The purpose of this notification is to communicate answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding transportation and student eligibility.
What is the two-mile radius, and why did the district make this adjustment?
Over the past few meetings, the Milton-Union Board of Education discussed at length and ultimately adjusted the approved distance between the school facility and those student residences eligible for district transportation. More recently, in Board of Education discussions, this distance has been referred to as the two-mile radius, and Ohio Revised Code Section 3327.01 allows local school districts to make this determination. Milton-Union students with residences further than two miles from the school are eligible for transportation. Students and families residing two miles or less from the school building are not eligible for transportation.
For efficiency, the district will begin the 2024-25 school year with all students following the same daily schedule. The school day begins at 8:00am with dismissal at 3:00pm. Following the same schedule from Kindergarten through Grade 12 allows the district to maximize the operational use of classified and certificated staff members. The design and plan for district-provided transportation must support the operational necessity to maximize use of human capital. Consequently, adjusting the student pick-up and drop-off radius to two miles became operationally necessary.
How is the two-mile radius determined?
At this time, students living outside of the two-mile radius and riding district transportation will board and deboard buses in front of the three school buildings adjacent to Milton-Potsdam Road. The two-mile radius was gauged from the center of the school building and determined by the actual route a bus takes to reach any given residence including accessible roads, necessary turns, etc. Meaning, if one were to imagine how this might appear on a map, the two-mile radius would not look like a perfect circle with the school building in the center. Each residence has its own distance a bus would travel beginning in front of the school building and including accessible roads, necessary turns, etc. required on the route.
What is the status of high school busing?
Beginning with the switch in the instructional day and coupled with one morning route and one afternoon route, the district does not have the capacity to bus students enrolled in grades nine through twelve to and from the school building. In other words, the district will transport the same number of students on one route as it always has, but without second morning and afternoon routes, the district could not make high school busing available.
Students with identified disabilities requiring transportation will still be bused to and from the building. The district will also continue to run a shuttle to and from the Miami Valley CTC for students accepted and enrolled in career-technical programming. If there are Milton-Union students attending Miami Valley CTC who would like to take the shuttle, the pick-up and drop-off location will be the Memorial Stadium parking lot. To take the shuttle, students can be dropped-off by a parent or family member or may choose to park and ride. Students should arrive not later than 7:20am.
What is the purpose of this notice?
Over the next several days, all district families will receive specific notifications (through text and email) regarding their eligibility for district-provided transportation, and if eligible, parents and families will receive details regarding pick-up and drop-off locations with approximate times. Family residences further than two miles from the school building are eligible for busing. Students and families residing two miles or less from the school building are not eligible for transportation.
Based on residences, these notifications are being sent to all families - parents with students eligible for transportation as well as parents of students who are not eligible for district transportation, expect their children will walk to school, or already have plans to self-transport. In many cases, parents and families with students who have never received district transportation in the past are also being notified. However, the district is attempting to touch base with every family regarding transportation to reduce any confusion regarding eligibility, bus stop locations, and approximate pick-up and drop-off times.
Will the district adjust in transportation over the course of the year?
Certainly, the district will leave this possibility open, but to begin the year, transportation will adhere as strictly as possible to the two-mile radius. Based on available seats and staffing, we will consider adjustments moving forward.
If you have questions regarding transportation eligibility or this notification, please contact (937) 884-7910, and your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member.