LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bus transportation returned Monday for thousands of Jefferson County Public Schools students across six schools. In April 2024, the Board of Education voted to cut transportation to most traditional and magnet schools. 

What You Need To Know

  • Bus service was restored Monday to students across six Jefferson County schools 

  • In April 2024, JCPS cut transportation to almost all magnet and traditional schools for the 2024-25 school year

  • About 1,100 students out of 3,000 eligible students elected to ride the bus, the district said

  • The district added the new routes went "very well"

“Buses were on time; it was great ... no big deal,” said JCPS parent Sarah Ballard, whose children attend magnet programs at duPont Manual High School and Noe Middle School.

The decision to cut transportation for most magnet and traditional schools left Ballard’s students without buses to their preferred programs, she said. 

“They both started two different times; my oldest starts earlier, my youngest starts an hour later and the schools are right next to each other," she said. "That makes it kind of difficult, too, because I can get one to school, and then I have to wait an hour before the other one can go." 

Ballard's oldest son, who attends Manual, is once again riding the bus.

“It was kind of nice to be able to sleep in a little bit and not have to worry about taking them at the same time,” Ballard said.

A district spokesperson said 3,000 students were eligible for the renewed transportation, but only about 1,100 students elected to get back on the bus.

“There were only three kids on my son's bus," Ballard said. "I thought it was going to be crowded. I just assumed that, I guess, but with not having enough busing, I figured that it would have been way more kids on there." 

For the rest of the school year, Ballard said, she still needs to drive her youngest to class, but she said she is optimistic that’ll be changing next year.

“I'm hoping with the fact that there was only three kids on those buses, I'm hoping that they're going to re-look at everything and reevaluate everything and then possibly get the busing situation sorted out,” she said.

A district spokesperson added Monday morning’s new routes went “very well."

The JCPS Board of Education is set to meet Tuesday, and Superintendent Marty Pollio is expected to recommend the magnet program at Young Elementary School be incorporated into Engelhard Elementary School.

The proposal said enrollment at the two schools is declining and merging them could optimize resources. If the proposal is approved, it would take effect in Aug. 2025.

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