Non-bus zones for all schools are subject to change as pedestrian improvements in the community are made.
Transportation is not provided for students who live within 1.5 miles to their nearest appropriate school. This distance is set by State Code. We determine the non-bus zones for every school and neighborhood following the same guidelines. Non-bus zones are based on a 1.5 mile distance utilizing pathways, neighborhood streets, and arterial streets with sidewalks and crosswalks. Consideration is given to hazards. The non-bus zones evaluated at least every 3 years and implemented after much consideration.
Students living in the non-bus zone may request to register as an "ineligible rider". Requests for ineligible riders will be accepted in late September and assignments will be permitted as space on busses allows. No new stops will be created for ineligible riders.
All students will be given an RFID bus badge.
We're excited to introduce a new initiative designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of our school bus transportation services. Students at all levels will begin carrying a Bus Badge when boarding the bus. Secondary students will need to carry them on their person and elementary students will need to have these badges attached to their backpacks. Elementary student badges will NOT have their photos on their student badges.
We believe this program will bring several benefits to your child's school bus experience. Parents will have access to information about when their child boarded and exited the bus, enhancing peace of mind. The Bus Badge system will also help us maintain an accurate list of students using transportation, which in turn allows us to maximize route efficiency.
Elementary School of Choice bus stops will be located regionally rather than in neighborhoods.
Regional Stops will be situated within 1.5 miles of bus riders' residences and licensed daycares within the bus zones. Students outside the bus zone will be allowed to utilize the closest available stop. Our Transportation Department team is diligently working to identify suitable locations, such as parks, trailheads, and other spaces, where multiple students can conveniently wait for their bus. Bus stop assignments will be available in early-August.
West Ada Transit System (WATS) stops will be located using the Regional Stop method.
Regional Stops will be situated within 1.5 miles of bus riders' residences.
Rebound School of Opportunity will have limited bussing.
Rebound School of Opportunity will be added to the West Ada Transit System (WATS) in the morning. Bussing will only be provided for AM session students; no PM session bussing will be available.
Students attending the AM session will be able to utilize WATS to get to school, and we will be setting up a midday WATS for students to return to their stops in the afternoon. Bus stop information will be available in early-August.
Students will be required to have a Temporary Bus Pass signed by a school administrator to board any bus they are not assigned to.
To assist drivers and add another level of bus security, schools will now use a standardized temporary bus pass for students riding to/from an unassigned bus stop. School office staff will accept a note/email/phone call from a guardian indicating the temporary bussing change. The school will write the bus pass and the student can pick it up at the office.
Gifted and Talented (GT) elementary bussing will be limited. We are excited to see these programs transition into the home schools.
Pull-out GT program shuttles to Andrus from Eagle, Eagle Hills, Star, Seven Oaks, and Galileo will be eliminated.
Contained GT shuttles will not change next year. (Shuttle Information | West Ada School District)
Contained GT direct bus routes will not include any new bus stops next year.
Multilingual Learners (ML) programs will be immersive programs within the home schools.
Bus stops created to accommodate 2023-2024 ML students attending programs at a school other than their neighborhood home school will be eliminated.