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LONG BUS RIDE BILL BEFORE LEGISLATURE - Would Slow Consolidation, Blankenship Says Ride Times Are Guidelines |
| (01/26/2004) |
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A bill has been introduced by Gov. Bob Wise in the West Virginia Legislature to
limit long bus rides, a problem which has increased following the consolidation of
schools. State education officials have said the passage of the bill would create a financial crisis providing bus services to shorten routes. Calhoun Superintendent of Schools Ron Blankenship said the bus ride limits have only been guidelines. "If such a guideline became law, Calhoun County would never be able to fund it." He said it is highly unlikely the legislature will take such action. Linda Martin of Challenge WV said the proposed law is directed toward slowing down the closing of community based schools. The law would not force county school systems that are already requiring long bus rides to comply. Martin said school officials are clouding the issue. "The busing bill will not increase costs. The bill language states from the 2004-2005 school year and thereafter. There are no plans to make anything retroactive," she said. Long bus rides have been a long time experience for Calhoun's high school students, since the county has always had a consolidated school. When grades five and above were moved to the new consolidated school at Mt. Zion, more younger students have been affected by longer bus rides. Calhoun County has 247 students exceeding the state's guidelines for time spent traveling to school, according to Arvin Harsh of Challenge WV, a small schools advocacy group. There are 35 high school students on a school bus for more than one hour in Calhoun County, he said. Preston County had 418 and Mercer 202. Calhoun has eighty-one junior high students with bus rides in excess of 45 minutes. The report says 131 elementary students have rides over 30 minutes. Roane County has 201 high school students riding a bus more than one hour, 105 junior high students exceeding 45 minutes and 102 elementary students exceeding 30 minutes. Lincoln County may well take the long bus ride record with the building of a new $30 million consolidated high school, with some students exceeding one and one-hours of ride time. |
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