Jerome, August 27, 2025
News Summary
The Jerome School District is dealing with significant issues in its new busing system, resulting in confusion among parents and school cancellations. Problems stem from inaccuracies in routing software, leading to students sent to incorrect locations. Parents have been critical, opting to drive their children to school, while the district works on solutions, including hiring more drivers and improving routing data. Changes to bus ride eligibility and new traffic patterns at schools aim to enhance the transportation experience for families.
Jerome – The Jerome School District is grappling with a tumultuous start to its new school busing system, leading to widespread confusion and frustration among parents. Last week, operational issues in the revamped transportation system resulted in school cancellations on August 21 and 22 due to safety concerns related to the bus fleet.
Parents have expressed dissatisfaction, with many deeming the situation as “chaos” and opting to drive their children to school instead of relying on the bus system. Transportation Director Tim Hicks noted that improvements are underway, indicating that the busing situation is progressively getting “better and better.” Similarly, Superintendent Brent Johnson acknowledged the significant progress made compared to the first unsuccessful week and formally apologized to parents for their frustrations, recognizing the situation as unacceptable.
The challenges stem from the new busing system, which utilizes routing software linked to Google Maps. Unfortunately, this software has accuracy issues in Jerome County, leading to incorrect addresses for students. Instances of students being sent to cornfields or other incorrect locations were reported, adding to the discontent. Additionally, many parents were caught off guard when students who were initially enrolled to ride the bus received last-minute notifications disqualifying them from bus services.
A discovered software glitch was found to be responsible for some of these disqualifications, prompting active efforts by the transportation and IT departments to resolve these problems. In response to the confusion, parents have been asked to fill out transportation forms to assist with routing concerns, with improvements anticipated in the coming weeks.
To address these issues, manual data entry is being conducted to rectify routing problems, which is expected to be completed by the end of next week. Furthermore, the district is currently looking to hire additional school bus drivers to meet the increased demand for transportation services. Initially, the district bused 1,300 students, a substantial increase from the previous count of 950 students, which resulted in logistical challenges such as overcrowding and delays.
The problems were exacerbated by poor bus transfer signage and insufficient time to implement the new system effectively. Moving forward, the district has prioritized confirming addresses and ridership information with parents while suspending new riders for the upcoming week. This approach aims to establish a more stable routine during this transition period.
New guidelines have been set for resuming classes, ensuring that only properly registered students with verified routes will be allowed to ride the buses. Students residing within a half-mile of schools will not receive bus transportation, barring specific exceptions. In addition, new pick-up and drop-off patterns have been introduced at various schools to enhance the efficiency of transportation operations, including the creation of two traffic lanes for drop-off at Summit Elementary School and designated routes for parents accessing Jerome Middle School to improve traffic flow.
The Jerome School District is committed to resolving the issues surrounding the new busing system and ensuring a safer and more dependable transportation experience for its students and their families.
FAQ
What led to the chaos in the Jerome School District’s new bus system?
The chaos was caused by inaccuracies in routing software linked to Google Maps, which resulted in students being directed to incorrect locations, alongside a software glitch that disqualified some enrolled students from bus services at the last minute.
What actions are being taken to resolve these issues?
The school district is making improvements by manually correcting routing problems, hiring additional bus drivers, and confirming addresses and ridership information with parents. They are also taking feedback via transportation forms to better address routing concerns.
Will there be any changes to who can ride the buses?
Yes, only properly registered students with confirmed bus routes will be allowed on buses. Students living within a half-mile of schools will not receive bus transportation, except in specific cases.
When were the classes canceled? Why?
Classes were canceled on August 21 and 22 due to safety concerns related to operational changes in the busing system.
| Concern/Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Confusion Over Routing | Issues with routing software led to inaccurate addresses and confusion about bus stops. |
| Bus Cancellations | Classes were canceled on August 21 and 22 over safety concerns regarding transportation. |
| Parent Frustration | Many parents chose to drive their children to school instead of using the bus. |
| Software Glitch | A glitch caused some students to receive late disqualifications for bus service. |
| Changes Implemented | New pick-up/drop-off patterns and stricter rules for bus riders have been implemented. |
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Additional Resources
- KIVI TV: Jerome School District Addresses Bus System Chaos
- Google Search: Jerome School District transportation issues
- KMVT: School District Addresses First Week School Transportation Issues
- Wikipedia: School transportation in the United States
- KTVB: Jerome School District Cancels Thursday’s Classes
- Google News: Jerome School District bus issues
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