Where did the idea to revisit school start times originate?
Why now? Wilcox initiated a study of the school district’s bus route system this summer with an eye toward making it more efficient. Over the past seven years, Pinellas’ busing costs have grown nearly twice as fast as the operating budget. In 2003-04, Pinellas spent a larger percentage of its budget on transportation than any other big district in Florida, mainly because of the school choice plan. Costs continue to rise. Start times were a back-burner issue when the study began. But as work progressed, it became apparent the district could save money while also addressing a concern that high school start times are too early. The 7:05 a.m. first bell is the earliest in the Tampa Bay region. Some Pinellas teens are catching school buses at about 5 a.m. and are getting home after 3 p.m. Who conducted this study? A company called Laidlaw Planning Solutions, which specializes in computer bus routing. The company is part of Laidlaw Education Services, the nation’s largest student transportat
