"New Walk Area Boundary" is in blue. (Click to enlarge) |
MORE BUSSES ARE NEEDED AT REDMOND HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO
WALK MORE THAN ONE MILE TO SCHOOL
By Susan Wilkins
Redmond, WA.
When Redmond High School opened this September with 2000 students and staff, only 8 busses were provided for the entire school – enough seats for about 400 students to ride to and from school.
In September, 500 additional ninth graders arrived at Redmond High as part of the 9-12 grade conversion. The brand new 14-classroom south wing and auxiliary gym were also opened for the first time. Redmond High School is now one of the largest high schools in Washington State with almost 2000 students and 160 teachers and staff. Before final construction plans were approved by the Redmond City Council, the project went through a series of reviews and hearings where such issues as severe traffic back-ups, noise, overcrowding in the halls and lunchroom, and even inadequate locker counts were considered.
When Redmond High School opened this September with 2000 students and staff, only 8 busses were provided for the entire school – enough seats for about 400 students to ride to and from school.
In September, 500 additional ninth graders arrived at Redmond High as part of the 9-12 grade conversion. The brand new 14-classroom south wing and auxiliary gym were also opened for the first time. Redmond High School is now one of the largest high schools in Washington State with almost 2000 students and 160 teachers and staff. Before final construction plans were approved by the Redmond City Council, the project went through a series of reviews and hearings where such issues as severe traffic back-ups, noise, overcrowding in the halls and lunchroom, and even inadequate locker counts were considered.
A major issue that was raised with the city Hearing Examiner in
May 2011 and at the final approval hearing held by Redmond City Council in July
2011 was the change in state law (28A.160.160 RCW) that would allow school
districts to be reimbursed by the state for transporting students who had to
walk more than a mile to school. Prior to the change in the law, funding for
school bus transportation had been limited to students who lived outside a
1-mile radius from the school meaning that many students who had long walks to
school because of steep slopes, winding roads and other geographic features
were not provided bus service and instead ended up driving or being driven to
school. The State Legislature amended
the 1-mile radius requirement and instead created the definition of a “1-mile
walk route” meaning that any student who had to walk more than 1 mile to school
would be eligible for state transportation funding.
Under the 1-mile radius rule, students living along Avondale
Road, 166th Avenue NE and on the north and south sides of the NE 116th
Street corridor were not eligible for school bus transportation even though
most would have walked 2 to 3 miles to get to school by following the existing
roadways. With the creation of the
“1-mile walk area” hundreds of RHS students became eligible for bus
transportation funding from the state. The
catch is that although the state will provide funding, the local school
districts are not required to provide bus transportation except to students
with special needs.
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