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Just an FYI, think carefully when selecting your SEES choices, particularly if you think you would rely on bussing to get your kid to school – either due to distance, work, or other childrens’ needs.
This school year, CPS parents were notified the Saturday/Sunday before school started that the majority of bus routes were cancelled. This was done one at a time which basically caused mass hysteria as parents got word through social media and waited to receive a call, scrambling to rearrange work schedules and carpools.
CPS initially communicated that students would be re-routed by October, but has now changed that guidance that they don’t have a timeframe for resolution. Some people feel that this is a not-so-quiet attempt to eliminate bussing.
While the district is providing parents reimbursement, those have been incomplete/delayed. Moreover, it’s next to impossible to actually hire someone to help you with this. Adding after school activities has jammed things up even more as carpools that previously did work are leaving kids out. There are parents who don’t have anyone near to carpool with and need to physically be present at work, and kids are simply not able to get to school. Schools have been accommodating by opening their doors a little earlier and allowing a few kids to stay later, but that still doesn’t solve the issue completely, and not available at all schools.
Anyway, before this reads as too much of a rant, just wanted to bring awareness that when you make your SEES selections think of ‘what if’ the bus is not an option.
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Sorry to hijack the topic, but since bussing reimbursement has been mentioned….if we never applied for bussing, but would be eligible based on distance to school/our address, can we apply now to get reimbursement?
Thank you in advance.
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You can probably apply for bus routing due to an address change but routes were assigned at the end of the summer, and reimbursement seems to only be going to those students who were on an assigned route which was cancelled. You should contact the transportation coordinator at your school who can guide you.
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<p style=”text-align: center;”>It is difficult to know which schools kept bussing and which did not. Recommend asking the school or other parents (if you rely on the bus) before accepting an offer because so much has changed. Our experience with the bus for SEES was not good for long distances (unreliable, often late) but shorter runs were more successful. Many magnets got rid of bussing too due to the shortage. This makes it real hard for fulltime working parents and single parents-basically to accept offers at certain schools you have to be prepared to drive the kids there….</p>
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