As reported last week, the State Monitor in a letter to the Board of Education President stated that a negotiated busing deal for 117 students – 25 of which were courtesy – was cancelled due to insufficient funds in the current budget to bus non-mandated students. Some have requested the actual letter, which is attached.
A Board official today told TLS that there was no change in the override.
Additionally, the district is still slated to cancel all courtesy busing – for both private and non-private students – unless it comes up with approximately $6,000,000 in a special referendum vote.
[TLS]
How many kids are there in total that would qualify as being courtesy bussing?
who is david shafter? I thought the monitor’s name is mike azzara?
Why were the kids deserving of mandated bus cancelled? Out of the 117, only 25 were courtesy bussing kids. If the mandated kids are going to get aid until a route is available, why kick them off a route they already had??? My kids bus was cancelled and we live around 3 miles from the school. Explanations please????
why is letter signed by David Shafter? who is he? isn’t Mike Azzara the state monitor?
Who is David Shafter?
The blame belongs to the people who knew better then the rest. However, the town won’t blame them
What I find incredible is that I still here people, especially young, inexperienced people saying if only we got rid of (fill in the blank) individuals everything would be perfect. Look where that kind of mentality got us with the board of ed. things weren’t perfect but they generally worked. Now we have total chaos and disfunction…..
Let’s all remember that this issue is both private and public school students who are getting a lot more bussing then those in other districts. We bus those who live .6 miles from the school when the state rules are 2.5 miles and 2 miles.
December 7th ? I thought its stopping in February !! Ouch. This is painful for those kids and their parents. So sad.
I say we have a march on the 9 close down the town let our voice become heard we must do something!!
and it would be nice if some township member would speak up and maybe even do something, NOW IS THE TIME FOR STRONG LEADERSHIP!!!! people will follow just do something!! Thank you
The state monitors are told to make do with the old formula funding that will not work for lakewood demographic makeup of the overwhelming majority sending to private school vs public schools. Yes those that asked for the state monitors never factored in that it would heavily affect the public school bus issue. The question now is how many of the public school children lost their busing on this cut vs the private school busing. Come soon there will be no busing and the town will be total grid lock. Cant wait.
Is it time to enroll in the ps system. And finally cut the burden from our shoulder of double taxation. We already pay heavy taxes and still pay private tuition (which is much less then educating a child @ Lakewood ps) another 6 million now taxes and what’s next year… Trenton has to return more of the tax revenue back to lakewood . Our ploiticians are mute on this and send 2 helpless state monitors to balance a budget without concern for our childrens safety as well as ours. Without concern for the impact this will have on the economy. Make a formula that works for lakewood.
One of the problems I’ve seen is children above Kindergarten age are also being picked up and dropped off at their homes. What ever happened to corner bus stops. Would’ve saved a lot of money in gas and time on the road.