.” The Transportation Budget was set as $1,413,972 for 2014.
Michele Riise was hired by Argos Schools as Superintendent on January 1 of this year. Riise said, “The buses here are in good shape. There isn’t a dire need to replace them.” She did indicate that within 2-3 years there might be a need to replace some of the fleet. The transportation budget was $408,465 for 2014.
Triton Superintendent, Donna Burroughs, said they had no cuts in the budgets for the 2014-2015 school year and have experienced no big losses due to the circuit breaker adoption. They operate with a $561,000 Transportation Budget.
Dr. Jim White said he inherited the budget for the Bremen Corporation. This is White’s first year as Superintendent at the Bremen Schools. He said, “The Corporation has been in the black for the past few years. We have a solid director.” They are working with a $685,277 transportation budget.
Carol Anders Correspondent
