STAFF REPORT
In a reversal of an earlier announcement, Hays CISD officials said school bus service will continue in Buda’s Cullen Country neighborhood.
“After consulting with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and further investigation, the district will be able to receive funding to operate buses for the Cullen Country subdivision,” Hays CISD spokesperson Tim Savoy said in a written statement.
He said the distance to Elm Grove Elementary is more than two miles using the closest public roadway, even though the official walk-zone is less than that distance. TEA does not provide funding for buses that are under the two-mile mark unless there is a hazardous condition making the road unsafe for students to walk.
In Garlic Creek, a neighborhood near Cullen Country, the situation for bus service is unchanged.
The statement from Savoy said, “Unfortunately, the district will not offer bus service to the Garlic Creek subdivision. The distance to the school is less than two miles both by foot and by car. Additionally, the concerns expressed by parents do not meet the requirements of the Texas Education Code to declare the route hazardous in terms of receiving funding for bus service. However, Hays CISD recognizes and understands the concerns that have been presented.”
As a result, Savoy said Hays CISD will provide two new crossing guards, one stationed at the new pedestrian bridge and one closer to the campus to help students cross the residential streets next to the school.
“Additionally, the school district is investigating the installation of a streetlight at the bridge, but no solution has been reached at this point,” he said.
