<p>Some background:
S will be attending a magnet program at a public HS in a city about 35 miles away (and two school districts away). The cost of a monthy transportation pass is $175.
His chosen school does not offer any reimbursement/discounts for students.
This is very expensive. We will still need to use the car to get him to and from the bus/train.
I am looking for ideas on how to approach the problem. We have decided that he will write letters to his HS school district, to the transportation company, maybe to our Representative/Congressman. Has anyone done that before? Any suggestions, ideas?</p>
<p>Kelowna, </p>
<p>I think letter writing is fine but I wouldn’t expect any near-term solutions from that - at least any that would alleviate your situation. </p>
<p>Around my area, there are a lot of “casual carpool” pick up sites which are basically are informal car pools that form when drivers and passengers meet – without specific prior arrangement – at designated locations. The driver benefits by being able to take advantage of carpool lanes and toll lanes for carpoolers. </p>
<p>I know there are safety issues among a few others to think about but maybe something to consider? See here for the one in the Bay Area - [Casual</a> Carpool Sites East Bay and San Francisco](<a href=“http://www.ridenow.org/carpool/]Casual”>http://www.ridenow.org/carpool/)</p>
<p>It has been done before. In our area 20 some years ago, our county had to provide transportation to out of state private schools if they were within the stipulated distance and other conditions needed for busing. However, many districts here have gotten out of providing this transportation by simply eliminating that category. Though our school district transports kids to any accredited school within a certain distance range, neighboring districts are not so generous. Many do not provide ANY transportation for middle or high school level even to the public schools, so they are not about to come up with a dime for those going out of district or to private schools. </p>
<p>I suggest you try to get a hold of other parents who have worked on this. There may be groups who have been trying to get this done for a while. You do not want to reinvent the process. </p>
<p>I can tell you that even with transportation offered for my sons’ private high school that is 13 miles from here, it was a big issue. First of all, with all of the activities that high schoolers tend to have, neither kid was finished until well after closing time which meant that the bus was only good for one way. Even then, there were early morning events, weekend events, etc. It was really a difficult time having them at that school at that distance. </p>
<p>Once kids get their licenses around here they end up driving. We did not use that option which meant a lot of time on the road for me and many miles on our car. That was part of the cost of going to that school.</p>
<p>I would consider moving to the other district if it is financially feasible. I don’t like the idea of casual carpooling with teens. If there were other families in your situation that could rotate carpooling, that could make for a good option.</p>
<p>35 miles away can be up to two hours away spent on transportation. If it can be used productively (sleep or school work), then it might be a useful option.</p>
<p>In the current economy, we’re seeing teachers being laid off and various useful programs being cut. It appears that budgets for courts and police will be cut too. A magnet program with transportation cost could be on the chopping block at some point too.</p>
<p>We currently do the commuter thing with our daughter - her community college is 40 minutes from our home - fortunately it’s only two days a week. The commuting time is where we get to chat - I consider that productive commuting time.</p>
<p>I think that it would be hard to get an exception for any kind of extra expenses that weren’t required by law from school districts today.</p>
<p>well he could use the train commute time to study- personal reading I guess.
I agree that carpooling is a good idea to get to the train- but if he is old enough to attend high school 35 miles away from his neighborhood, he is old enough to make a summer job to earn his commute expenses. mowing grass- paper route etc.</p>
<p>A bus or train can be hard to study on, especially if you don’t have a seat. I’ve seen people study on the MBTA but it’s usually with a seat. I see people reading paperback books while hanging onto a railing. I usually read news packets or books or just listen to music on public transportation.</p>
<p>I am not familiar with the area- our district doesn’t allow most out of district( and it is hard to attend a school outside your neighborhood) placements- nor do surrounding districts- the only train I have been on is Amtrak- which is pretty plush.
However- he could still study on the train- I used a cassette recorder to tape lectures- now they are digital of course- podcasts are also available and most of them are free.</p>
<p>More info:</p>
<p>There should be seats on the bus/train. There is also fairly fast wi-fi.
Looks like S will be able to read/study, of course a few weeks down the road, when he is already used to his new found freedom ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Excellent suggestion. I already know a few people that have kids commuting there. When I posed the question to a district coordinator at the open house last fall, several parents listened intently to her response (her response was to write a letter to the transit authority)</p>
<p>As for the carpooling - not the best solution for S. One of the days he will need to be in the city at 6 A.M. (music lesson), another he will stay till the evening to attend Math Circle. Plus there will be lots of other situations , like someone have posted, that will force him to come back from school at an odd hour. Also, there is child No.2 attending a different school, needing transportation as well.</p>
<p>It could get more logistically difficult when he wants to do HS type ECs where he might need to be there after/before school or possibly weekends and more difficult when his new-found friends at that HS are also scattered and to ‘get together’ for something on a weekend or sometime will involve even more travel. It’s a real concern when a student attends a HS far from home - especially one that attracts others who are far from their homes. You could have one person 35 miles on one side of it and another 35 miles on the other side making for a 70 mile one way trip if they want to meet at one’s house.</p>
<p>I don’t have a solution for you but I hope it works out okay.</p>
<p>How much would your HS district charge to bus him to the local high school? We live 6 miles from the high school and have to pay over $400 for the school bus. That’s a lot less than $175 a month, but it’s a much shorter distance. I can’t imagine what they’d charge if it was 35 miles! I know that around here we could lobby for transportation money until the cows came home and there would be none forthcoming. Is public transportation going to be available at the hours he needs it, once ECs are taken into account?</p>
<p>^^yes, it will. Bus is faster and more convenient - stops close to the house, but if needed and when he gets older, train service operates till midnight I believe, and longer on weekends.</p>
<p>You have to pay for a school bus? I did not realize. I thought they were free if one commuted within the school district. We have no real experience with public schools, this will be our first. But seems that it will be worth the try of this commute hassle. S is actually not intimidated by early rising. I am!
My problem is the $1750 we will have to pitch in for ten months of commute (not counting the occasions that he will be delivered to school by me, in a private car). I can pay for a summer camp with money like that!</p>
<p>Most school districts that I know only provide transportation if the student lives more than 1 or 2 miles from the school and less than 10-15 miles. I’ve not heard of any that will provide transportation as far as 35 miles. NYC offers reduced cost transportation vouchers for schools, but that often means kids take as many as 3 transfers to get to school. My son has classmates who have to walk to a bus stop, take the bus to a subway, subway to a train, walk from the train station to school, doing the reverse at the end of the day. Unless there are enough students in an area to be able to reasonably pitch in for transportation for hire, it’s a tough deal. </p>
<p>Ask for the school’s directory and check for families living near you or between the school and you. They may be a good starting point for getting allies.</p>
<p>^^ I would take “reduced” any moment!
Our system provides the student rate only on local buses. The intercity is the same fare, wheteher you are 6 or 64. I don’t think it fair…</p>