Parents with children in a Boston school district have been informed that the district will no longer provide school buses for students due to funding shortages and a lack of available buses. This announcement comes as Massachusetts has increased its bus services for migrant students.
A letter from Stoughton Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Baeta has notified parents that the 150 students who had signed up for busing this year will not be accommodated.
“Unfortunately, for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, 150 secondary students who signed up to ride a bus were not able to be placed on a bus,” the letter stated. “Those families not receiving bus transportation were notified this week. Those receiving bus transportation will receive their bus postcards the week of August 19.”
“We understand the feelings of disappointment and frustration this caused for the families who did not receive bus transportation,” it added. “We feel it is important to explain this situation to all of our families to allow you to better understand how we arrived at this point.”
Massachusetts state law does not require schools to provide transportation for students in grades 7-12. However, the district is mandated to transport students living in hotels and shelters.
Superintendent Baeta tried to dismiss claims that the cut is a result of increased transportation for migrant students, saying that the funding for these services comes from the state and does not impact the district’s operational budget.
“The funding for these two buses does not come from our operational budget. It is inaccurate to suggest that these children receiving busing is the reason yours did not. If we were not receiving the funding from the state for the students living in hotels/shelters, we would not be able to have these two additional buses.”
However in a March letter, the superintendent acknowledged that the increase in migrant families has contributed to “financial pressures.”
“In order to accommodate this increase in our student population, we have had to make adjustments throughout the budget,” he wrote at the time. “The situation remains fluid as we get more information and advocate for additional funding from the state.”
The district’s announcement comes as over 200 migrant families have moved into the area, according to the Boston Herald. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has attempted to crack down on mass migration entering her state in recent months, including sending officials to the southern border urging migrants not to travel to Massachusetts.
