Canton City School District Adjusts Busing Parameters

(WHBC) – The Canton City School District Board of Education has approved a change to the district’s busing zone.

Starting next school year, students must live at least one mile away from their school building to receive school transportation.

“We understand this will cause some difficulty,” Business Manager Tad Ellsworth told WHBC News.

“But we do not believe that this is unreasonable. It’s what was in effect in this district for decades prior to 2013.”

In 2013 the board changed the busing zone, allowing students who live a quarter of a mile away from their school to be bused.

The board hoped that change would improve attendance and stabilize enrollment but it did not.

Ellsworth says this was a difficult decision, and will affect around 750 students.

“If it were up to me and we had unlimited resources we would transport every student who wanted a ride, but the fact is that we don’t have unlimited resources and sometimes you have to make difficult decisions.”

He says the move will save the district around $1.2 million a year.

He says it’s not yet known how fewer bus drivers they’ll need next school year and if layoffs will be necessary or if staffing levels will work out due to attrition.