Auburn-Washburn Makes Changes To Transportation Services

On April 15, the Auburn-Washburn district sent out communication to families regarding potential changes to transportation services for students for the 2025-26 school year. The proposed plan was as follows:

Elementary Students

Any elementary student (grades K-5) who resides within 2.5 miles of their school will no longer receive free bus transportation. These families may opt-in for bus service by paying an annual family fee of $300. Bus service will continue at no cost for:

• Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act; and/or
• Students whose current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires special transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Secondary Students

Any secondary student (grades 6-12) who resides within 2.5 miles of their school will no longer receive bus transportation. Bus service will continue at no cost for:

• Students whose current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires special transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

That has not always been the case, as the district policy has forever been to pick up any student who needed to be picked up by bus, as long as they are within the district boundaries.

On May 8, after receiving feedback from families, the district sent out communication again, with these changes: 

Elementary Students (Grades K-5)

Any elementary student who resides within 2 miles of their school will no longer receive free bus transportation. These families may opt-in for round trip bus service by paying an annual family fee of $250.

Bus service will continue at no cost for:

1. Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act.
2. Students whose current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires special transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
3. Students who attend a licensed day care facility in the district with other students from the same elementary school.  

Other changes for elementary students:

1. Parents will be allowed to drop their students at their respective school by 8:15 a.m. (current time is 8:25 a.m.)
2. Crossing guards will be utilized for students wishing to walk or ride bikes to Auburn, Farley, Indian Hills, Pauline Central, and Pauline South elementary schools. Bike racks will be utilized at those schools. 
3. All other elementary schools will still remain off limits to walking and riding bikes until further infrastructure can be constructed.  
4. Families must sign up for bus service by July 15 for the school year. Payment is due at the time of sign-up. This will reserve a student’s place on their bus.
5. Neighborhood and centralized bus stops will be utilized when possible. Licensed daycares with multiple students, kindergarten, and first-grade students will have priority for stops.  
6. All elementary schools have licensed before-and-after-school programs that have additional openings for parents who want to utilize that option. Parents should reach out to their schools for additional information.  

Secondary Students (Grades 6-12)

Any secondary student who resides within 2 miles of these schools will no longer receive free bus transportation.

Bus service for any student under 2 miles will continue at no cost for: 

1. Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act.
2. Students whose current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) requires special transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Families may opt-in for after-school bus service for an annual family fee of $125.

Other changes for secondary students at all schools:

1. Parents will be allowed to drop their students at their respective school by 7:15 a.m. (current time is 7:25 a.m.)
2. Families must sign up for bus service by July 15 for the school year. Payment is due at the time of sign-up. This will reserve a student’s place on their bus.  
3. Neighborhood and centralized bus stops will be utilized when possible.  
4. Before and after-school programs are being explored for students at both middle schools. More information will be out soon regarding these potential programs. 

On May 12, the Board of Education unanimously approved the proposed plan with the changes made on April 15. 

Roughly 73% of the students going to Washburn Rural North Middle School live within 2 miles of the school. Seventh grader Corinne Parker, a student who lives 2.5 miles away from WRMS, said, “I think it’s a little unnecessary, the length, because it’s 2.5 miles. Especially on 61st street, because it’s so busy, so you can’t bike or walk because there’s no sidewalks.”

One concern is with inclement weather, and how students would get to school if it is bitterly cold, snowing, or raining. WRMS Assistant Principal Mr. Dial said, “I personally think the snow days will be managed the same way.  A lot of that is determined by driving conditions and having high school drivers as well as buses on the roads. The days with extreme cold, but no snow, may have a higher chance of being cancelled because of students walking to school, but again, those could be considered parent decisions.”

Although much of the Auburn-Washburn district is in rural areas, the district has stated that we are the only 6A school in Kansas that buses every student to and from school. Superintendent Dr. McWilliams said, “It is my belief that we are comparable to many other 6A schools. It is accurate that we have rural areas within our school community, but so do school communities like Liberal, Dodge City, and Garden City, to name a few.“