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The Poughkeepsie City School District Board of Education has approved a new school bus transportation plan aimed at improving safety and accessibility for elementary students. The plan, announced recently, will allow more than 900 students to use school buses starting in the fall of 2025. The initiative is part of a broader effort to reorganize the district's elementary schools and enhance educational outcomes.
The transportation plan is made possible through the Child Safety Zone Program, which covers 90% of the transportation costs for students living more than a half-mile from their school and facing hazardous walking conditions. The remaining cost will be covered by the district's budget, ensuring no tax increase for residents. Voters will have the opportunity to approve the plan during a referendum on May 20.
Board of Education President Fatimah Carmen Martinez Santiago expressed hope that the community recognizes the significance of this development, stating, "So many people for so many years have been insisting on this."
The district's reconfiguration plan will also see changes in the grade levels served by each school, with Morse and Krieger schools accommodating pre-K through second grade, and Clinton, Smith, and Warring schools serving grades three through five. This restructuring aims to provide stability and reduce the stress of frequent school changes for young students.
Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser highlighted the benefits of the plan, noting that it will increase attendance, decrease absenteeism, and improve student achievement and graduation rates.