This is a brief summary of how the cost-neutral school start time models
were created for consideration there is much research regarding the benefits of
a later start time for adolescents which is not up for discussion at this time.
There are also many factors for establishing a realistic and feasible
bell schedule. The goal is to provide models that maximize the use of the
buses and keep costs at a minimum. In the past other models were created that
added significant costs of additional buses and drivers due to budgetary
constraints. Those models were eliminated from consideration this brief
presentation will provide a short summary of how bus routes are created
and the four cost neutral models under consideration we will provide an
overview of the district's profile factors in creating a bus run factors in
creating a bus route the for cost neutral models and provide a reminder of
how to complete our survey. Orange County is 904 square miles OCPS is the eighth
largest school district in the nation and fourth largest in the state. OCPS
has 199 schools serving a student population of over two hundred and
eleven thousand. Of the 199 schools 125 are elementary schools
thirty-eight middle schools eight K through eight schools twenty high
schools and eight exceptional and alternative schools. Transportation
services ended last school year operating 860 bus routes a route usually
includes a high school elementary and middle school bus run the number of bus
routes can change as needs or ridership changes. The start of the 2019 2020
school year began with 875 bus routes transporting approximately 70,000
students daily. The current belt times our high school starts at 7:20 a.m. and
release at 2:20 p.m. Elementary and K through 8 schools
between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. and released between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m.
middle school starts at 9:30 a.m. and release at 3:57 p.m. factors that are
taken into consideration when creating a bus run are number of bus stops, location
of bus stops, length of the run, number of students. Creating a bus run or a trip to
and from the school is a delicate balance of time and distance. Adding more
bus stops to transport more will use fewer buses but will have longer bus
ride times. The goal is to have a general education run average 40 minutes and a
special needs run average 55 minutes there are over 13,000 bus stops
throughout the district many factors are considered when identifying an
appropriate bus stop. Bus stop location is determined by considering factors
like sight distance, location of student residences, identifiable student clusters,
number of students, the distance between stops and pedestrian access.
Depending on the attendance zone and topography maximizing the bus occupancy may extend
the ride time for students getting to school. The size of the attendance zones
will impact the number of buses needed to serve the schools. For larger zones
more buses will be scheduled to lower the ride times the window of operation
is the time needed between tiers - high school, elementary and middle school.
Time is needed in between start times to allow buses to pick up and deliver for
each tier. If there is not enough time buses cannot be used for another run and
additional buses are needed for the next tier. The goal is to create as few bus
routes as possible to transport eligible students to and from school safely and
as efficiently as possible the goal is to have at least three runs per bus.
This means when possible one bus route will have a high school, elementary school and
middle school run assigned. There are 20 high schools and they have the largest
attendance zones. Due to the size some bus runs are
longer and take more time to get students to and from school.
There are 38 middle schools and the size of the attendance zones vary. The more rural
schools have larger zones versus the urban schools.
There are 125 elementary schools and they have the smallest zones.
to help create efficient routes for approximately eighty six thousand eligible students OCPS employees
a routing software program called Trapeze map net n T. Student data from the district
student database is downloaded into the transportation routing software nightly.
The student data is then reviewed by our routing specialists to confirm that the
students are in the correct attendance zone along with any special issues on
their record such as ESE designation.
There are factors that may not be
flexible that will impact the development of a route.
These factors include but are not limited to the ninth grade Center is needing to start 10
minutes earlier due to shuttles to and from the main campus.
Special schools where the start times cannot be flexible. Half day pre-k vocational education
programs, ESE high school transition programs and Technical College campus
start times and shuttles from high schools. For technical colleges any
change also will affect non K through 12 attendees.
Here are the proposed cost neutral start time models.
The following models were created by using the
district's routing software and current ridership percentages.The routing
software program created the models based on all eligible ridership.
Currently OCPS transports approximately 76% of the eligible riders.
Some assumptions were made during the creation of these models those were that
positive pathways will remain on the 4th tier, that the number of elementary
schools meaning an extra our will not change considerably,
that the ridership percentage will not change considerably, that any existing program
changes or new programs will not affect the number of buses needed.
Model A
This is the current belt time schedule the proposed start time models will be cost
neutral for both buses and teachers
Model B, this model just moves each tier 20 minutes later with high school
starting at 7:40 a.m.
Models C, these are the start times based on the simulations for high school
to start at 8:00 a.m. followed by elementary schools and then middle
schools.
Model D, these are the start times based on the simulations for elementary
schools to start first at 8:00 a.m. followed by high schools and then middle
schools.
Please remember to complete the survey you can find the link to the survey on
our home page at www.ocps.net