The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) released a study that found that nearly 40 percent of respondents said their school districts are considering cutting bus routes or availability for the 2012-2013 school year, compared to 29 percent during the current school year.
The responses indicate that reduced service could climb by 30 percent as state budget cuts continue to hit local schools and related services such as transportation.
The silver lining? The survey, “Weathering the Storm: How the Economic Recession Continues to Impact Schools,” also found that elimination of transportation positions is projected to fall by more than 38 percent next school year, to 22 percent from 36 percent this school year. Still, the AASA study also indicates that school districts do not anticipate returning to pre-recession budget levels for several more years. However, respondents also said that they did not believe budget cuts for the 2013-2014 school year would be as deep as in earlier years of the recession.
The survey of 528 school administrator members conducted by AASA in February is the latest in a series that was first published in 2008 that projects how budget cuts are affecting classroom education and related services. Transportation was included in questions on cuts to operations and to buildings and facilities.
AASA said that nearly three in 10 school administrators reported that their districts cut bus routes last school year while 45 percent said they still are not considering the cost-cutting measure. Interestingly, the same amount (45 percent) said they were not considering implementation of new efficiencies such as tiered routes to increase transportation efficiencies. Twenty percent said their districts had implemented transportation efficiencies during the 2010-2011 school year, a figure that grew to 27 percent this school year and that figures to increase to 38 percent in 2012-2013.
The number of districts responding to the survey that plan to outsource maintenance work next school year is forecast to double, the report indicates. More than 10 percent said they outsourced the work this school year compared to 20 percent who said the may do so next school year. Still, two-thirds said they don’t plan to outsource.
Nearly 51 percent said their schools deferred maintenance during the current school year, up from 44 percent last year. More than 55 percent said they were considering the cost-cutting measure for the 2013-2014 school year. About 27 percent said their districts had never considered deferring maintenance.
More than 14 percent said they had delayed a capital debt program, or bond, during the 2010-2011 school year, a figure that grew by more than a percentage point during the current school year. However, 20 percent said they are considering it next school year. Two-thirds said they had never considered it.
