News Summary
The Jerome School District is addressing major issues with its new busing system, which caused confusion among parents and led to class cancellations. With ridership increasing, inaccuracies in routing software have prompted the district to make adjustments, including improving communication and modifying pick-up and drop-off patterns at schools. The administration is committed to enhancing transportation services and ensuring safer travel for students.
Jerome, Idaho – The Jerome School District is currently working to resolve major issues with its new school busing system that led to widespread confusion and frustration among parents, resulting in class cancellations last week. The district announced that on August 21 and 22, classes were canceled due to safety concerns related to transportation operations.
The new bus system, which was implemented to manage an increase in ridership—from 950 to 1,300 students—has encountered significant logistical challenges. Many parents reported “chaos” as they faced difficulties with incorrect bus routing, leading them to drive their children to school instead of relying on the new system. Transportation Director Tim Hicks stated that improvements to the busing system are ongoing and that conditions are gradually getting “better and better.”
Superintendent Brent Johnson has acknowledged the frustrations parents have experienced and emphasized that progress has been made since the initial unsuccessful week of the bus operation. He has apologized for the issues encountered, recognizing that they are unacceptable.
The primary problems stem from inaccuracies inherent in the routing software, which is linked to Google Maps. Reports indicate that some families were misdirected to cornfields and other incorrect locations due to incorrect addresses being generated. Parents also faced challenges with last-minute notifications of disqualifications for bus rides, caused by a software glitch. The transportation and IT departments are currently addressing these issues.
To mitigate further confusion, parents have been asked to complete transportation forms to assist in addressing routing concerns. The district anticipates improvements over the next few weeks, with manual data entry aimed at correcting routing problems expected to be completed by the end of next week. Additionally, the district is working to hire more school bus drivers to meet the increased transportation demand.
In response to recent challenges, classes will proceed under renewed guidelines, including Transportation changes that ensure only properly registered students with confirmed routes will be permitted on buses. Furthermore, students residing within a half-mile of schools will not receive transportation, honoring defined exceptions.
As part of enhancing bus operations, specific new pick-up and drop-off patterns have been established at various schools. At Summit Elementary School, for example, two dedicated traffic lanes for drop-off have been created along with designated zones to facilitate smooth traffic flow. Parents of students attending Jerome Middle School are being encouraged to utilize specific routes for accessing the school to improve overall traffic conditions.
The Jerome School District has recognized its need for better communication and planning to ensure the efficient operation of its transportation system. Moving forward, the administration aims to confirm addresses and ridership details with parents, leading to a temporary suspension of new riders to establish more reliable daily routines.
Participants in the school community are encouraged to remain engaged and provide feedback as the district implements these enhancements aimed at alleviating past struggles. The administration remains committed to fine-tuning the transportation service and ensuring that students can safely and efficiently reach their schools.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Local Teacher Charged with Institutional Sexual Assault
Additional Resources
- KIVI TV: Jerome School District Addresses Bus System Chaos
- Google Search: Jerome School District transportation issues
- KMVT: School District Addresses First Week School Transportation Issues
- Wikipedia: School transportation in the United States
- KTVB: Jerome School District Cancels Thursday’s Classes
- Google News: Jerome School District bus issues
Author: STAFF HERE MILWAUKEE WRITER
MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER The MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREMilwaukee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Summerfest, Milwaukee Film Festival, and the Milwaukee Boat Show. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and Visit Milwaukee, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and brewing that power the local economy such as Harley-Davidson and MillerCoors. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Wisconsin's dynamic landscape.
